All in all, I am incredibly impressed with the chips cooked in the air fryer. Not only did they cost 31p less to cook, they tasted just as good, were just as crunchy, and was so easy to do.
Homemade air fryer chips are so easy and quick to make. Crispy on the outside with a tender fluffy middle, they taste so much nicer than oven-baked chips! Season with sea salt and a little malt vinegar for the perfect chip experience!
No, air fried foods do not actually taste deep fried, even though I'd really, really, really like them to. So what does air fried food actually taste like? It tastes like extra-crispy oven-baked food.
You also get crispier results in an air fryer than in an oven, making them ideal for cooking chips and other foods where you want a crunch.
Generally, chips from an air fryer are prone to being soft and unevenly browned if not turned enough, but are much healthier since they use less oil. Those cooked in a deep fat fryer will be browner and crispier, especially if they're double or triple fried, and more closely resemble chip shop chips.
Thinner chips will turn out crispier than thicker, chunky chips. Try to keep the size of the chips between 5mm-1cm thickness. Be sure to thoroughly dry the chips before air-frying them. Any excess moisture left on the chips will make them soggy.
The downside
Air-frying also produces high temperatures at a very rapid rate, thus making it extremely easy to burn food. And charred food may be carcinogenic. In addition, Cucuzza adds, because most devices cook 1 to 3 pounds of food at a time, it can be challenging to air-fry meals for a large family.
Firstly, if your potatoes are still wet before being placed into an air fryer, this can cause your potatoes not to crispen up. You can avoid this by thoroughly patting dry your potatoes before you place them in the air fryer. Secondly, you might be putting in too many potato chips so they aren't cooking evenly.
Another called it “a total gamechanger when it comes to cooking”, while Gordon Ramsay claimed the results are like food “cooked in oil, but [the air fryer] locks in the juice and the flavour is extraordinary”.
Air Fryer Frozen Chips
Add the frozen chips to the air fryer basket and set off at 200C (400F) and cook for 8 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the chips), shaking halfway through to prevent them from sticking to the basket.
When making chunky chip shop style chips in the air fryer it is much better to parboil first, this will result in the perfect chip, soft and fluffy on the inside with a crispy chip outer. What is this? Add chips to a saucepan of cold water, bring to a boil then time for 5-7 minutes.
If you can't stand soggy foods (even if they're nice and warm), the air fryer is your go-to here. It's great for reheating pizza, anything with a crispy coating like chicken fingers or, you guessed it, french fries.
If you're frying frozen french fries, you should experiment with preparing them in an air fryer instead. Everything's amazing how quickly and easily it comes together without the need for oil. In all seriousness, air-fried frozen french fries are very crispy and ridiculously simple to make when cooked in an air fryer.
Start by spraying your McDonald's fries with oil and popping them in the air fryer for five minutes at 180C, Guap's Grubs recommends. If your chips are still soggy, spray them with oil again and blast them in the air fryer at a higher temperature for another minute.
Reduced Taste Quality
Out of the top three reasons restaurants don't use air fryers, the taste is the leading cause. Air fryers have numerous benefits and can cook food efficiently. However, the taste can be subpar compared to other cooking methods available at the commercial level.
Some say it's too good to be true, that you can't effectively “fry” something with a few tablespoons of oil and hot circulating air. Some say yeah, it works but it takes up too much countertop space for what it's worth. Some swear by it for a few things like frozen french fries and nuggets.
Yes, air fryers are economical – especially when compared to ovens. The average 1,500 W air fryer will cost you around 51p per hour, based on the current electricity rate. Since the average cooking time for air fryers is 30 minutes or less, that means their cost per use is around 17p.
When the basket is filled with the maximum recommended filling quantity for frozen chips, please shake it 3 to 4 times minimum so that all the food is cooked evenly. The more food you have placed in the Airfryer, the more often you should shake it.
The pros are that air fryers are versatile, easy-to-use, and very quick allowing you to make healthier food efficiently in your own kitchen. Despite this, these rather large devices quickly take up space on your kitchen counter or in your cupboards and can be tricky to clean.
Research shows that air fryers are more energy efficient than using an oven and that means savings on energy bills. They are healthier than deep frying or using an oil-soaked frying pan so there are some health benefits too.