Professional Chef David Chang said that he would never have an air fryer and I agree with him. And then he changed his mind and said it was very useful for reheating foods for his kids. And I changed my mind and I got one and I somewhat agree with him. While an air fryer is healthier and uses less oil, it lacks the tastiness and flavor that a deep fryer can provide. Moreover, an air fryer just cannot replicate the same effect a deep fryer has on battered foods. But, I don’t cook any deep fried foods anyway, mine are all skillet fried, so an air fryer is just another gadget in the kitchen for people that cannot cook, same as a crock pot was in the 1970’s, the microwave of the 1980’s, and the convection oven of the 1990’s. Fads come and go, but learning to really cook never changes. When they start using these gadgets like air fryers or 10 in 1 convection-fry-dehydrate-bake ovens in places like 3 star Michelin restaurants, then I will buy one. The fact that chefs don’t use them tell you that they don’t make food better. But if you are going to buy one, you can get a lot of them at Goodwill, along with George Forman grills for $5, which also tells me that many people didn’t find them useful or capable of making good food either.
Here’s the instructions for ours:
https://www.gourmia.com/pdf/GAF698%20-%20User%20Manual.pdf
_______________________________________________
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
When I make baked potatoes in the air fryer, I have a very simple procedure: I start by poking a few holes with my knife into the skin (this helps the steam to escape and will make the inside nice and fluffy), and rubbing some oil directly onto the potato.
Then, I sprinkle this oiled skin with salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder and place it in the air fryer at 400°F for 45 minutes. Yes, you can bake at a higher temperature if you want, and that may make them done a bit faster, but this is the time and temperature that have gotten me the best results. Pierce the potato with a fork until it doesn’t meet any resistance. Finally, let your potato rest for a few minutes before slicing open and adding your toppings.
This is faster than cooking in the oven by a good 20 minutes, but somehow makes it have a better crispy roasted exterior and tender, fluffy interior. That’s exactly how I want my baked potato to be.
I’m a simple girl and personally just like a bit of salted butter on my potato when I eat it, but whether you like yours loaded or topped with broccoli and cheese, an air fryer baked potato is what I’ve found to be the perfect foundation for a delicious weeknight dinner.
_______________________________________________
These are from America’s Test Kitchen Book for my friend to try.
