The humble air fryer may be everyone’s favourite kitchen gadget right now, but we should probably warn that you can’t cook absolutely everything in them.
Despite the first modern air fryer being introduced to the consumer market in 2010, it wasn’t until 2017 that sales really rocketed in the US.
And during the 2020 pandemic in the UK? Well, let’s just say you’d be hard-pressed to come across someone in your family who doesn’t think they’re the best thing since sliced bread.
Following the rise of the air fryer, ovens have been abandoned by the masses while culinary influencers have been making mint writing dedicated cookbooks.
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It’s fair to assume people aren’t planning on putting their tech into storage anytime soon but if you’re a frequent user then be warned - you should probably stop cooking bacon in your convenient kitchen sidekick.
Why shouldn’t you cook bacon in an air fryer?
Expert dietitian Brenda Peralta has revealed the reason why you should keep your bacon out of your air fryer
According to her, the high-fat content in the moreish breakfast item can leave a lingering odour and cause a serious mess in the process.
Moreover, cooking bacon in your trusty kitchen companion could cause smoke.
“[Bacon] is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter,” she told the Huffington Post.
“This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours.
"A bacon strip is a small and delicate food, and it can be difficult to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without breaking it,” she added.
Essentially cooking bacon in an air fryer can cause all sorts of problems but it’s not the only food item you’ve been warned off heating up in the appliance.
Less sauce, please
A new list published by The Express claims there are five dangerous foods you should abstain from fixing up in your air fryer, with sauce-based dishes being the first no-go.
We’re talking about everything, from your mum’s famous chilli to spaghetti carbonara, that should be avoided.
Why? Well, the amount of sauce can splatter throughout the interior, which not only causes a mess but can prove dangerous.
Avoid wet batter if you can
It should go without saying but an air fryer is not the same as a deep fat fryer.
So when you want to recreate your favourite chippy staple, we suggest leaving the air fryer alone for this one.
The absence of hot oil can - again - create a mess leaving the wet batter to drip everywhere.
All isn't lost though because flour-based batters or panko breadcrumbs are good to go - plus you'll get a better crunch too.
Skip out on the popcorn
A movie night isn't complete without a bowl of sweet or salty popcorn but next time you make a bowl of the stuff at home, we recommend you do not use the air fryer.
You see, air fryer's don't get as hot as a pot of oil, so the kernels don't fully pop.
Not only that but if the little things get lodged in the mechanism of the air fryer, it could short circuit and become a fire hazard.
Nachos instead, anyone?
Bitter broccoli, anyone?
Ok, so this one isn't exactly dangerous, but people have enough of hard time with broccoli as it is without the air fryer turning it into an inedible piece of tree.
An air fryer is essentially where broccoli comes to die, so if you want to jazz up the vegetable and serve it as a tasty side dish, try tossing in some herbs and spices and pan frying it.
Dried goods
Pasta and rice are a staple in most of our diets but when it comes to the air fryer, you're better off sticking to more traditional methods - like some water and saucepan.
Pasta and rice need to be boiled first and sadly, you just cannot achieve that in air fryer.
It should be noted that you can reheat pasta and rice dishes in your air fryer but please, hold the sauce if you know what is good for you!
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, Technology
Ella Scott