Air-fry

To air-fry is to cook food in an air fryer, a small countertop oven with a strong fan. The fan pushes hot air fast around the food, so the surface dries and browns quickly. The result is close to roasting in a very hot convection oven, not true frying. You get crisp edges with a teaspoon or two of oil instead of a pot of it.

How to do it

1. Preheat the air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes, usually to 180 to 200°C (350 to 400°F).
2. Pat the food dry. Wet surfaces steam before they brown.
3. Toss the food with a little oil, about 1 teaspoon per 250 g (½ lb), and season it.
4. Spread it in a single layer in the basket. Leave gaps so the air can move.
5. Cook, shaking the basket or turning the pieces halfway through.
6. Check early. Small air fryers cook faster than a recipe written for another model.

How to tell it is done

The outside should be golden brown and crisp, not pale or leathery. For meat, check the internal temperature with a thermometer: 74°C (165°F) for chicken, 71°C (160°F) for ground meat.

Why it works

Browning needs a dry surface and high heat. The fan strips away the layer of moist air that sits around food in a normal oven, so water leaves the surface fast and the Maillard browning starts sooner. The small space also heats up quickly.

Common mistakes

• Filling the basket. Crowded food steams and stays soft. Cook in batches.
• Skipping the oil. A little fat helps heat move into the surface and gives better color.
• Using wet batters. Thin batters drip through the basket and never set. Use a dry coating such as breadcrumbs instead.
• Not shaking. The pieces on top brown and the ones underneath stay pale.

In recipes

"Air-fry at 200°C (400°F) for 12 minutes, shaking once" is the usual form. To convert an oven recipe, lower the temperature by about 15 to 20°C (25°F) and cut the time by about a fifth, then check early.