Airfryer - which one is best?

[BoatieBird]

I went to visit my mum and brother yesterday and came home with an airfryer , my brother has decided to go for an old school deep fat fryer* so it was surplus to requirements.
I'm going to do some chips in it later

*my brother has always been skinny and can eat what he likes, and has low cholesterol

 

[BoatieBird]

All the recipes I've been looking at say to soak the chips in water for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry before cooking.
I assume this is the remove the starch or something?
Is it necessary?

 

[two sheds]

Don't know but may try it - perhaps as you say get rid of starch on outside so they're crispier. Also, have we a decision on how long to parboil them?

I've just taken a delivery from the local shop of five frozen steak and stilton pasties will have one of them later.

 

[BoatieBird]

I wasn't planning on parboiling them

 

[Chilli.s]

I found that cutting the chips and boiling them for a couple of minutes then coating in oil then in the airfryer for as long as they take, plenty of removing and shaking for even colour

 

[two sheds]

Hmm will try not parboiling too - I like them nice and soft on the inside so I do sometimes get them soft before they go in the air fryer, my neighbour also says a couple of minutes.

All these things to try

 

[BoatieBird]

MOAR chips

 

[Chilli.s]

When oiling them, which i do in the hot pan after boiling, I often sprinkle some of that Bouillon powder on them, or cajun seasoning. Or plain

 

[Saffy]

I soak the cut potatoes for 30 mins and then pat dry on kitten roll. Then put back into the bowl, add oil and then mix them around until coated.
I only have a cheap air fryer and so I stop it every now and then and shake them around.

 

[two sheds]

I soak the cut potatoes for 30 mins and then pat dry on kitten roll.

Why? Is that to crisp the outsides? I've started just throwing them in the air fryer for a couple of minutes to dry them off before spraying them with oil.

 

[Saffy]

Supposedly, I've done the same as you though and still enjoyed them.

 

[two sheds]

Soaking for half an hour almost doubles the time-from-hunger-pangs to time-to-eating for an air fryer though

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I wasn't planning on parboiling them

Buy some frozen chips instead so you can just chuck them straight in.

 

[two sheds]

steak & stilton pasty 2 x 10 minutes in air fryer yum

 

[farmerbarleymow]

steak & stilton pasty 2 x 10 minutes in air fryer yum

So in theory you could buy those frozen Greggs pasties and live off them using an air fryer?

 

[two sheds]

Well these are Prima bakeries but I'd say yes indeed.

I air fried some bacon at the same time so am thinking of having spinach egg and bacon later

 

[Ms T]

By the way, I've still not got round to using the instant pot for anything.

I have an old model and use it a lot as a pressure cooker. It’s brilliant for soup, stock and stews as you might expect, but also for cooking rice, risotto and even one-pot pasta dishes. I really recommend Modern Pressure Cooking by Catherine Phipps to get the most out of it. Her old book on pressure cooking is also very good.

I wan5 the fancy new air fryer version now!

 

[porp]

So in theory you could buy those frozen Greggs pasties and live off them using an air fryer?

At last, a question I am well qualified to answer! Yes, the frozen Greggs pasties cook very well in the air fryer. I put some foil in the bottom to guard against cheesy leakage, but the pasties are pretty robust.

 

[donkyboy]

Anyone with air fryer have an opinion on this? Never used air fryer before, so not sure what I'm looking at, really.

Thinking of getting it. Have £80 worth of nector points so can get it from argos

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1247477?clickSR=slp:term:air%20fryer:5:12:1

 

[farmerbarleymow]

At last, a question I am well qualified to answer! Yes, the frozen Greggs pasties cook very well in the air fryer. I put some foil in the bottom to guard against cheesy leakage, but the pasties are pretty robust.

What temperature/time?

Greggs pasties are a bit shit but I'd like to be able to bake baked goods in it.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Anyone with air fryer have an opinion on this? Never used air fryer before, so not sure what I'm looking at, really.

Thinking of getting it. Have £80 worth of nector points so can get it from argos

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1247477?clickSR=slp:term:air%20fryer:5:12:1

Of all the reviews I've seen, they seem to slate that type with drop down fronts as nightmares to clean. Don't know if that's true though.

 

[porp]

What temperature/time?

Greggs pasties are a bit shit but I'd like to be able to bake baked goods in it.

About 10 to 15 minutes at 200c. Have a look after 10 minutes and turn over for a further 5 mins to ensure done-ness top and bottom.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

About 10 to 15 minutes at 200c. Have a look after 10 minutes and turn over for a further 5 mins to ensure done-ness top and bottom.

Ta. Still need to road test mine - it sits there on the worktop in a silent reproach to my laziness.

 

[two sheds]

They are sooooooooo easy to use though

 

[donkyboy]

Purchased the fryer this morning from argos. Paid £28 using all my nector points. Bargain considering its priced at £108. Tried some fries. Came out nice and crispy. Cooked some chicken thighs. Again came out lovely. As to cleaning, no issues at all as the door can be removed by pulling a leaver so very easy to clean. Comes with plenty of accessories, too

 

[Epona]

Cor, that looks fancy - I like!

Is that loads of pre-set timings for different foods?

 

[donkyboy]

Cor, that looks fancy - I like!

Is that loads of pre-set timings for different foods?

Yes, has preset. I left the preset for the fries but changed it for chicken following a guide from a youtube video.

 

[shakespearegirl]

We had great successful with our first outing of the new insta air fryer - spring rolls super crunchy. Sweet potato chips a total fail!

 

[bluescreen]

We had great successful with our first outing of the new insta air fryer - spring rolls super crunchy. Sweet potato chips a total fail!

Am keen to try an air fryer if they really work.
Tbh however you cook them, sweet potatoes will never crisp up like Irish potatoes unless you coat them in something eg polenta.

 

[Epona]

We had great successful with our first outing of the new insta air fryer - spring rolls super crunchy. Sweet potato chips a total fail!

I've not tried sweet potato chips in it, but I suspect there isn't enough space around each chip in the air fryer to dry it out - they tend to steam due to moisture content in any method of cooking if they are touching.

(And yeah just seen the post above too, coat in something to provide the crispyness and spread out on a baking tray in a hot oven so they aren't touching. Never had much luck with them using any method really, I tend to put it in curries or stews instead!)