Can You Use Foil In An Air Fryer?

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Air frying is a cooking method that bakes and roasts foods at a high temperature with a high-powered fan that is part of a machine.

The air fryer is generally an amped-up countertop convection oven that circulates heat at a high temperature to grill, fry, or even bake without using oil.

This method is quite healthy compared to deep frying due to less calorie production when foods are being fried or baked without the presence of oil.

But you might be wondering about some of the safe ways of using an air fryer. Can you put anything into air fryers to wrap the food like aluminum foil?

Here’s the answer.

Can you use aluminum foil in an air fryer? The simple answer is yes. You can use aluminum foil in the air fryer.

But there are certain things that you should know when using or putting this foil into an air fryer. First, let’s take a look at how an air fryer works.

How An Air Fryer Cooks The Food

The air fryer works by allowing the circulation of hot air.

The cooking chamber in the air fryer radiates heat from the heating coils near the food before a fan circulates the heat.

Generally, both the heating coils and fans are installed in the top section of the appliance.

The food will be placed in a basket before going through a convection process that will cook, roast, or bake it evenly.

Safe Ways To Use Foil In An Air Fryer

As with any other cooking activities, safety should always be the first thing to consider. Here are some ways on how to safely use foil in an air fryer:

roasted chicken with potatoes in an air fryer

Don’t cover the entire basket with foil – The best way to use foil is by putting it in the basket.

If you cover the entire basket with foil, this will lead to poor air circulation.

Your food would be unevenly cooked when the hot air can’t go into the foil.
Never use foil with highly acidic foods – Aluminum foil is a reactive material. Any highly acidic foods could trigger a chemical reaction that could break down the aluminum particles and mix them with those foods.

The last thing you want is the presence of metals or metallic taste on your food. There are many types of food that could be used with foil.

But not acidic foods like lemons, oranges, tomatoes, or other acidic fruits and foods that contain vinegar.
Don’t use too much foil – When using foil, try not to overcrowd the basket or the basket’s holes. Using too much foil could lead to blockage of airflow.

Also, wrapping your food with too much foil doesn’t promote proper heating and circulation of hot air. This also could lead to unevenly cooked foods.

Avoid putting foil in the bottom of the air fryer – Try not to put foil in the bottom of the air fryer. This is because the heating element that is placed near the base of your air fryer could burn the foil.

You want to avoid any foil touching or blowing onto the heating element that could damage your appliance, or worst cause a grease fire.
Make holes in the foil – By creating holes in the aluminum foil, you will create better air circulation, thus letting the food cook properly.

Be sure not to create or poke holes that are too large because any juice that comes from the food could drip into the fryer’s base.
Avoid putting too much food when using foil – Putting too much food on the foil will defeat its purpose.

The foil can’t cover the entire surface area of the food, leading to poor wrapping and unevenly cooked food.

The foil should be weighed down with the food and properly wrapped to ensure an efficient flow of hot air.

Always account for proper heat circulation – Different models of air fryers come with different types of baskets, fans, and heating coils.

Some models come with smaller holes in the basket or low-resistant coil that may not go well with wrapped foods. Always check your manual first before using it.

Other Things That You Can Use In An Air Fryer

Aside from aluminum foil, there are other items that you can use in an air fryer. For example:

dishes cooked in the airfryer on the kitchen table

Iron Skillets – Iron is a good conductor of heat. Using iron skillets in an air fryer could promote better heat circulation for your food to be evenly cooked.

But make sure they are not too big and fit into your air fryer.

Steel Bowls – Like iron skillets, steel bowls also promote better cooking because they retain a good amount of heat.

By trapping heat inside the bowl, the food will be properly cooked inside and out.
Perforated Parchment Paper – Perforated parchment paper is one of the best items to use in your air fryer.

Using this item could prevent your food from sticking to the basket or compartments of your air fryer. This works well when you are cooking or baking foods that are sticky and messy like cookies or cakes.

Also, perforated parchment paper promotes better circulation of hot airflow. This gives a little breathing room for your food to be properly cooked.
Heat-Resistant Dishes – Any dishes that work well in an oven can also be used in an air fryer.

This includes Pyrex, silicone and ceramic plates, or any other heat-resistant dishes that could withstand hot temperature.

Plus, this makes cooking, serving, and cleaning your food much easier.

Toothpicks – Toothpicks are quite useful when cooking foods in an air fryer. They help in holding the weight of the food, especially foods that aren’t heavy, and preventing any unwanted movements when hot air circulates in the fryer.

This could prevent half-cooked or unevenly cooked foods that don’t receive an ample amount of hot air.