Air fryer cooking

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I never thought to roast Potatoes in the AF before, they look wonderful TastyReuben

 

[TastyReuben]

I never thought to roast Potatoes in the AF before, they look wonderful TastyReuben

Thanks!

In the interest of full disclosure, they still weren't crispy, but I didn't mind, because when I roast them or (more often) pan-fry them for breakfast, they sit around in a warm oven waiting for me to finish cooking the eggs and lose their crispness anyway. That's why I consider them equal to what I usually make for breakfast (Christmas dinner is another story, those are crisp!).

They took 15 minutes. Maybe if I'd gone 18, they would have crisped up a bit.

 

[JAS_OH1]

These roasted potatoes were from the air fryer:

View attachment 88210
They were on par with the oven, but two-thirds faster.

They look delicious!

 

[JAS_OH1]

Thanks!

In the interest of full disclosure, they still weren't crispy, but I didn't mind, because when I roast them or (more often) pan-fry them for breakfast, they sit around in a warm oven waiting for me to finish cooking the eggs and lose their crispness anyway. That's why I consider them equal to what I usually make for breakfast (Christmas dinner is another story, those are crisp!).

They took 15 minutes. Maybe if I'd gone 18, they would have crisped up a bit.

Are you going to try hash brown patties or just some hash brown shredded potatoes in it?

 

[TastyReuben]

Are you going to try hash brown patties or just some hash brown shredded potatoes in it?

MrsT asked me about the latter just this morning, so I suppose I will.

I’m having another attempt at fries now, after finding a Chef John video on the subject. His will be as good as anyone’s, and he won’t lie about it, so I’ll post (hopefully favorable) results in a bit.

 

[TastyReuben]

Ok, the verdict is in:

Dare I say, these are actually < > crispy! And not dry! I’ve found my method!

Let me just say, if I have fried better, it’s because I’ve stood on the shoulders of Chef John.

His method is to give them a quick rinse in cold water, then pour boiling water over them for 10 minutes, then proceed with the frying aspect.

I like this because it’s faster than the 30 minute soak others were recommending, but much less fussy than par-boiling. It’s easy enough to put the kettle on while cutting these up and then it’s boiling by the time they’re rinsed.

Another thing I liked - no small portions. He said to just dump them in there, get them more or less separated, and press on. Several bloggers went as far as to recommend a single layer of fries at a time, which isn’t even a single portion. I was able to do an entire large potato following CJ, which is just right for two people.

Lastly, he also dismissed the annoying “shake the basket every few minutes” BS. a main cooking cycle of 15 minutes, shake the basket once, and a second cycle of 10 minutes. Voilà…crispy air-fried potatoes, done to a turn.

The best thing…he was honest. All the other bloggers (and my culinarily useless friends and family) promised fries “better than deep-fried.” That is a lie.

CJ, though, was upfront in saying that “these are not as good as deep-fried, but they’re better than no fries.” That’s really all I was looking for…some honesty.

Simple method, better-than-adequate end result, earns CJ a little recognition from me, with apologies to Neil Diamond, and The Monkees (but not to Smashmouth, because they’re crap):

I thought good fries were only found in restaurants.
Meant to be eaten there and not home.
Then I bought an air fryer (do do do doooo),
I thought it was insane (do do do doooo),
I wanted them to be crispy,
But I wanted in vain.

‘Til I watched Chef John (do do do do),
Now I’m a believer (do do do do).
All doubt is gone (do do do do),
Erased from my mind (do do do do).
Yeah I’m in loooo-ooove,
I’m a believer,
I couldn’t stop eatin’ these
If I tried…(funky guitar lick).

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

"Fork don't lie"

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I'm going to AF a Costco boneless Pork Loin Chop, coated in a store bought seasoned coating mix.
I've done this a few times, but for the life of me, I forget how I did it!
Normally, I write down anything new that I try and then post it up in my CMT account, I can't find it!
So, I'm wingin' it ...

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I don't think I'll be buying this pork any more, it was tough and flavorless.
DH commented, "Can't you get the kind of Pork Chops my Mother use to get?"
And that was how long ago?

 

[Morning Glory]

In the interest of full disclosure, they still weren't crispy,

I'm please you disclosed this.

 

[Morning Glory]

His method is to give them a quick rinse in cold water, then pour boiling water over them for 10 minutes, then proceed with the frying aspect.

I like this because it’s faster than the 30 minute soak others were recommending, but much less fussy than par-boiling. It’s easy enough to put the kettle on while cutting these up and then it’s boiling by the time they’re rinsed.

I hadn't realised there was soaking involved - surely this defeats the object of the air-fryer which I thought was meant to be an easy one stage process? Chef John's method is certainly faster though.

I will try this method in the halogen oven.

 

[vernplum]

Lastly, he also dismissed the annoying “shake the basket every few minutes” BS. a main cooking cycle of 15 minutes, shake the basket once, and a second cycle of 10 minutes. Voilà…crispy air-fried potatoes, done to a turn.

Depends how many you are making at once. I have to do enough fries for 5 people, so shaking is a must - in fact, with the fries filling the basket to 3/4 capacity what I do a couple of times is the dump them all out into a mixing bowl, give them a good toss then put them back in again - this ensures the ones at the bottom also get a turn near the heat (otherwise you can end up with burned ones on top and undercooked ones below). When the cook is over, they go back in that bowl for a toss with some salt.

P.S. I love CJ too and can listen to him all day.

 

[vernplum]

I hadn't realised there was soaking involved - surely this defeats the object of the air-fryer which I thought was meant to be an easy one stage process? Chef John's method is certainly faster though.

I will try this method in the halogen oven.

Certainly Air-Fryers have been marketed as convenience appliances but at the end of the day, it's a tool like anything else which could be the vessel of choice in a multi-step cooking process.

Can you believe this sacrilege: sometimes I will microwave raw bone-in chicken pieces - thighs, drums etc... for 4 or 5 mins, then whack them in the air-fryer on full after that to brown them on the outside for what - another 6 or 7 mins?. I could do it all in the air-fryer from the get go, but sometimes I want my chicken really fast.

 

[JAS_OH1]

View attachment 88225
View attachment 88226View attachment 88227

I don't think I'll be buying this pork and more, it was tough and flavorless.
DH commented, "Can't you get the kind of Pork Chops my Mother use to get?"
And that was how long ago?

Try brining them. You probably will never be able to find the kind of pork his mother bought because they breed and feed pigs differently than they did back then.

 

[karadekoolaid]

So I´ve read this thread with certain bemusement. For me, any kitchen implement I buy has to be something that saves me time and money, and produces something at the end which is more flavourful than the way it was cooked before. I don´t see how an air fryer fits that. I can make a panful of chips in 20 minutes or so - and here we´re talking up to an HOUR...and perhaps they´re not as crispy??
I´m sure you´re all happy with your machines and I´m not criticising your choices - just that I´m wondering why I should take an hour to do something I can make in 1/3 of the time.