Where Do You Put The Oil in An Air Fryer?
If you are confused, where do you put the oil in an air fryer? Don’t worry. Here I will guide you on how to use oil in your air fryer.
People buy air fryers because they help them stay on a healthy diet. But the question is: Do air fryers need oil for cooking? And if they do, where should you put oil in the air fryer?
Incorrectly putting oil in the air fryer can cause serious harm to the unit or break it completely. So, here is what you must know about it. You must check out our picks for the best air fryer grill combo and the best air fryers for keto diet.
You can brush oil on the surface of the food, spray it on the food, or apply it by hand. Spraying oil with an oil mister allows you to add a minimum quantity. However, you must not put the oil in the basket as it can cause smoke and fire.
Right Way To Use Oil In An Air Fryer
The right way to put oil in the air fryer is to add it to the food before or after putting it in the basket.
Many people would recommend adding oil to the compartment, but the Kitchen Hanker team disagrees with this suggestion.
Putting oil into the food drawer below the food basket does not allow even mixing of oil. There is also a risk that excess oil can touch the electrical components of an air fryer.
- You can add oil to the marination mixture before applying it to the food.
- Apply the oil to the food with a basting brush.
- You can drizzle oil using a spray bottle to spritz it on the food.
- The oil mister also spreads the oil evenly in the food.
How Much Oil Can You Add to Your Food?
Ideally, Cooking food in an air fryer does not need oil. This is why food cooked in an air fryer is considered healthier. However, adding a small amount of oil is still recommended as it adds taste to your food.
The oil needed to cook food in an air fryer is much less than deep-frying. At maximum, you need one to two tablespoons of oil for cooking one batch of food.
| NOTE: An important aspect to note when using oil is that you must never overdo it. Otherwise, you will destroy the purpose of having an air fryer—to make healthy food.
Using PAM Cooking Spray In Air Fryer
Pam cooking sprays are not good for air fryers having a non-stick or ceramic basket.
They can ruin the coating due to the presence of additives like propellants and soy lecithin. Using them causes your air fryer accessories to have a residue buildup on the surface.
Later, it is quite challenging to remove this residue with a non-abrasive sponge.
Hard cleaning erodes the coating over time and causes the non-stick coating to chip. Therefore, avoiding using PAM cooking sprays in air fryers is better.
BONUS: Most Suitable Oils For Air Fryers
The best oil for an air fryer has a high smoke point. Such oils don’t release toxic smoke when cooking food at a high temperature.
Whenever choosing an oil, make sure its smoke point is above 400F. The following oils are suitable for use in an air fryer.
- Grapeseed Oil — 420F
- Peanut Oil — 450F
- Soybean Oil — 460F
- Avocado Oil — 570F
- Extra Light Olive Oil — 468F
Apart from the above suggestions, you can also use butter instead of oil in an air fryer. However, when using butter in an air fryer, use it in molten form, as it will not melt properly if you add cubes.
Butter adds an indulgent flavor to your food and enhances its aroma. However, you can only use it to cook foods requiring less than 350F (smoke point) cooking temperature.
FAQs
Where do you put the oil in an air fryer ninja?
In Ninja Air Fryers, you can put oil on the food, apply it with a brush, or spray it with an oil mister. But you should never add oil to the air fryer drawer below the basket.
Do you put oil on chicken in an air fryer?
Yes, cooking chicken in an air fryer requires a few tablespoons of oil. You can use an oil spray on both sides before putting the chicken in the air fryer. Alternatively, you can drizzle a small amount of oil on the chicken and then use your hands to apply it all over.
Do you put oil in the air fryer for fries?
Yes, you need to put oil in the air fryer to make fries, but there is no need to put this oil in the basket. Instead, you can coat the fries with a thin layer of oil. A couple of tablespoons would be enough to grease all the fries.
Wrapping Up
Using oil in an air fryer is not essential, but culinary gurus often recommend doing it. The best way to put oil in an air fryer is by spritzing, brushing, or directly applying it to the food by hand. Adding a few tablespoons of oil enhances the food’s taste and fragrance. It also helps in better heat transfer and achieving a crispier exterior. However, don’t add more oil than the user manual mentions.
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