More than half of UK households now own an air fryer
What do all air fryer owners have in common?
They won’t stop talking about their air fryers.
With more than half of UK households now having one, ownership has increased by a whopping 70 percent from 2022, reports leatherhead food research.
Christmas gift card warning
Credit: ITV
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And there’s no doubt that users will definitely be taking advantage of theirs this Christmas. From air fryer roast potatoes to crispy brussel sprouts, there’s all sorts of Xmas classics you can try. You can even do an air fryer turkey breast by wacking it in for 25-30 minutes, flipping it halfway.
But according to the BBC’s Good Food section, there’s one food you should avoid air frying – pigs in blankets.
Those savoury little sausages wrapped in crispy bacon perfectly compliments your roast dinner, and Yorkshire puds (controversial, but essential).
However, putting bacon in an air fryer can be a big issue.
More than half of UK households now own an air fryer (Getty Stock Images)
As dietitian Brenda Peralta explains, the fat content in bacon – though being the reason it tastes so good – can actually be a bit of a disaster for air fryer cooks.
“It is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter,” she told the Huffington Post.
“This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours.”
The uneven distribution of fat content in the bacon can make it difficult to cook the meat evenly. By putting pigs in blankets in the air fryer, you’re at risk of not cooking it all the way through.
No one wants food poisoning from uncooked meat, especially at Christmas time.
Cooking pigs in blankets in an air fryer this Christmas might be a problem (Getty Stock Images)
As Brenda mentioned, the fat content will also make your air fryer smoke the place up like Winston Churchill. Not only that, but if the fat splatters out of the pot, you could accidentally burn yourself.
When it comes to pure bacon strips, there’s also the issue of trying to scrape them out of your air fryer once they’re cooked. If you don’t use a baking sheet, they can quite easily stick to the bottom, which isn’t ideal.
Brenda added: “A bacon strip is a small and delicate food, and it can be difficult to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without breaking it. The air fryer basket may not be large enough to accommodate a large quantity of bacon.
“This can make it difficult to cook a lot of bacon at once, which can be inconvenient if you are cooking for a group.”Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Christmas, Food And Drink, BBC, Health
Anish Vij
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Updated 08:02 16 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 17:39 13 Jul 2024 GMT+1
Grim reason you should never cook bacon in an air fryer
We might use it for everything, but you may not want to cook bacon in one after this
There is a big reason as to why you shouldn’t use an air fryer to cook bacon, according to a food expert.
Air fryers have become a staple in the majority of kitchens not just across the UK, but across the world, as people chuck their ovens or grills out for the ease of an air fryer – with crispy results to show.
However, it turns out that, despite all the fanfare around air fryers and their convenience in the past few years, not all food is meant to be chucked into these fryers – like bacon.
You may not want to cook bacon in the airfryer after finding out why. (Getty Stock Photo)
Dietitian Brenda Peralta explained that there are a couple of reasons as to why you may want to stick to pan frying your bacon strips in the morning.
However, she did also detail that some foods are great – maybe even better – after going in the air fryer, with the likes of Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, breaded chicken, and falafel being tasty foods that are great to use the kitchen appliance for.
Peralta explained why you should avoid cooking bacon in an air fryer by revealing that due to the high-fat content, it can leave an unwelcome odour, causing a mess in the process.
However, the big reason to avoid it is that it could cause smoke – again due to its fat content.
“It is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter. This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours,” she explained to the Huffington Post.
They may not look as delicious as this if you put them in the air fryer. (Getty Stock Photo)
Peralta later explained that the end result of cooking bacon in here also doesn’t look as aesthetic as it would if you cooked it on the stove, as it is also harder for the strip to stay in one piece.
She added: “A bacon strip is a small and delicate food, and it can be difficult to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without breaking it.”
Bacon also can’t be cooked in large amounts in an air fryer, which has a certain capacity.
The dietician went on: “The air fryer basket may not be large enough to accommodate a large quantity of bacon. This can make it difficult to cook a lot of bacon at once, which can be inconvenient if you are cooking for a group.”
Basically, cooking it in the air fryer ruins how it cooks, how it looks, how it smells and makes your kitchen smokey.
Stick to the pans, lads.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Photo
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, Air fryers
Joshua Nair
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Updated 11:05 17 Sep 2024 GMT+1Published 09:55 17 Sep 2024 GMT+1
Grim reason you should never cook bacon in air fryer as people warned of five ‘dangerous’ foods they should avoid
Your air fryer may be your best friend but trust us, you’re probably going to want to avoid cooking these foods from now on
The humble air fryer may be everyone’s favourite kitchen gadget right now, but we should probably warn that you can’t cook absolutely everything in them.
Despite the first modern air fryer being introduced to the consumer market in 2010, it wasn’t until 2017 that sales really rocketed in the US.
And during the 2020 pandemic in the UK? Well, let’s just say you’d be hard-pressed to come across someone in your family who doesn’t think they’re the best thing since sliced bread.
Following the rise of the air fryer, ovens have been abandoned by the masses while culinary influencers have been making mint writing dedicated cookbooks.
It’s fair to assume people aren’t planning on putting their tech into storage anytime soon but if you’re a frequent user then be warned – you should probably stop cooking bacon in your convenient kitchen sidekick.
Pretty much everyone and anyone has got an air fryer now (Getty Stock Photo)
Why shouldn’t you cook bacon in an air fryer?
Expert dietitian Brenda Peralta has revealed the reason why you should keep your bacon out of your air fryer
According to her, the high-fat content in the moreish breakfast item can leave a lingering odour and cause a serious mess in the process.
Moreover, cooking bacon in your trusty kitchen companion could cause smoke.
“[Bacon] is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter,” she told the Huffington Post.
“This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours.
“A bacon strip is a small and delicate food, and it can be difficult to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without breaking it,” she added.
Essentially cooking bacon in an air fryer can cause all sorts of problems but it’s not the only food item you’ve been warned off heating up in the appliance.
They may not look as delicious as this if you put them in the air fryer (Getty Stock Image)
Less sauce, please
A new list published by The Express claims there are five dangerous foods you should abstain from fixing up in your air fryer, with sauce-based dishes being the first no-go.
We’re talking about everything, from your mum’s famous chilli to spaghetti carbonara, that should be avoided.
Why? Well, the amount of sauce can splatter throughout the interior, which not only causes a mess but can prove dangerous.
Avoid wet batter if you can
It should go without saying but an air fryer is not the same as a deep fat fryer.
So when you want to recreate your favourite chippy staple, we suggest leaving the air fryer alone for this one.
The absence of hot oil can – again – create a mess leaving the wet batter to drip everywhere.
All isn’t lost though because flour-based batters or panko breadcrumbs are good to go – plus you’ll get a better crunch too.
Skip out on the popcorn
A movie night isn’t complete without a bowl of sweet or salty popcorn but next time you make a bowl of the stuff at home, we recommend you do not use the air fryer.
You see, air fryer’s don’t get as hot as a pot of oil, so the kernels don’t fully pop.
Not only that but if the little things get lodged in the mechanism of the air fryer, it could short circuit and become a fire hazard.
Nachos instead, anyone?
Veggies are fine in the air fryer… well, aside from broccoli (Getty Stock Image)
Bitter broccoli, anyone?
Ok, so this one isn’t exactly dangerous, but people have enough of hard time with broccoli as it is without the air fryer turning it into an inedible piece of tree.
An air fryer is essentially where broccoli comes to die, so if you want to jazz up the vegetable and serve it as a tasty side dish, try tossing in some herbs and spices and pan frying it.
Dried goods
Pasta and rice are a staple in most of our diets but when it comes to the air fryer, you’re better off sticking to more traditional methods – like some water and saucepan.
Pasta and rice need to be boiled first and sadly, you just cannot achieve that in air fryer.
It should be noted that you can reheat pasta and rice dishes in your air fryer but please, hold the sauce if you know what is good for you!Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, Technology
Ella Scott
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Updated 20:44 16 Sep 2024 GMT+1Published 20:45 16 Sep 2024 GMT+1
People warned about five ‘dangerous’ foods you should never cook in an air fryer
Leave it alone for one night, will you?
Oh, the air fryer.
Everyone’s favourite kitchen gadget that rose to popularity during the pandemic has had people in a chokehold ever since.
From whole cookbooks created for the kitchen staple to people abandoning their ovens all together in favour of it, it’s fair to say that people aren’t putting their air fryer’s into storage any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong, I get the appeal. They’re compact, versatile, healthy, quick and easy to use.
However, for certain dishes you’re going to have to put the air fryer away for the night as a list published by The Express warns against the five most ‘dangerous’ foods to cook in your trusty kitchen sidekick.
Be honest, how many times a week do you use yours? (CASEZY / Getty Stock)
Too much sauce
First things first, any food that has a hearty sauce is a big no no for the air fryer. We’re talking dad’s famous chilli, spaghetti bolognese, anything with a high liquid content should be avoided.
Why? Well, the amount of sauce can splatter throughout the interior, which not only causes a mess, but can prove dangerous.
Wet batter is a big no
It should go without saying that an air fryer is not the same as a deep fat fryer, a gadget perfect for wet battered foods.
However, when recreating your favourite chippy staple, leave the air fryer alone for this one.
The absence of hot oil can – again – create a mess leaving the wet batter to drip everywhere. This can cause damage to your fryer and if that happens, what are you going to use to recreate recipes you see on Instagram?
All isn’t lost though because flour-based batters or panko breadcrumbs are good to go – plus you’ll get a better crunch too.
The air fryer won’t help you with this one (Westend61 / Getty Images)
Skip the popcorn
A movie night isn’t complete without a bowl of sweet or toffee popcorn – salty if you’re nasty – but next time you make a bowl of the stuff at home, please, please don’t use the air fryer.
You see, air fryer’s don’t get as hot as a pot of oil, so the kernels don’t fully pop. Not only that but if the little things get lodged in the mechanism of the air fryer, it could short circuit and become a fire hazard.
That’s scarier than any movie you could watch if you ask me.
Anyone fancy nachos?
How to clean your air fryer
Credit: Which?
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Bitter broccoli, anyone?
Ok, so this one isn’t exactly dangerous, but people have enough of hard time with broccoli as it is without the air fryer turning it into an inedible piece of tree. An air fryer is essentially where broccoli comes to die, so if you want to jazz up the vegetable and serve it as a tasty side dish, try tossing in some herbs and spices and pan frying it.
Delish.
Dried goods
Pasta and rice are a staple in most of our diets but when it comes to the air fryer, you’re better off sticking to more traditional methods – like some water and saucepan.
Pasta and rice need to be boiled first and sadly, you can’t achieve that in air fryer.
If you simply can’t leave it alone for one night though, then you can use your air fryer to reheat pasta and rice dishes as opposed to using a microwave.
You’re welcome.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, Technology
Saskia Calliste
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Updated 11:02 19 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 09:34 19 Dec 2024 GMT
Woman makes huge mistake attempting to cook entire Christmas dinner in two hours using air fryer
It’s more common than you think
This article contains affiliate links and LADbible Group might make a commission on anything purchased.
Christmas may be the most magical time of the year, but it can also be the most stressful. Whether the in-laws are visiting or the kids are fighting over the remote, the last thing anyone wants to do is worry about basting the turkey every 30 minutes.
But Brits are increasingly turning to time-saving hacks when it comes to cooking, and more and more are turning to the air fryer when it comes to the all-important Christmas dinner.
According to Tefal, the cult Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer and Grill, available on Amazon for £99.99, is able to cook an entire Christmas dinner in less than two hours. Yes, seriously.
The XXL compartment will apparently fit a 1.6kg chicken or 2.4kg turkey crown, whilst the smaller drawer can be used to cook vegetables and other dinner essentials at the same time, such as pigs in blankets and stuffing balls. Tefal says the three-in-one air fryer, grill, and steamer will ‘cook up to 50% faster and save 70% energy’ in comparison to the traditional oven.
So, does it really save time and stress? I put the Tefal air fryer to the test. In the process, I made one huge mistake, that’s more common than you might think…
Here’s what happened.
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The ingredients list
I purchased everything I needed to make the Christmas dinner from Sainsbury’s, except the frozen turkey crown which I picked up from Aldi.
- Ashfields Small British Turkey Crown (1.9kg), £11.99
- Maris Piper potatoes, £1.90
- Sprout tree, £2
- Parsnips, 75p
- Pigs in blankets, £3.25
- Sage and onion stuffing balls, £2.50
- Goose fat, £4.30
- Fresh rosemary, 52p
- Garlic bulb, 24p
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Prepping the Christmas dinner
For the purpose of the experiment, I had to wave goodbye to some very important dinner plate heroes: think cauliflower cheese, red cabbage, and Yorkshire puddings (I’m northern, let me have it).
Armed with my shopping list, I headed to the shops to pick up everything I needed: potatoes, parsnips, sprouts, fresh rosemary, pigs in blankets, and stuffing balls. Once home, I got to work.
I cut the sprouts and peeled the parsnips then drizzled the veggies in honey, salt, and pepper. After peeling and cutting the potatoes into chunks, I parboiled them for maximum fluff potential before drizzling in salt, pepper, and rosemary.
So, what happened?
This is the part where I tell you that the turkey was nothing short of a disaster. Admittedly, I’ve never even cooked a turkey in the oven let alone an air fryer, so I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing.
In short, buying a frozen turkey was a bad move, as the Ashfields Small British Turkey Crown (1.9kg) I chose from Aldi came with giblets and all which was admittedly a shock to the system.
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As though that wasn’t bad enough, the turkey crown didn’t even fit in the air fryer – as shown in the photo.
So, I resorted to plan B and repeated the entire preparation process above the following evening. But this time, with a small M&S British Oakham Turkey Joint (500g) that was beautifully prepared for me, and most importantly, sans giblets.
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The cooking process
- First up: I placed the turkey joint in the large drawer on tin foil and drizzled it in butter before topping with garlic and a festive sprig of rosemary. I set the air fryer to 180C for 60 minutes. After a suspicious smell of burning within less than five minutes, I opened the drawer to discover the top had already started to crisp. So, I turned the heat down to 160C instead – checking the turkey every 15 minutes for 60 minutes.
- Whilst the turkey was doing its thing, the vegetables and side trimmings needed to be cooked one by one in the smaller drawer. The parsnips went in first for 20 minutes on 180C, followed by the sprouts for 15 minutes on 180C. I then chucked the pigs and blankets and stuffing balls in for 10 minutes on 180C followed by the pièce de résistance: the potatoes for 30 minutes on 200C.
- Throughout the cooking process, I regularly checked on the vegetables and gave the drawer a thorough shake.
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The final result
Overall, I was impressed with how quick and easy the process was (bar turkey gate). The parsnips came out golden and the pigs and blankets and stuffing balls smelt like Christmas. The sprouts did slightly burn when I wasn’t looking, so I’d recommend turning the temperature down or buying larger sprouts for an even cook.
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The potatoes were undoubtedly the best part, as they came out nice and fluffy – they tasted pretty good too. Despite not having any clear air fryer cooking guidelines for the turkey joint, it came out well – the top was a little crispy, but we’ll pretend that was intentional.
To finish, I covered the plate in gravy, which is the only part of the dinner that can’t be accomplished in an air fryer. Thankfully, there’s always a trusty Bisto in my cupboard.
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All in all, an air fryer is a great way to cook Christmas dinner if you want to save time and stress. If you prep everything in advance, you can put your feet up between tasks – you just need someone to occasionally shake the drawers (and check nothing is burning). However, if you want to cook for more than three people, you might need to use the oven too due to limited drawer space.
The huge air fryer mistake I made
The biggest mistake I made (other than the frozen turkey, of course)?
Air fryer aficionados may have spotted in the photos that I lined each drawer with tin foil, even going so far as to wrap the turkey in tin foil at one point – a huge rookie error.
According to Google, tin foil can stop air circulation in an air fryer, which in turn, will prevent meat and vegetables from cooking properly. This might explain why the turkey joint was incredibly crispy in less than five minutes and the sprouts didn’t come out looking as aesthetic as planned. If you’re worried about the mess, a silicone liner is a more effective way to keep the drawers clean.
I also later discovered that you should never place tin foil in the air fryer without food on it, as this can be a potential fire hazard. If my housemates are reading this, I’m sorry.