air fryer cooking

[vanbrat]

My son just gave me a very small air fryer. At first I was yea thanks kid just what I need another thing to sit in my closet..... or find a way to pass on. Then my mom said he gave her one too and she loves it. It does so much more then she thought it could. It is their Rv go to baking thing. She bakes more there then in the oven. So ok I'll give it a try I don't trust my moms cooking, it is NOT usually very good.
Any way I just made a tiny batch of muffins. They are baked, not in the big oven, not so many that they are hanging around for a week and just right for 2 people. 
This thing is small enough to fit in my van kitchen easy. Gives my baked goods a good crusty edge. Something my microwave doesn't do. I am now thinking since it is relatively low watts, 700, it is going with us. 
Thinking corn bread, muffins with my trusty bisquick, pot pies, brownies, cup cakes, Tamale pies, english muffin pizzas.... so many ideas so much to learn.
What else does any one make with this tool?

 

[shadowmoss]

Hmmmm. Muffins. Didn't think of that. Time to experiment.

 

[mattvei]

roast every kind of vegetable - dramatic flavor difference. Bacon perfect. French fries crispy.

 

[Rabbit]

I make steaks in mine sometimes. It has a "bake" setting that works well for a small batch of muffins too.

 

[XERTYX]

This is very interesting. I have never used an air fryer. I have looked inside of them. It's a hotplate turned upside down and a fan. Pretty simple stuff. But I never imagined they could cook steaks. Or bake things.

I always thought they were another gadget designed to get you to shell out a few bucks to "eat healthier" that you use twice and forget about it.

It seems like this could be a serious cooking solution in the van. I like the idea of cooking without burning fossil fuels. Or any fuel. Just renewable energy. Best buy has one for 28 bucks that's fairly small. I see that many of them are 1700 watts or 1400 watts and very large. The smaller ones seem to be around 1000 watts. About as much as a microwave.

So I tried to find videos using a killawatt meter. No dice. Have any of you measured the watt hours used by yours for cooking say a steak medium well?

I did find a video of a guy cooking a steak in one. Why would I when I can cook on these? He asked and showed an impressive collection of smokers and grills. Valid point I suppose. But he preheated for 5m and then 5m on each side and then another 2m.

So 17m of run time. If his was 1000w (it was pretty damn small looking) 17m is 0.29ish hours. Say 0.3*1000w= 300Wh. Not bad. Now of course the puekert effect is gonna tax you pretty hard with a 100A load. But that seems doable. Especially in the summer. Hmm. I like this idea.

 

[vanbrat]

I think if I was going to cook a steak (hubby likes, I don't) I would find a less messy way. Or am I wrong as to what happens to the grease?for a steak. I also don't think mine gets hot enough. Only gets to 390*. I like the idea that I only need to heat a tiny space and not a whole oven. And for the van I don't have an oven besides my micro. which I can cook tons of goodies in... But I was looking for something to bake in, something that would bake and leave a crust on my baked goodies. I had lots of ideas and some really good ones, but this little thing is just about the right size for 2 people to have 2 people worth or goodies with few left overs.

I have a tin reflector thingy, but haven't tried it yet. It can cook more at a time(I have seen on u tube) but seems like more work then maybe I want for just 2 people stuff. and it needs a real fire to work. It fits in a tiny space too and can cook bigger stuff but..... It will be tucked under the bed for the most time and may get dumped some time if we don't use it.

I have tried some frozen fish sticks and they came out ...OK. I think I took them out to soon. I have done some biscuits. I over filled them and made a mess. I am going to try some small chicken pot pies and maybe a tiny tuna casserole, one serving at a time maybe. Tatos are good but not onion rings they are to bulky to fit more then one serving at a time.

I think more practice is called for. Maybe cinnamon rolls made with frozen bread dough......

I will keep working on making like 1/4 of a cake mix at a time to bake it small for 2 people at a time. The silicone cup cake things (another gift from my son) work great in this thing as well as the microwave so they come too. and no trash with those.

The label on the bottom of this tiny thing says 700watts so it should have no problem with the solar things I am working on. Things just keep moving along here I can't wait to get back out.

 

[Rabbit]

Yeah, mine is good for 425 and that's where I cook the steaks. (And hamburgers, too.)

I have an air-fryer adapter/lid for an Insta-Pot. This draws considerable power (1750 watts, I think), but I have means to handle it so long as the run times are short. Which they are. My biggest complaint is the small internal capacity, which limits me to either six muffins (there's a shelf for two layers) or a medium-sized steak. (Theoretically I could simultaneously cook two steaks with one up on the shelf and one down below, but I've never tried it.) The drippings go into the regular stainless steel Insta-Pot pan/lid, which makes for super-easy cleanup. I just use the pan/liner itself as my dishwashing basin. This air fryer also works great for fish sticks, fries, tater tots, and frozen chicken patties, but again you need the higher temperatures. The biggest drawback is that this device requires a special insert that might take up considerable storage space. I'm hoping to nest things in it, but haven't actually tried this yet.

I don't live on the road-- in fact, this whole virus situation plus some other health problems have had me stuck at home for longer than I've owned this thing. And I don't ever intend to go full time-- just out on very long trips. But I've tested the Insta Pot air fryer on my mobile power system and it works well. I foresee no special difficulties in using it in my trailer, and look forward to doing so. I cook with it here at home at least once or twice a week. I'd tentatively recommend it to anyone with lots of batteries and a good-quality at-least 2000-watt inverter.

Link here   ---->   Insta Pot Air Fryer Lid

 

[vanbrat]

I have an instant pot, but don't use it to much, it was given to me by a parent who thought I needed a big huge thing to help with all the food I cooked for LOTS of kidos daily. Much to big for just us 2 now that I am semi retired. I use it maybe once a month at most. Nice though when I do use it.  I didn't know about the air fryer lid thank you. If I can figure out photo stuff here I will show you just how small this thing is. I laughed when I first saw it. Just don't tell my son, I thought it was a joke. It holds 3 cup cake cups if they squish together. 

Now that I have played with it a bit I see why he thought I would like it and he is getting extra hugs when we see him next.
It may well be just what I need.

 

[eDJ_]

Anyone tried using those parchment Air Fryer Liners ?   I saw them at a WalMart the other day.

[img=300x300]https://lcpshop.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/538346-swcpxc.jpg[/img]

 

[vanbrat]

Not yet, but I will probably make some.....

 

[shadowmoss]

Hmmmm. I have parchment paper.

 

[XERTYX]

I get the idea of using parchment paper for easy cleanup. I get the idea of holes in parchment paper for air circulation. But wouldn't that mean it's no longer easy cleanup if its riddled with drip holes?

 

[Iñigo Sanchez]

Anyone tried using those parchment Air Fryer Liners ?   I saw them at a WalMart the other day.

[img=300x300]https://lcpshop.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/538346-swcpxc.jpg[/img]

I am using that one to remove the excessive oil. Also, I find it easier to clean when it has parchment paper.

 

[vanbrat]

I learned to make a Dutch baby in mine. It turned out yummy. Now what next?

Apple turnovers maybe?