Tips & tricks for Air-Frying Frozen Food
Many people have an Airfryer and are completely taken with how convenient and easy to clean the appliance is. Add to that the countless recipes for all kinds of delicious things you can make in it, both sweet and savory, and you understand why an Airfryer has become indispensable in many kitchens. And do you know what else it’s useful for? Preparing frozen products or leftovers you’ve frozen yourself!
Yes, indeed, you’d probably already figured out that it’s perfect for bitterballen or other fried snacks from the freezer aisle, because it’s often printed in huge letters on the packaging. But you can easily prepare other frozen foods in it too. Keep these tips in mind:
Whether and when to use fat
Just as you would use a little butter or oil when cooking in a pan or on a grill or griddle, you may need it in an Airfryer too. But usually, a very small amount is enough, and if the food itself already contains fat, it may not be necessary. Be careful with cooking sprays; some may contain additives that can damage the Airfryer components’ nonstick coating. Instead, use a little fat and spread it with a pastry brush.
Full is full—and half-full too
Don’t stuff the entire Airfryer full of frozen food because you think the hot air will reach everything anyway—this prevents the food from cooking evenly. If you’re preparing food with a coating around it (such as arancini; breaded risotto balls), you can fill the basket a little more (but no more than half full) and carefully shake everything halfway through the cooking time. Place food without a coating (such as chicken breast or vegetables) in a single layer so it cooks nicely.
Not everything from the freezer should be prepared the same way
There are plenty of products from the freezer aisle (or leftovers from your own freezer) that do very well when reheated in the Airfryer. Snacks, dumplings, fish fingers, homemade chicken nuggets—all perfectly suitable for Air-Frying. But frozen vegetables can turn out differently. They may become soggy or dry out. With broccoli, for example, you need to make sure the tips of the florets don’t burn too much, and vegetables that naturally contain a lot of water (such as zucchini) are also difficult to prepare deliciously once they’ve been frozen. Use these vegetables for soups instead.
Also read:
- Deep-frying requires fat: Nick has had enough and is organizing the Dutch Airfryer Throwing Championships
- These are the most delicious Airfryer bitterballen in the world
- Recipe: extra-crispy pork belly from the Airfryer
Source: The Spruce
