Foods that we should never cook in the air fryer

Make sure you’re not making these mistakes

Hailed as the best thing since sliced bread, air fryer owners would have you believe that purchasing the device is the best decision they’ve made in the last five years.

It’s easy to see why in fairness. You can cook all sorts in them, it’s a much healthier alternative to frying things in oil, and they can be more energy-efficient than an oven.

But it turns out there are limits to the air fryer’s capabilities and there are some foods that should never be cooked in them.

Food experts Alisa Burt and Samuel Goldsmith revealed that some elements of popular foods don’t mix well with the air fryer.

They’ve helpfully compiled a list of of do’s and don’t’s for air fryer owners.

Writing for BBC Good Food, the first thing they said shouldn’t be place in the appliance is anything with wet batter on it.

This includes food items like fried chicken, and there’s a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, you’re unlikely to get the results you’re after as there isn’t enough hot oil to set the batter

This also means it’s likely to get very messy and will drip all over the air fryer. Alison also explained that the “puddle of batter may also burn the base of your air fryer basket.”

The same logic applies to any food items covered in sauces, so basically anything with a liquid element shouldn’t be going into that air fryer draw.

For dishes like stew, bolognese and chilli con carne, you’re better off using a slow cooker or the traditional pots and pans.

Along with the mess these would cause, there’s also a safety risk as the hot liquids can spit and splatter, potentially leaving you with a nasty burn.

Any foods that should be boiled or steamed, like pasta and rice, shouldn’t be air-fried, with Samuel saying you should use the old-fashioned hob and oven for these.

One that might surprise you is popcorn. Apparently, most air fryers won’t get hot enough to pop the kernels, which could become lodged within the appliance as well and cause it to short circuit, posing a fire hazard.

Whilst some veg can produce cracking results when cooked in an air fryer, broccoli isn’t one of them.

Because the vegetable, struggles to retain moisture, it can dry out in the air fryer, making it chewy and bitter.

And finally, hard-boiled eggs. If you’re trying to air fry an egg, you’re probably going to end up with it being chewy and rubbery (you also need to take a long, hard look at yourself if you’re choosing to make them this way).

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