Air frying is all the rage right now. And what’s not to love: all the goodness of fried food, only less oil.
If you don’t have an air fryer, the good news is that it is possible to turn your oven into an air fryer, of sorts.
How to turn your oven into an air fryer
Can you air fry in the oven? Sort of. Some ovens come with a convection setting. This means you can switch on a fan to circulate hot air inside your oven while the top and bottom heating elements are running, which is the key to maximum crisp.
Mandy Sacher, cookbook author and Global Chief Nutrition Officer at MindChamps Australia, says it’s challenging to get the same air-fried crispy texture in an oven. But there are some ways to ensure your food is well-baked.
“It’s all about the flow of air and high heat (which is not always the healthiest way to cook food), but that’s how it gets crispy,” she says.
“Use fan-forced settings and high heat temperatures. For extra crispiness, the heat must hit the food and seal it in.”
“Make sure the food you are trying to brown is cut into small pieces, which creates more surface area for the food to brown. You also want to turn the food halfway through for extra crunch.”
What can I use instead of an air fryer?
If your oven doesn’t have a convection setting, Mandy offers some more way to achieve that air-fried feeling with your cooking.
- Purchase a pizza stone or a perforated pizza tray if you want a crispy pizza base or potato wedges. This oven air fry basket from Kmart ($10) will also work.
- Heat up a baking dish with high-quality high-heat oil, throw in the potatoes, and toss halfway through.
- Cook food for a longer time frame at a lower heat. Or for shorter periods at high heat. Cooking on low heat with less oil is the healthier option. Instead of drizzling oil all over the ingredients, brush it on or use a natural oil spray that contains no propellants, like Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This will ensure the oil is distributed evenly.
You might also like:
10 of the best cuts of meat to use for slow cooking
Your easy step-by-step guide to the perfect schnitzel
Everything you need to know about steam ovens
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