This is one of the most asked questions from my readers - Can you put foil in an air fryer? If you are looking for a quick answer to this question, then the answer is "yes". But there are some cautions too. Don't skip the page after reading "yes".Let's see the pros and cons of it.
Many times we cook things that are heavy with sticky sauces and to save the sauces from sticking to the pan, we tend to use aluminum foil just like oven. The same is with parchment papers. Papers catch up fire quicker than anything else.
Why do you need to put foil in your air fryer?
It helps in keeping the basket clean and lesser load of cleaning sticky sauces.
It holds the sauces and marinades rather than dripping off the rack. Hence adds more flavor.
We are skeptical, the dish may stick to the basket or at the bottom. The foil prevents the sticking of food to the basket or the plate.
It retains moisture when food is wrapped with it, and does not make it too dry. e.g while making corn on the cob or baked potatoes.
Is it safe to use the foil in the air fryer?
Firstly, you need to check any specific information provided by your air fryer brand since every air fryer has different specifications which may be unique to your brand only. So checking the brand instructions or manual is foremost important.
If you are making lighter stuff without using any marinades, or sauces with food, then it's not at all required. Only a little oil spray and greasing the basket is enough. eg. air fryer potato wedges, cauliflower bites, etc.
However, you can use the foil in an air fryer with precautions. But you need to understand how can you do that by keeping everything safe and don't invite any hazardous situations.
For that, you need to understand how these air fryers function.
How does an air fryer function?
An air fryer functions just like an oven, i.e. food is cooked with hot air. It contains a food basket, heating coils, and a high-power fan. The high-speed fan on top of the air fryer keeps on rotating the hot air cooking the food. And because of the compact size, it fastens the cooking process than the oven.
So if you will cover up the whole basket with aluminum foil, it will block the passage for the hot air to flow and this will result in uneven cooking. So place it small not covering the entire perforation of the basket. The space left after will help in the circulation of hot air.
In the above picture, see how there is space between florets and also there is space for the air to travel to the bottom of the basket. This rotation of hot air is essential.
How to use the aluminum foil or tin foil safely?
You can definitely use foil in your air fryer. But there are a few facts you need to keep in mind for safety purposes.
Again if you will place the foil on the basket without any weight on it, it will blow up with hot air and catch up with the fire and cause a more hazardous situation.
So even if you are putting tin foil (aluminum foil), place some weight, probably the food to be air fried on top of the foil. Don't use them alone while preheating the basket. It will blow up with the air to the top and may catch fire.
Many air fryer brands have their own do's and don'ts. So just follow their instructions religiously as they know better about their machine than anybody else.
You can put foil in an air fryer - but don't cover it entirely & not without any weight on it.
Be careful to avoid any hazards.
Read my other air fryer recipes here:-
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