Kitchen Gadgets: Airfryer

biglifebysarah
Apr 23, 2021
7 min read

Updated: May 17, 2021

So, I'll admit, the first few years people were going ape-shit over air fryers, I just didn't understand. I am fortunate to have an oven with an additional convection setting and I kept saying "your oven does the same thing" and "it's about what pans you use in the oven". I promise you, I thought people were ridiculous. In fact, after my brother added one to his Christmas list a few years ago, I broke down and bought one just to see what all of the hoopla was. After it sat in my kitchen for a couple of weeks, I finally opened it to read the instruction booklet: 20 minutes for chicken tenders, you have to flip them, and you can only cook 6 at a time. That's what I remember reading. That's all it took. I wrapped that baby back up and returned it for a refund. Why would I pay 100 bucks for a large appliance to sit on my counter that only cooks small batches of food when I have an oven that does that??? To those folks I called "ridiculous", I am sorry. I see the error in my ways now. I apologize to you.

I don't know why, but I went a bit gadget crazy at the beginning of the pandemic. Maybe I needed some new toys to occupy my time, maybe it was because I was focusing on my IG cooking account, or maybe because I was saving so much money on gas because of teleworking it was burning a hole in my pocket. Whatever the reason: I thought "why not?". Now, normally I am an Amazon lover. Amazon is my go-to for all things: I can compare prices, and because I pay for Prime, I absolutely hate paying for shipping from other places. Let me also add, I'm spoiled by the 2-day shipping time I've had for an unbelievably long time. I mean, it's flat-out brutal waiting for something to be delivered from places other than Amazon now. #spoiled Why didn't I buy one from Amazon then? I am a huge fan of America's Test Kitchen, and their "Equipment Corner" has yet to fail me. One of their top recommendations was the Philips XXL and I knew that was the one. At the time, it wasn't available on Amazon, but it is now, so here ya go! Add it to your cart.

I don't typically like clutter on my counters, not even a paper towel dispenser. The thought of having a large appliance sitting on my precious countertop space was difficult. It looked big at first, but decided to put it in the corner, and knew I could find cabinet or pantry space if it kept bothering me. Honestly, though, I used it so much, it wasn't worth the effort to continue pulling it in/out. The black design is sleek, shiny, not as big as I imagined and actually matches my counters well, so surprisingly its never felt out of place. I did splurge on the pizza, baking, and party kits a couple of months afterward. They are so worth it. I freaking love it!! The party pack definitely helps make more wings at once, and if you are anything like us, we loooooove our wings!! The extra space allows more airflow between the pieces, so you get better crunchiness all around.

**This is not an ad for the air fryer or parts. I paid full price for all of these items. Because of this, my product has definitely been used. You will see my product isn't perfectly shiny and is well-loved (as some would say) in the pictures below. That is because I actually use it!

If you follow my IG account, you know I make some fancier meals, but also simple ones. I use the air fryer for both. One of the best reasons to use it is that it is dishwasher safe! I wish I could put my oven in the dishwasher, but I can't, so the air fryer is my go-to for both reheating and cooking.

I wanted to share some basics with you, so here you go!

Reheating Fried Foods: Yes, I do it in the air fryer and they crisp right up. I turn it to 400° and toss them in! Because of the pandemic, we've gotten an unusual amount of takeout this past year; not only is it cold when we get home, but the fried foods are soggy. I learned a long time ago, that broiling previously fried foods in my oven would help, but it takes so long and isn't exactly perfect. The air fryer works much quicker and MUCH better! I promise.

**Wings: Order them sauce on the side! Re-crisp in the air fryer and sauce. You can also sauce then heat-it works well too.

**Tater Tots: Yes, I can't believe it, but we've crisped cooked tater tots

**Pizza: OMG. While I love a cold NY-style slice, sometimes reheating it in the air fryer gives it the perfect amount of melty stringy goodness you are looking for while still being foldable with a crunchy top crust to dunk into pizza sauce, garlic, or ranch

**Frozen meals: You know the ones that are better in the oven but take 45 minutes to crisp up because of the toppings? Mac and cheese, or potatoes with cheese and breadcrumbs? I follow the microwave directions, which typically is 5 minutes or so, then toss in the air fryer to crisp up the top. I don't have the patience to wait 45 minutes on frozen meals. #kitchenhack

Bacon and Eggs: 275° for 13 minutes.

Hate standing in the kitchen cooking breakfast? There's always something else we could be doing, right? Talk about "set it and forget it". Bonus: your house still smells like bacon is cooking. Yum! *** Egg yolks will have a softer set when cooked with bacon at the same time. You can see the difference in egg cooks below. Adjust timing to your yolk preference by only a minute or two. Crunchier bacon? When done, pull eggs out to peel, adjust to 400° for 2 minutes!

Lamb Chops

8 lamb chops

1.5 tbsp Avocado oil or spray

1 tbsp garlic seasoning

1-2 tbsp rosemary

Double Rack

Coat and set for a few minutes

400° for 13 minutes will yield a medium chop

Lasagna is Life!!!

Holiday Ham

350° for 35 minutes then started glazing/basting every 5 minutes

You can have an easy holiday ham any day of the week. Click on the pic to see my sugar-free glaze that will blow your mind. Use this accessory for easy removal and nonstick cleanup! I wish I would've purchased this accessory earlier.

Chicken Legs

350° for 15 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes

Accessory for maximum space usage

There's simply nothing more versatile than the humble but succulent chicken leg. You can season these a million different ways and still have variety in your meals. I often buy large packages to bulk cook in my air fryer. They are wonderful for a quick lunch or protein snack on the go.

Sausages

350° for 18 minutes

I love them, but hate cooking them. I still suck at cooking these on the stove. These don't require babysitting or flipping! ProTip: These fit for this air fryer shape/size and it helps with smoke since sausages are fattier than most proteins. I use so many of these and they peel right out of the box in one second.

Pork Tenderloin

400° for 15-20 minutes depending on size flip halfway through if you want crust on all sides

Scroll to see the crust pre-sliced. We enjoy using spicy seasoning blends or marinating overnight with chipotle peppers.

Cornish Hen

375° for 45 minutes flipping after 30.

Anyone else eat Cornish hens growing up? They were always something my mother made for herself. It isn't something I make often, but don't know why! They are in the frozen meat cases at the grocery store and typically are sold in packs of 2 but still individually wrapped. Foil sheets come in handy if you aren't using the pan accessory

Nachos

350° for 5 minutes

Make your ultimate nachos in just minutes by turning on the oven! I like mine pretty simple with chicken skins, bbq seasoning, and sour cream, but top with whatever you want! You know your late-night nachos suck when they get soggy in the microwave. Don't do it, please.

Personal Pizza Dip

400° for 10 min or until hot and bubbly

I love dips, but sometimes a whole dip is too much for 1-2 people. I use a small oven-safe dish to make smaller batches sometimes, but the pan accessory will still allow you to make a family-size batch. Mix your favorite pizza toppings in!

1 cup pizza choice ( I use Rao's)

3 oz softened cream cheese

2/3 cup pepperoni slices chopped

1/2 cup cheese blend

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp granulated onion

Croutons

400° degrees for 5 minutes or until brown

For many reasons this one comes in handy. Personally, I don't keep croutons on hand because I don't want them very often, but when I do, I WANT THEM NOW! Maybe you've run out, they were in the cabinet too long, or you just want warm ones. Viola!

***Use any bread you like, that's the beauty in this. If you look at the picture correctly, you'll notice I cut up a hamburger bun...its what I had, so its what I used, and it was great!

(Specifically an Aldi Keto bun)

Diced bread

Neutral oil or spray

Garlicy seasoning of choice

Desserts in the air fryer? Yes!!

Lemon Poppy seedless Muffins

350° 15 minutes

These have a perfect lemon flavor and because the pancake mix has various textures, it has the mouthfeel of little poppy seeds. You can always add them if you want though,