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CNET
2 days ago
- General
- CNET
9 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Your Air Fyer
When it comes to kitchen gadgets, the king right now is the air fryer. It can easily make everything from potato skins, to chicken wings, bacon and even a whole chicken. While these handy devices cut down on time spent in the kitchen, they aren't perfect. Even if you use yours all the time, a few simple missteps could be holding you back. From overcrowding the basket to skipping regular cleanings, here's what you need to know to get the best results every time. Read more: This New Glass Air Fryer Is the Best We've Tested. Is It Worth the Price? Air fryers are simple to operate, but there are some steadfast rules to follow to ensure even cooking and maximum deliciousness from your next air fryer creation. To help, we consulted the "Air Fryer Queen," Cathy Yoder of Empowered Cooks, for her take on the most common mistakes you may be making with your air fryer. 1. Underestimating your air fryer An air fryer can burn food in a hurry if you don't watch it. Getty Images An air fryer's undeniable superpower is in its ability to make frozen fried food taste and feel like it's actually been deep-fried. However, getting stuck in an air fryer rut is mistake No. 1 when it comes to using your air fryer. "People get fixated on maybe two things like chicken nuggets and french fries," says Yoder. "Just thinking beyond frying, if you can grill it or if you can bake it, in most cases, you can use your air fryer for it." 2. Wasting time preheating This is a hot take, as many air fryer recipes call for preheating. This may just mean running it empty for a few minutes to get its nonstick surface hot, or some models even have a preheat setting built in that can take up to five minutes. Yoder tested several recipes using the same air fryer both preheated and not, however, and found that preheating didn't offer significantly different results. "It maybe made a difference of two minutes," she says. "I pretty much only preheat if something has a very short cooking time." Since air frying is meant to be a time saver, minutes matter. Many air fryers that have a preheat setting typically don't have a built-in temperature monitor, so if you accidentally open the basket during the preheat cycle, it will start all over again from the beginning, which is really a waste of time. (I have experienced this firsthand. It is indeed very annoying.) Plus, opening the basket after preheating just lets all the hot air out anyway. 3. Using nonstick cooking spray Air fryers are meant to reduce the need for oil, resulting in healthier dishes, but the temptation to use some nonstick cooking spray -- even though the interior of most air fryers has a nonstick coating -- is real. But it's a bad idea: "It is said that some of those propellants in cooking sprays could damage the coating in the air fryer," says Yoder. And what's more: "Go look at the ingredients in there. You don't want to ingest that." For items such as raw veggies that could use a little help from oil, for a highly convenient option akin to cooking spray, Yoder recommends just buying a spray pump and filling it yourself. Read more: 7 Must-Try Air Fryer Accessories to Elevate Your Cooking Experience 4. Using too much oil Just a spritz of cooking oil is all most air fryer foods require. Wonderchef Certain vegetables that don't contain any fat to begin with may need a little support for their spin in the air fryer, but "in most cases, it's not needed," says Yoder. Most meats will release enough of their own fat during the cooking process: chicken skin will get crispy in the air fryer from the fat of the meat alone. Oil can be employed in certain preparations, but should be used sparingly. "It's handy if you have a rub or spices on the surface to help them adhere," says Yoder, "and if you're adding a breading, for sure you've gotta have it on there so the flour doesn't dry out. But for all the frozen things, they are chockfull of fats so you don't really need to add any more." 5. Using not enough oil or the wrong kind Patchy spots of dried flour, incinerated broccoli florets and dehydrated potatoes can all be victims of not enough oil in the air fryer. When it is called for, you do need to consider what kind of oil to use. Olive oil is the grab-and-go for most of us, but "it has a lower smoke point," says Yoder, which can result in burnt flavors if you're air frying for a longer time at the top of its temperature range. "I just recommend avocado oil. It has a nice high smoke point, and it's healthy." 6. Overcrowding the basket Don't pile sprouts and other foods on top of each other or they won't cook evenly. Alexandra Able/CNET Air fryers rely on air circulation. "It's essentially just a mini convection oven," Yoder says, "For crispy things you want air to be able to get around all of them." For that ideal, crispy, fried-like outcome, air needs to have access to every surface, which means adequate space between pieces, and oftentimes a single layer. "In the marketing pictures you'll see an air fryer basket with mounds of fries coming out," says Yoder, which speaks to the generous capacity of certain models, but doesn't reveal their best usage. Those recipes that have more of a roasted than fried vibe can take a little more crowding, but you're still not filling to the brim. If the food actually touches the cooking mechanism that hovers above the basket, then you've potentially got a hygiene problem, so stick to a single layer in most cases. Read more: 7 Essential Tips for Using Your Air Fryer 7. Not shaking or rotating the food Make sure to cook your food on both sides for ideal crispiness. ThaiIt's tempting to adopt a "set it and forget it" mindset when cooking with an air fryer, but the best outcomes rely on the smallest bit of participation. "Shaking or rotating helps with even cooking," says Yoder, especially if you are packing the air fryer with more than just a single layer. Your fries, tots and poppers will better resemble actual bar food if you take a moment in the middle of the cycle to give a little shake, and your chicken parts will have appealing browning all over with a flip to the opposite side. 8. Starting with wet food An air fryer isn't the same as a slow cooker, and its air circulating mechanism works best on food that isn't wet. So if you're rinsing anything destined for the air fryer, whether vegetables or proteins, you're going to want to take a moment to dry those first. "If it's wet, you're going to be steaming the exterior where we want to char," says Yoder, which is counterproductive to the whole air fryer ethos. 9. Not cleaning it properly Clean the coils above your air fryer cooking basket for a safer kitchen and better tasting food. David Watsky/CNET Because of their largely nonstick nature, air fryers are generally easy to clean, and many have baskets that can be put directly in the dishwasher. It's possible, however, that your air fryer isn't as clean as you think it is, even if you've been diligently scrubbing the residue from the basket. "Not wiping down the heating unit inside of the air fryer is a common mistake," says Yoder. Think about it -- there's cooking happening inside of that drawer, including the kind of splatter similar to when you're doing a stovetop sauté. And if you're committing the overcrowding mistake, it's possible that your food is coming in contact with the heating unit, as well as whatever splatter is lingering there. "It can be scary," says Yoder, but it's not hard to correct. "After you let your air fryer cool, just have a cloth or even a damp paper towel to keep the gunk from collecting."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Costco's Latest Deli Item Has Fans Seriously Scratching Their Heads—Shoppers Say It 'Tastes Awful'
With the arrival of the warmer months, potato salad is a dish you're sure to see at backyard barbeques, pool parties, picnics and other seasonal gatherings. Despite the immense popularity of this dish, a new type of potato salad available at Costco has dedicated shoppers seeing red. In a post shared on Instagram, Laura Lamb of @costcohotfinds shared with fans that she recently spotted Loaded Potato Salad in the warehouse's deli. Related: "There's a new Loaded Potato Salad in the Costco deli in a two-and-a-half pound container. It's made with Russet and roasted potatoes and topped with bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese. This one was creamy and delicious," she revealed in her video. To create that creamy base, both sour cream and mayonnaise is used for the Loaded Potato Salad. Although the zesty dish combines two fan-faves—loaded potato salad and mashed potatoes—many shoppers were left scratching their heads. Some were unsure of whether or not it should be eaten cold. Others were taken aback by the cheese on top remaining unmelted. "I putting that bad boy in the oven," said one Costco shopper-turned-potato salad rebel. "Not gonna melt the cheese?" another person asked. Related: Others were concerned about there being onions or other veggies in the potato salad. "Any veggies in it? Hate potato salad with veggies in it," one of them wrote. And then, there were the not-so-favorable reviews from those who have tried the new side dish. "We bought this and my husband hated it and he LOVES potato salad," read one comment. "This tastes awful. I don't recommend it. It tastes nothing like potato salad," said another critic. If you are willing to give the Loaded Potato Salad a shot, you can purchase it at Costco for $3.99 per pound. Up NextCostco's Latest Deli Item Has Fans Seriously Scratching Their Heads—Shoppers Say It 'Tastes Awful' first appeared on Delishably on May 16, 2025
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's newest obsession isn't viral pastries, it's bland and boring cottage cheese
As a child of the 90s, I distinctly remember cottage cheese being the frumpiest of foods, peddled as a miracle ingredient for those on restrictive Weight Watchers-style diets. High in protein and low in salt and fat, it was often suggested as an accompaniment to that other ghastly anti-gourmet product: rice cakes. Not the deliciously savoury, soy-glazed roasted rice crackers you might buy in a Japanese snack aisle, though – we are talking those squeaky, puffy discs of what could otherwise pass as styrofoam. Yet, in 2025, I found myself a convert to cottage cheese. After decades of eschewing these lumpy curds, I was influenced to go buy a pot by a friend who swore by it – it is worth noting that this friend enjoys actual salt and flavour – after she texted me her latest recipe: 'New cottage cheese creation – balsamic, salt, halved cherry tomatoes, anchovy pieces. Am calling it Pleb Burrata.' Cottage cheese on toast with cherry tomatoes and bacon. Photo: Charmaine Mok She was onto something. Like the soft and creamy Italian cheese, cottage cheese is a gentle base for an array of flavours – I have recently taken to mixing in a bit of fermented, salted green chilli and slathering the mix on hot sourdough, before topping it with tangy cherry tomatoes and a bit of cheeky bacon.
CNET
12-05-2025
- General
- CNET
This Is the Easiest Way to Make a Bacon Cheeseburger
Grilling season is officially here, but if you don't have a grill, don't fret. There are still ways to make delicious cheeseburgers, turkey burgers and veggies burgers without firing up the Weber. One of my favorite ways? By using the air fryer. I'm no stranger to the trendy countertop oven. I make loads of things in the air fryer, but resisted making burgers out of fear that I wouldn't be able to hit that coveted medium rare internal temp as I can with cast-iron skillet or gas grill. But after trying it out, I am happy to report that making a bacon cheeseburger in an apartment-friendly air fryer is fast, clean and, as I found out recently, nets an equally juicy burger. Plus, you can easily get your air fryer burger medium rare via the super-convection heat that crisps the outside of food quickly without overcooking the inside. If there's one drawback to cooking a cheeseburger in the air fryer it's that you can't get the exact same caramelization on the crust of the meat. But you can easily cook bacon and toast your bun without risking them falling through the grates of a grill. Here's how to make a bacon cheeseburger in your air fryer at home. How to make a cheeseburger in your air fryer Even a small air fryer can handle a full-sized burger patty and a few slices of bacon at once. Pamela Vachon/CNET I consulted a variety of different sources for timings and temperatures, but the process is about what you'd expect and similar to that which you'd experience cooking a burger in any manner: flipping the patty about halfway through for even results, with different timings depending on the size of your desired doneness. Read more: How to Tell When Steak Is Perfectly Cooked Without a Thermometer The air fryer works by circulating hot air in its contained chamber, so as a matter of interest, your air fryer burger will cook opposite to what you'd see on a sauté pan, with the exposed side of the burger cooking more quickly and becoming browner than the underside of the patty. Best Air Fryers: Cheap vs. Expensive Best Air Fryers: Cheap vs. Expensive Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 19:24 Loaded : 1.55% 00:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 19:24 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Best Air Fryers: Cheap vs. Expensive I tried two different approaches, both with a quarter pound of lean ground beef, seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Air fryer cheeseburger recipe Shaped a single patty of beef about three-quarters of an inch in thickness. Place in a greased air fryer basket and cooked at 370 degrees F for 10 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. With about 2 minutes to go, add cheese to top of burger patty and place bun into air fryer basket to toast. Remove all ingredients and build burger on bun with toppings of your choice. Serve. I also tried the same amount of meat shaped into two, thin, smash-style patties for a total cooking time of about six minutes. (Double your cheeseburger, double your fun.) Making a great burger in an air fryer takes almost no skill and requires very little cleanup afterward. Pamela Vachon/CNET Air fryers require very little cleanup You can cook a burger to that perfect medium or medium rare with an air fryer. Pamela Vachon/CNET Well, that was easy. In both cases the patties cooked evenly, with an outcome that was medium in doneness. (You can easily experiment with your model and ideal burger patty size to find the precise timings for your preferred degree of doneness.) The hot air circulation even managed to produce a bit of caramelized crust on one side. Because I could, even with a small, single-household air fryer, I put in a couple of strips of bacon with the single burger patty, since crispy, spatter-free bacon is another excellent use for an air fryer -- not to mention an exceptional burger topping. Speaking of spatter-free, this is the single most compelling reason to employ the air fryer for burger prep. Your clothing, skin and stovetop all avoid the sizzling oil droplets that -- safely contained within the air fryer drawer -- like to escape the pan during regular skillet cooking. The smoky, greasy, meaty aroma, which is otherwise appealing at a burger dive, but not so much in a studio apartment, is also minimized. Cleanup was limited only to the nonstick, air fryer drawer. Read more: I've Been Making Bacon Wrong. Here's the Best (and Cleanest) Way to Cook it There are drawbacks to air fryer burgers With an air fryer, you can't smash the patties down as easily as you can on a grill or griddle. Pamela Vachon/CNET The air fryer isn't perfect when it comes to burgers, and the drawbacks as I experienced are twofold. First, since you can't really access the patty while it cooks, you're unable to smash it down in such a way that it doesn't shrink up significantly while cooking. Since an English muffin is the best burger containment method -- I will not be considering opposing viewpoints at this time -- this didn't bother me so much, since the resulting patty fits the intended vessel perfectly. Expect shrinkage when considering the size of your patty before cooking. Second, if you're like me and believe that a burger without cheese isn't worth eating, things get a little more complicated. Because of the air circulation action of the air fryer, it's hard to anchor cheese on top for a quick melt at the end of the process. My first attempt with a sliced single, an ideal burger cheese -- and I am a cheese pro, so don't come at me -- flew off and unhelpfully adhered to the surface of the air fryer drawer. Am I seeing double? Pamela Vachon/CNET My second attempt where a slice was halved and layered for extra heft was more successful, even more so when I moved the patties to the back edge of the fryer basket which gets less aggressive air circulation. This may just be a quirk of my model, but I'd be prepared to experiment. I wouldn't even consider shredded cheese on top of a patty, but I absolutely would consider a cheese-stuffed burger, which should work nicely.
The Guardian
12-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Budget-friendly recipe: one-pot orzo with peas, mushrooms and bacon
Frozen peas are endlessly versatile, nutritious and budget-friendly. They're also a great way to add more veg into a meal, and they mix well with other flavours. Because I like a properly browned mushroom, I fry them first, then remove them from the pan to mix back in later. If you're not fussy about this, you can speed up the cooking time by frying the mushrooms and onions together. For a vegetarian version of the dish, remove the bacon and opt for vegetable stock over chicken, and to make it vegan, use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Serves 4 400-500g mushrooms, depending on the pack size, sliced1 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, finely chopped200g bacon lardons 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée)1 tsp dried mixed herbs 200g dried orzo 750ml vegetable or chicken stock Freshly ground black pepper 200g frozen peasHandful of parsley, finely chopped, to serve (optional)Parmesan, grated, to serve (optional) Heat a large frying pan or saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and dry fry until they've released their moisture and the liquid starts to evaporate. Drizzle in half of the oil and fry the mushrooms for a few minutes more, until they are beginning to brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside. Drizzle in the remaining oil and tip in the onions. Turn down the heat to medium-low and fry the onion for 8–10 minutes, or until softened but not golden. Mix in the bacon and turn up the heat to medium. Fry for a few minutes until the bacon is golden and starting to crisp. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Stir in the reserved mushrooms and any juices along with the tomato paste and mixed herbs. Add in the orzo and fry for a minute before adding the stock and a good seasoning of freshly ground black pepper. Put the lid on the pan and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the lid to check how much liquid is left; if it's still quite soupy then keep the lid off and simmer for 2–4 minutes until the orzo is almost tender and the stock has been absorbed. If the dish starts to become too dry, it will stick to the bottom of the pan and start to burn. If this happens, add a little more water or stock – you want a small amount of liquid, but it shouldn't be swimming. Add the frozen peas and mix everything together. Cook for 2 minutes until the peas are warmed through and tender. Serve with a scattering of parsley and freshly grated parmesan, if you like. This is an edited extract from The Frozen Peas Cookbook by Samuel Goldsmith, photography by Mowie Kay (Murdoch Books, RRP A$39.99)
