Parchment paper is good for food that might stick to the basket, like chicken wings, making clean up a bit easier. If you're tempted to use parchment every day or are simply waste-conscious, consider instead a silicone liner for air fryers.
Yes, you can put a small piece of parchment paper or a paper towel in an air fryer to help absorb excess oil and prevent sticking, but it should be used sparingly and monitored to avoid any fire hazards.
"Put a slice of bread on the bottom of your air fryer," Kang said. "It's a green alternative to foil for catching grease and drips for easier clean-up." In order to minimize food waste, you may want to only use this technique when cooking especially greasy foods (like bacon), and also use bread slices that are stale.
Line Your Air Fryer Basket With Pre-Cut Parchment
The perforated parchment paper liners work for air frying, too! They are best for lining standard air fryer baskets, not air fryers that look like toaster ovens.
Parchment paper is good for food that might stick to the basket, like chicken wings, making clean up a bit easier. If you're tempted to use parchment every day or are simply waste-conscious, consider instead a silicone liner for air fryers. They're reusable and dishwasher safe, cutting down on both waste and worry.
They are incredibly lightweight, so if not weighed down by heavy food, they can float up or cover your food– reducing crispiness and at worst, catching fire. Plus, marinades, crumbs and oil still leaked through to the basket – I had to clean the air fryer basket after every use.
While air fryers are popular, the most expensive models can start to get a little pricey, which could undermine their status as a budget item. Taking to social media to share their opinions, many people have revealed that they reckon halogen ovens are the best option for frugal cooking.
Do not line your air fry basket with foil or anything else. Air fried foods need airflow to crisp up. Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below your air fry basket in a full-sized oven to help simplify cleanup. Make sure to leave space between the basket and the baking sheet for proper air flow.
Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.
So after all that, you might still be wondering whether you should use an air fryer liner or not. The answer is, it is completely up to you! There are great arguments for using a liner as well as instances when they're just not really needed.
'People choose to buy air fryer liners for a variety of reasons but mostly for the time saved on cleaning up,' explains Dennis Digwa, appliance expert at RGBDirect. 'By preventing food from sticking directly to the basket, liners can contribute to keeping the air fryer in better condition over time. '
Parchment paper can handle the heat inside your air fryer - up to 428°F (220°C). To get the best results, add the parchment paper to the air fryer basket at the same time as you add your ingredients. This prevents the paper from lifting up and coming into contact with the heating element while cooking.
Airflow is essential to the machine, so while a paper towel is useful for cleaning, it should not be used while cooking food in the air fryer. It can restrict the airflow of the machine and even catch fire. It's important to remember that the air inside the air fryer can get very hot.
CAN YOU LINE AN AIR FRYER WITH FOIL? Air frying uses the rapid circulation of hot air to cook and crisp your food. While lining your air fryer with foil might seem like a convenient way to minimize cleanup, it's not recommended. Foil can disrupt the airflow within the appliance, preventing food from cooking evenly.
“Cooking sprays such as Pam, often include soy lecithin, an emulsifier, in the formulation,” says Martin Bucknavage, an expert in food safety in the Penn State Department of Food Science. “This is less stable than high smoke point oils and will deteriorate at temperatures used for air frying.
The key to air frying is air circulation. An air fryer works like a small convection oven, with an especially powerful fan that keeps the hot air moving constantly above, below, and around food that's sitting on a grate or rack rather than a flat surface.
Without the holes, the air flow is blocked, resulting in doughy foods. Our liners are heat resistant up to 450 degrees F, recyclable and biodegradable.
The exterior of the air fryer is also prone to gathering dust, fingerprints, and grease, so it's crucial to wipe it down with a cloth, paying particular attention to buttons and the control panel. Avoid spraying cleaner directly onto electronic elements to steer clear of any damage.