How to ensure food doesn't dry out or overcook in a mechanical air fryer

Mechanical air fryers are increasingly favored by consumers for their healthy and quick cooking methods. However, many people may encounter problems with dry or overcooked food during use. Knowing how to effectively avoid these problems in a mechanical air fryer can improve the user experience and maximize the advantages of air fryers.

Choose the right ingredients
Different ingredients require very different amounts of water and fat during cooking. First, it is important to choose ingredients that are suitable for cooking in an air fryer. For example, ingredients such as chicken wings, French fries, and vegetables perform well in air fryers. On the contrary, some ingredients with low water content (such as dried beans, etc.) may dry out quickly at high temperatures. Before cooking, understanding the characteristics of different ingredients can effectively avoid problems with dryness or overcooking.

Control cooking temperature and time
One of the advantages of a mechanical air fryer is that it can heat quickly and evenly. Reasonable control of cooking temperature and time can ensure that the food reaches the desired degree of doneness. For most ingredients, the preset temperature range is usually between 180-200 degrees Celsius. For thicker ingredients, it is recommended to use a lower temperature (such as 170 degrees Celsius) and extend the cooking time to fully cook the inside and keep the outside golden and crispy. You can use the cooking guide for different ingredients to accurately adjust the time and temperature to avoid the phenomenon of food being burnt on the outside and raw on the inside due to high temperature.

Keep the moisture of the ingredients
In the mechanical air fryer, the loss of moisture from the food is one of the main causes of drying. Before cooking, you can apply some cooking oil in moderation, which not only adds flavor to the food, but also helps lock in moisture. For some vegetables, you can marinate them before cooking, adding salt or other seasonings, which can help the ingredients retain moisture during the cooking process.

Use aluminum foil or baking paper
Using aluminum foil or baking paper can effectively prevent the surface of the food from drying out prematurely. When placing it in the mechanical air fryer, you can put a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom to help keep the food moist. This not only avoids drying, but also reduces the trouble of cleaning. Try to avoid covering the entire food so that the hot air can circulate freely.

Turn the food regularly
Turning the food regularly during cooking can also effectively prevent some food from drying out or overcooking. The hot air is evenly distributed inside the mechanical air fryer, but because some foods are stacked together, some areas may not be heated enough or overheated. Turn the food every few minutes during cooking to ensure that each side is evenly heated to achieve the best cooking results.

Appropriate food cutting size
The cutting size of the food has a significant impact on the cooking effect. Smaller pieces of food are easier to cook in the air fryer, but they are also more likely to dry out. Therefore, when cutting food, you can choose the right size and keep it even. At the same time, adjusting the cutting size according to the type of ingredients can effectively improve the cooking effect. For example, chicken legs can be cut into large pieces, while vegetables are cut into medium sizes to ensure that they reach the ideal degree of doneness in the same time.

The relationship between pressure and airflow
In the mechanical air fryer, the circulation pattern of the airflow directly affects the cooking effect of the food. Ensuring smooth airflow helps the food to be heated evenly at high temperatures and avoids drying out of a certain part. Regularly cleaning the grease and debris inside the air fryer and maintaining smooth airflow can improve the efficiency of the air fryer, thereby ensuring that the food does not dry out.