Air fryer, cook without oil and in less time

The air fryer is one of the few innovations of recent years that promises to radically change cooking and food preparation.

An innovation in many respects, given that it allows you to prepare tasty but light dishes in a short time. The air fryer is therefore a tool that can really make a difference even for those who have little time to dedicate to preparing dishes.

Air fryer, how does it work?

The working principle of the air fryer is very simple. The device actually works like a hairdryer, heating the air in the room to the desired temperature. When the air reaches the required temperature, it is blown "around" the food to be fried, trying to create a uniform "blowing" around the food.

This “hot wind” generates a crispy outer crust, leaving the inside soft and juicy, all without the need to use oil of any kind.

The difference between the regular fryer and the air fryer

Although "in words" the frying process is the same, there are many differences between a traditional fryer and one that works with air. The fundamental one is the absence of oil in the second, a difference that brings many advantages:

foods cooked in this way are healthier than traditional cooking in oil, since cooking with oil increases fat and calories

there are no oil splashes, with advantages in terms of safety, cleanliness of the environment and odor

in addition to the environment, cookware and dishes also remain cleaner and easier to wash

there is no problem of disposing of the oil, with the consequent possible environmental risks given by its possible dispersion

Oven, traditional frying or air fryer, the difference in the dish

Some "healthy" cooking systems are not very popular as they create dishes that are not very pleasant in appearance or taste. The air fryer , on the other hand , promises to create a tasty and crunchy product, without necessarily filling it with calories and saturated fats.

But how do we classify cooking using an air fryer in a hypothetical comparison with the traditional fryer and the oven?

strong>Health: from a health point of view, air cooking competes with oven cooking in terms of the characteristics of the food and its nutritional properties, with traditional frying last in this ranking.

Taste: the crunchiness and taste of traditional frying are still unbeatable. However, "air" cooking holds up well, generating better results in terms of taste and crunchiness than the oven (even in the ventilated version).

Times: considering "starting from scratch", air frying is probably the quickest way to cook.

Types of air fryers

We are faced with an appliance that carries out a specific solution, through different systems, integrating different preparation possibilities in a single instrument.

On the market we can currently find five different types of air fryers :

Traditional air fryers: These are the most common air fryers and are designed for frying, roasting and grilling foods. Available in different sizes, they are suitable for many foods

Convection air fryers: These fryers use a fan to distribute hot air evenly around food, which allows for faster, more even cooking

Microwave air fryers: in this version microwave technology is combined with that of the air fryer to allow faster and more uniform cooking of food.

Steam Air Fryers: An even healthier version than the standard one, this variant uses steam to cook food instead of hot air. This allows you to cook food more healthily and retain more nutrients.

Multi-function Air Fryers: These fryers come with multiple functions, such as steaming, microwave cooking, baking, dry cooking and induction cooking, allowing you to cook food in different ways.

In general there are no types that are better or worse than the others, the final choice therefore always depends on the cooking needs and the budget available.

Cooking times

Cooking times with an air fryer can vary depending on the type of food you are cooking and the temperature you set. In general, cooking times for some common foods are as follows:

French fries: about 12-15 minutes at 190-200 degrees Celsius

Chicken wings: about 12-15 minutes at 180-190 degrees Celsius

Fish: about 8-12 minutes at 180-190 degrees Celsius

Vegetables: about 8-10 minutes at 180-190 degrees Celsius

Grilled chicken: about 15-20 minutes at 180-190 degrees Celsius

However, it is important to note that these cooking times are only indicative and that it is always best to check the food during cooking to ensure that it is cooked properly.

Not a fast-food solution

The fact that it is a quick and easy system for frying without oil should not lead one to think that air fryer technology is the exclusive "prerogative" of fast-food restaurants or low-quality cuisine.

The air fryer is used daily in the kitchens of bars, restaurants and canteens. This is a product that has been used (and probably is used every day by renowned chefs around the world).

Jamie Oliver, international star of popular cuisine, often uses the air fryer to prepare the healthy and tasty dishes he presents in his books and on his television show "Jamie's Quick & Easy Food".

Another culinary international himself, Gordon Ramsey, also used the advantages of the air fryer a few times in one of the episodes of the overseas edition of Masterchef.

Air fryer, to conclude

Probably the perfect meeting point and interlude between the convection oven and the fryer , the "air" version is an intelligent solution that captures the advantages of both solutions, enriching our cooking possibilities with a healthy option, which does not it generates odors and dirt as traditional frying would.

A solution that convinces even when tested by taste, for a product that satisfies the desires and needs of any Italian family or restaurant business.