Question about air fryers

[Pooker]

Basing my question on the idea that no question is a dumb question, I wonder if some of you who have air fryers can tell me how to use mine. Many of you have mentioned cooking meat in your air fryer. Mine is a toaster/oven/broiler/air fryer. If I put any meat in the air fryer basket all the fat and drippings would fall onto the heating element. But I imagine using a small flat pan would mean the air wouldn't circulate all around the meat and it would be just like baking it or broiling it! I remember when appliances not only came with instruction booklets, but also cookbooks to get you started!

Evie

[Colliemom]

I have often been wondering about air fryers too. There are so many different brands and things out there. I really don’t know that much about them. Throw me me some suggestions. Which brands are you using, the pros cons etc. I’m sure that the answer to Edie’s question will be a big help too.

[Cudedog]

Since you asked.

I know that many ladies on her love their air fryers.

I was givin a very nice one Christmas 2021. The machine is big, it is noisy, the actual basket the does the cooking is very small, and fits into a kind of slot. Since the basket thingee is relatively small, and the slot that the basket fits into is small, it is very difficult to clean.

Plus, in order to use it, a different kind of food prep than I am used to is required.

I do most sincerely appreciate this nice gift - it was expensive.

But I have used it exactly once.

In the time it takes me to get it set up (out of the cupboard and onto the counter), do the special food prep, wait until stuff cooks, take the food out of the air fryer, clean up the air fryer, very carefully dry it, put it back in the cupboard (my counter space is very limited) I can slam a stainless steel pan on the top of my gas range (Ohhhh gas range, perish the thought ), throw food in the pan (no special slice-and-dice required), cook the food, wash the pan and leave it on the dish rack to dry in a fraction of the time I spent using the air fryer.

But that's just me. Your mileage may vary.

Anne

[OregonLuvr]

I love my air fryer. I have the basket type. Works for me. Some people have the one like Evie has. I can cook just about anything in mine. I have some small glass bakeware I can bake cakes, cookies, muffins etc. I cook meatballs, fish, roasted veggies. Pretty much anything I could cook in the oven. I like that I just take the basket out, put it in the sink to soak if there is stuff on it, or just wash it out. After soaking I just wipe it out and it is great. I have a digital thermometer that is a must also. As there is a bit of a learning curve the first time you make something. I started out overcooking everything LOL just thought it couldnt cook that fast.........but it does so you need to watch it.

https://smile.amazon.com/GoWISE-USA-5-8 ... eae8f9840#

I dont have the one like Evie has it was not really needed to do all those things for me.

[MandysMom]

I love my Cosori ! It is the larger one (because I can cook one burger or four burgers vs small AF where I could only cook one or two- I like leftovers). It is the square basket type, where basket sits in a catch basin type bucket, the bucket catches drippings, while the basket allows air flow. I chose Cosori based on ratings at the time. If I recall right, it's the 5.8 capacity. It's very easy to use. I can break a 2 lb chub of ground beef into 8-9 chunks, fit in basket, cook, and have 3-4 meals. I do eat almost 100% meat, so possibly bigger servings than some of you. Mine, the basket and bucket are coated with a hard coating. In just over 2 years, no flaking, though a few rub marks from vibration- those marks don't affect cooking or cleaning. As to cleaning. I keep a disposable container into which I pour any drippings I'm not pouring over my meat. Bacon drippings go in jar for use. When done cooking, I pour off drippings. Let cool slightly, then use one of the half paper towel sheets to wipe any remaining grease. I set basket/bucket (still hooked together) in sink, add a few drops Dawn blue and hottest water my hot water gets and fill bucket. Then I let sit for few minutes. While it sits, I take another half sheet paper towel, wet in hot water (not soap!) and wring it a bit, then wipe interior of unplugged oven part. Then I go back to sink and use a soft big brush to go over inside and out of basket amd bucket, rinse and set upside down to dry. Directions say can put in dishwasher, but reports I read before buying said, dishwasher hastens wear and tear on basket. This is so easy, sink and brush, and two years in, my unit is in good shape with my routine. I have never had smoke, which when I bought this,was the major complaint for all air fryers. I am convinced a smoking air fryer was not cleaned well enough or correctly or often enough. I also plan my cooks. If I know I want bacon- I cook entire lb to almost crisp in a batch (I can fit it all if I spiral my bacon), pour drippings in my jar, wipe with towel, then cook my steak or burgers. I have cooked fries and other items for my son, and I follow directions for temp and time I find on google and have a file on my phone for common items temp and time.
Sorry I can't help with your basket less air fryer- your question, is exactly why I bought this style. I would type make and model of yours into YouTube looking for recipes and ideas, then into google with the added word, manual for search as most manuals are available online now.

[MandysMom]

Anne? What special food prep? Yesterday, I slit open a 2 lb ground beef chub, used hands to break in 8-9 pieces and set side by side in AF and turned it on and cooked! The basket/bucket in my big Cosori 5.8 is big enough for a lb of bacon, 4 big flat 8 oz frozen burgers, or2 lbs of broken into chunks ground beef. I have cooked 6-8 chicken breasts, but rarely eat chicken. I could cook 3 NY strips. Clean up takes minutes and drip dry. I use mine at least once a day. Probably missed maybe 5 days in two years. Please explain what you mean by special prep so I can give some ideas.
Velda

[Bethers]

Evie, I have two air fryers. In the one with a basket the only place to drip is to the bottom of the basket. I sometimes put an air fryer liner in the bottom of the basket. My 2nd air fryer is much bigger and no basket. Looks more like a toaster oven with two shelves. It came with a tray also. When cooking meats on the shelves, I put aluminum foil on the bottom with sides gol folded up to hopefully catch the grease and make clean up easier.

Both of mine are Chefman brand.

Ann, the basket should be a breeze to clean. And it should be there only part of yours getting contact with food. Unless you can't remove your basket. Mine goes right in the sink and cleans up easily.

[SoCalGalcas]

I have a very small, one quart, I think. Basket type. I really like it. Roasting veggie’s, cooking hot dogs, cooking frozen foods. It’s a DASH from Amazon, probably.
I haven’t tried a steak. I’ve been wanting to. Every once and awhile I love a good steak. As meat isso expensive I would hate to ruin it by incorrectly crooking it. Any suggestions?
Lyn

[Acadianmom]

Lyn, I have one of the small Dash air fryers, which is probably what you have. To cook a piece of steak or a hamburger patty I put the temperature on 400 and pre heat it for about 5 minutes. I season the meat or patty and put it in the basket and spray it with butter flavored pam. I like my meat medium. A piece of steak about a half inch thick will cook in about 5 or 6 minutes on each side. The air coming out of the back of the air fryer is very hot so keep it away from a wall or anything that could catch on fire. I pour the grease into a jar while it will still pour. After the basket cools off I take the metal grate out and wash the basket. I don't find it all that hard to clean up.

I like crisp french fries so most of the time if I get a meal with fries I bring them home and reheat them in the air fryer. I spray them with the butter flavored pam and cook them on 400 for about 4 minutes. I stir or shake the basket a couple of times.

Martha

[snowball]

I have a Pampered Chef Deluxe Air Fryer that # 1 dd gave me she is a PC specialist... it has racks the bottom has a drip catcher... I cook a lot of stuff in it could do more if I made more of an effort... the cupboards are lower so doesn't fit on the counter plus there is a lot of stuff on the counters ... I think I would use it more often if it was there... I think what would be best Evie is to you tube it... your brand and see what you find
let us know what you find out
sheila

[MandysMom]

Lyn, as to steak, I recommend you get an instant read thermometer, if you don't have one. Walmart or Amazon carry them. As Martha said, season steak, preheat air fryer 400° for 5 min. Depends on size of steak, but start by cooking 5 min and check with thermometer. Remember to stop when it's 3-5 degrees before yiur desired doneness. I like rare so I stop around 120-123°. If you want, flip steak half way through. let rest about 5 min, during which temp will continue to rise. A 12 oz NY strip cooks in about 8 min in mine, but depends on power of your air fryer. You can always cook a couple min more if not done enough.

[Pooker]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. As I said, my fryer is like a toaster/oven - has cook units on both top and bottom. I have 3 "pans" - the largest is the mesh tray, then there's a broiler tray which has the ripples for meat, and the smallest is a flat pan with sides. There is only about an inch or less space between the shelf rack and the bottom burner and no place for a drip pan. The mesh one doesn't fit into the plain pan because it's larger. I still enjoy the darn thing, tho. Can't beat frozen french fries cooked in the air fryer and it does a terrific job for frozen pizza. I have tried veggies also and they came out good. Otherwise, I mainly use the broiler for fish and meat.

I'll snoop around on line and also try to go to the manufacturer's website, but even if I never use it for meat, etc. I love what it does do!

Evie

[BarbaraRose]

I also have the toaster oven/air fryer combo. It has a mesh basket and a small cookie sheet type pan. I too was wondering about drippy things in there. The only thing I don't like about the air fryer part is it only works at 450* so some things burn quick (like cookies) so I have to watch it close. I may get a small basket one eventually.

[Cudedog]

Well, I have read over everyone's posts - much thanks especially to Velda - and it looks like I need to get the dang thing out again and give it another try.

I am needing to change my diet, I get tired of the plain-jane, same-old, same-old, so this air fryer thingee might be a game-changer.

To steal a line from Karen: "We shall see".

Anne

[Bethers]

Barbie, you can't adjust the temperature? That's very unusual.