How to Make Your Air Fryer Food Crispier (Part 2)

 

Welcome back to our air fryer blog series. In the previous blog, we shared basic techniques such as choosing ingredients, pre-treatment, cutting, coating, and preheating to help you enhance your air fryer cooking results. However, to truly master the art of crispy air fryer food, you need some advanced techniques. Today, HYSapientia will continue to unveil more tips and tricks, making it easier for you to tackle various challenges in the cooking process. Whether it's flipping food or proper cooling and storage methods, these practical suggestions will be a great help in crafting the perfect crispy dishes. Let's dive into these valuable experiences and techniques!

 

For an overview of suggestions, tips, recipes, and more, you can read our previous posts.

 

Step 7: Flip the Food Midway Through Cooking

Why do you need to flip the food?

Flipping the food midway through cooking in the air fryer is a crucial step to ensure even crispiness. As the food cooks in the air fryer, hot air circulates from different directions, but the shape and placement of the food can lead to uneven heating in some parts. By flipping the food, you can ensure that each side gets evenly heated, achieving the ideal crispy texture.

 

Techniques for Flipping Air Fryer Food

 

Firstly, when flipping food, try to use silicone or wooden tools to avoid scratching the air fryer’s coating. Gently flip the food to avoid breaking its shape and structure, which is especially important for delicate items like fish fillets or chicken wings. Secondly, if you are cooking a large quantity of food at once, flip the food in batches to better control the heating of each piece. This ensures that every piece is evenly heated and prevents uneven heating caused by overcrowding. Finally, set a timer to flip the food based on its cooking time. For example, for food that needs 20 minutes to cook, flip it once at the 10-minute mark to ensure each side is evenly heated. This method effectively avoids overcooking or undercooking certain parts, achieving the desired cooking result.

 

Step 8: Proper Cooling and Storage Methods

The cooked food should be enjoyed immediately to maintain the best crispy texture. However, sometimes we need to store the food, so it's essential to master some cooling and storage methods to prevent the food from becoming soft.

 

Immediate Enjoyment

 

After cooking, it's best to enjoy the food immediately. Hot food not only tastes best but also retains its crispiness. At this moment, the food's exterior is golden and crispy, while the inside is tender and juicy, making it the most delicious state.

 

Cooling Techniques

 

When immediate consumption is not possible, proper cooling methods are crucial. Place the cooked food in a well-ventilated area to cool naturally. Avoid covering it with a lid or plastic wrap, as this can cause condensation and make the food soft. Using a cooling rack is a good method, allowing air to circulate from all directions and helping maintain the food's crispiness.

 

Storage and Reheating Methods

 

If you need to store the food, place the cooled food in plastic wrap or an airtight container and refrigerate it. Try to consume it within 24 hours to ensure the best taste. When reheating, place the food back in the air fryer and heat it at a low temperature for a few minutes. This can restore the food's crispiness without overcooking it. During reheating, lightly spray a small amount of oil to further enhance the crispiness.

 

Step 9: Use the Right Accessories

Choosing the right accessories is essential to maximize the effectiveness of your air fryer. These accessories not only help the food cook evenly but also make cleaning easier and improve cooking efficiency.

 

HYSapientia Air Fryer Accessories Shop has accessories for many types of air fryers on sale, come and choose!

 

Racks and Trays

 

Racks and trays are common air fryer accessories that help the food cook evenly and drain excess oil. Using a rack can elevate the food, allowing hot air to circulate from all directions and achieve better cooking results. Trays are suitable for baking juicy foods, as they can collect excess oil, keeping the air fryer clean.

 

Looking for the best air fryer basket in the UK? The Stainless Steel Air Fryer Oven Rolling Grill Basket is made of high-quality stainless steel, resistant to high temperatures and rust, ensuring food safety while being extremely durable.

 

Parchment Paper and Foil

 

Lining trays with parchment paper or foil can reduce cleaning hassle and prevent food from sticking to the tray. This is especially useful when baking bread or cakes, as parchment paper ensures easy removal and perfect shape. Foil is suitable for wrapping moisture-retaining foods like baked fish or chicken legs.

 

Further Reading：Do I Need to Use Parchment Paper When Using My Air Fryer?

 

Silicone Molds and Tongs

 

Silicone molds can be used to make cakes, puddings, and other desserts. They are heat-resistant, non-stick, and reusable. Tongs are very useful when flipping food, preventing hand burns and ensuring the food remains intact. Using these accessories can make your cooking process more convenient and efficient.

 

Step 10: Skillfully Use Marination and Seasoning

Skillful marination and seasoning not only enhance the food's flavor but also improve its crispiness. Different marination methods and seasoning techniques can bring diverse taste experiences.

 

Marination Methods

 

When marinating ingredients, you can use soy sauce, spices, lemon juice, and other materials. Soy sauce and spices can add rich flavors to the food, while lemon juice helps remove any fishy smell. Evenly apply these seasonings to the ingredients and let them sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the food. For thicker cuts of meat like chicken breasts or pork chops, you can poke small holes on the surface with a fork to help the seasonings penetrate better.

 

Seasoning Techniques

 

Using dry spices and seasonings can avoid the issue of too much moisture affecting the crispiness. When applying dry spices, ensure that each piece of food is evenly coated. You can lightly pat the spices with your hand to help them adhere better. For example, you can sprinkle chili powder, cumin powder, and garlic powder on chicken wings to add flavor while ensuring crispiness.

 

Innovative Seasoning

 

In addition to traditional seasonings, you can try some innovative seasoning methods. For instance, mixing honey and mustard can give chicken wings a unique sweet and spicy flavor. Mix honey and mustard in a 1:1 ratio, apply it to the marinated chicken wings, and then cook them in the air fryer. This method not only increases the crispiness but also provides a unique taste experience.

 

Further reading: DIY Air Fryer Seasonings: What to Pay Attention to?

 

Step 11: Ensure Proper Air Circulation

Maintaining good air circulation in the air fryer is crucial for ensuring the food's crispiness. Hot air needs to flow freely within the fryer basket to evenly heat the food.

 

Methods to Ensure Air Circulation

 

To ensure good air circulation in the air fryer, avoid overfilling the basket. Properly spacing the food allows hot air to flow freely between the ingredients, ensuring even heating. It is recommended not to fill the basket more than two-thirds full in each cooking session to guarantee enough air circulation space.

 

Avoid Overlapping

 

When placing the ingredients, try to avoid overlapping them to prevent some parts from being insufficiently heated. Cooking in batches is a good method, especially when dealing with a large amount of food, to ensure that each batch is evenly heated. Using multi-layer racks is also a great option, allowing you to handle more food simultaneously without overlapping.

 

Step 12: Use Double Coating Technique

The double coating technique can significantly increase the layers of crispiness, making the texture richer. Multiple coatings can form a thicker crust while keeping the interior tender and juicy.

 

Steps for Double Coating

 

First, coat the ingredients with a layer of flour to help the next layer adhere better. Then, dip the floured ingredients into the egg wash, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. Finally, roll the ingredients in breadcrumbs to evenly coat them. This three-step coating method ensures that each piece forms a very crispy crust in the air fryer.

 

Practical Application

 

For example, you can coat chicken breast pieces with flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs using the double coating technique, and then cook them in the air fryer. This method ensures that the chicken breast has a crispy exterior while remaining juicy inside. Additionally, you can mix some dry spices like chili powder and cumin powder into the breadcrumbs to enhance the flavor layers.

 

Step 13: Add Baking Soda or Baking Powder

Adding baking soda or baking powder to the batter can help the food become fluffier and crispier. These additives produce bubbles through chemical reactions, making the coating lighter and crispier.

 

Usage Tips

 

When making the batter, you can add an appropriate amount of baking soda or baking powder, usually 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda or baking powder per 100 grams of flour. Mix well, then coat the ingredients with the batter and cook them in the air fryer. Baking soda and baking powder produce bubbles at high temperatures, making the coating fluffy and crisp.

 

Suitable Range

 

This method is especially suitable for making fried chicken pieces, fried fish pieces, and other foods, significantly enhancing the texture. For example, coat fish pieces with a batter containing baking soda, then cook them in the air fryer to make the fish pieces fluffier and crispier while keeping the interior tender.

 

Step 14: Proper Cleaning and Maintenance of the Air Fryer

Keeping the air fryer clean not only extends its lifespan but also ensures that each cooking session results in the best food quality. If residues are not cleaned in time, they can affect the taste of the next cooking session.

 

Cleaning Tips

 

After each use, let the air fryer cool to room temperature and wipe the interior and exterior surfaces with a damp cloth to remove grease and food residues. The fryer basket and racks can be washed with warm water and mild detergent, ensuring they are thoroughly cleaned before the next use.

 

Maintenance Methods

 

Regularly check the air fryer's heating elements and fan to ensure they are functioning properly. Perform a deep clean every few months, disassembling removable parts for thorough cleaning and inspection, ensuring the air fryer's long-term performance and hygiene.

 

Conclusion:

Through these two blog posts, we have shared various practical tips on how to make air fryer food crispier. We hope these tips help you create delicious dishes with a crispy exterior and rich texture in your daily cooking. If you have any questions about using an air fryer or want to try more creative recipes, feel free to follow our blog and product recommendations. We not only provide high-quality air fryers but are also dedicated to bringing you the best cooking experience. Want to easily create mouth-watering crispy food? Come and experience our air fryer products, and make every meal a delicious treat!

 

Don’t have an air fryer yet? Check out HYSapientia experts' picks for the best air fryers to find the perfect brand and model for you.