Air fryers allow us to enjoy our favorite deep-fried foods without the guilt of consuming oil and fat. Though maybe less of it, air fryers still use oil and grease for cooking. Even that little grease can sometimes reach the bottom and start to build up.
So, the best thing is to clean your air fryer regularly. The removable parts like the frying basket, pan, drip tray should be clean for the best cooking results.
However, if you have been negligent and didn’t clean your air fryer regularly, there might be a fair amount of baked-on grease in the air fryer. In this article, you will learn how to clean baked on grease from the air fryer.
Basics To Follow:
Air fryers use a small amount of oil for cooking, but grease can still build up on the bottom after prolonged use. The best practice is to take out the basket or the pan after use and clean it thoroughly.
By doing this, you prevent any grease from falling to the bottom of your air fryer. The cooking accessories of most air fryers are dishwasher safe so cleaning them after every use is easy.
You can clean the accessories yourself using soapy water and a sponge. The grease can also drip down during cooking. So, while you have the cooking accessories out, it’s a good habit to wipe the interior with a damp cloth. Just make sure the fryer is unplugged.
Method To Clean Baked On Grease From Air Fryer
A little grease can build up if you use the air fryer again and again without cleaning. The problem is that this time the grease will be baked-on. This baked-on grease can lead to all sorts of troubles.
We are talking about a decline in cooking performance, formation of odor while cooking, etc. To make sure that doesn’t happen, you can follow the basics above. If it has happened, this is how you can remove baked-on grease from the air fryer.
For a small amount of grease build-up, dish soap and a soft sponge will do the trick. If it’s too heavy and thick, you will need to make some extra effort. Take some baking soda and mix it with vinegar.
You will get a thick paste that is very effective against baked-on grease. Now, scrub the interior with the paste using a toothbrush. Keep in mind, do not use any metal utensils or abrasive sponges. Doing that will damage the non-stick coating of your fryer.
How To Clean Air Fryer
Video: YouTube/Fabulessly Frugal
Just like any other appliance, cleaning your air fryer is imperative as well. Not doing so can compromise the cooking performance and reduce the lifespan of the air fryer.
However, it is not something you should worry about because cleaning an air fryer is easy. Here are some handy instructions on how to clean your air fryer:
Instructions:
Cleaning an air fryer is a two-parter. You need to clean the cooking accessories and the air fryer itself as Gustave A. Larson. Be sure not to use an abrasive sponge because that can damage the non-stick coating.
The cooking accessories are mostly dishwasher safe. The drip tray, frying basket, and pan can all go into the top drawer of your dishwasher.
They can also be cleaned by hand, using dish soap and a sponge. Take out the accessories from the fryer and let them cool down before you start washing them.
What to avoid using when cleaning your air fryer
When cleaning the air fryer, just be a bit careful and follow these steps. Unplug and let the fryer cool down for 15-20 minutes after cooking. The air fryer cleaning part is a bit tricky.
The interior has a heating element and a non-stick coating. So, if you are not careful, you can break the heating element or damage the coating. There are a lot of cleaning solutions you can buy on the internet for deep cleaning.
If you do not trust cleaning solutions, you can make your cleaning solution with baking soda and vinegar. You just have to make sure you do not use abrasive sponges or metal utensils to clean.
Air fryer Cleaning Method
Remove the accessories and use dish soap and a soft sponge. The accessories are dishwasher safe so, you can just put the accessories in the top drawer of your dishwasher and let it do the work.
For the air fryer’s exterior and interior, you need to be more careful, Make sure the heating coil has cooled down. Use dish soap and a soft sponge to clean the heating element.
Wipe it again with a dry cloth to remove the soap and moisture. Do the same for the sides of the fryer. Be sure not to use an abrasive sponge because that can damage the non-stick coating.
Similarly, use a damp cloth to wipe the exterior body. The body can get some grease marks and dust that make it look bad.
How To Use Air Fryers
Air fryers are pretty easy to use, mostly because the controls are very straightforward. In digital air fryers, you get buttons to control the cooking. In analog air fryers, there are knob controls for cooking settings.
Both are pretty basic and easy to understand. Some models have lots of presets that allow you to cook food with a single tap. We, however, are going in a different direction. We have got some tips and tricks, so you get the best out of your air fryer.
5 Tips:
- Temperature & Time: Air fryers are faster than traditional fryers. You need to read their user manual to get an idea of their cooking method. Make sure to use the right time and temperature settings. Usually, the manuals provide an idea of what temperature is needed to cook certain foods.
- Shake your food. For the best cooking results, take out the basket and shake the food at regular intervals. For example, when making fries, pause the fryer and shake the basket 2-3 times to move the fries around. Do this every 5-10 minutes for the best results.
- Do not overload your basket. Air fryers use hot air for cooking your food. If you overload the frying basket, the air won’t be able to reach every food particle. You will get undercooked food, which will eventually go to waste. The best practice is to cook in 2-3 small batches.
- Keep the foods and the fryer dry. If you are cooking foods that have been marinating, it best to dry them before cooking. Similarly, if you regularly cook fat foods like chicken wings, chicken breasts, or steaks, you should also clean the fryer’s bottom. Make sure no fat or grease is lying on the bottom of your air fryer. Cooking with dry foods and fryer prevents splattering and smoke.
- Experiment. To get the most out of your air fryer, experiment with it. Try the various cooking modes it offers. Air fryers are not just for air frying. You can bake cakes and grill steaks in your air fryer. The presets can help you do that without any problem. So, to use it in the best way- explore and experiment.
How To Clean Grease From Air Fryer Basket
Air fryer baskets go through a lot. They have to face the hot air and the direct heat from the coil as well. When filled with food, the baskets tend to catch up with some residue or grease.
Even though air fryers use very little oil, the basket might get greasy. One way to prevent your basket from getting greasy is to clean it after every use. However, that is not possible sometimes.
Sometimes you have to cook so much food at once that the basket is bound to get greasy. So what should you do? Easy, follow these steps:
- Put the basket aside and let it cool down.
- Try and remove the bigger grease particles by using a damp cloth or paper towels.
- Place the fryer basket into the sink and plug the drain. Fill the sink with hot water and pour vinegar into the water. Finally, submerge the basket into the sink. Leave it submerged for 15-20 minutes.
- Take a non-abrasive sponge and add dish soap to it. Take the basket out of the sink and start scrubbing. If the baked-on grease is still not coming off, pour a tablespoon of baking soda on the sponge. Scrub hard for 2-5 minutes.
- Wash the basket with clean water and wipe it clean with paper towels. After that, allow the basket to dry before using it again.
The process is easy, but it takes about half an hour to complete. If you do not want to spend half an hour cleaning your fryer basket, we suggest spending five minutes cleaning it after every use.
Conclusion:
Air fryers require little effort to perform their best. All you need to do is lookout for a couple of things. Make sure you do not overload the fryer. Make sure you use it the right way. The most important thing is to keep it clean.
If you want to get the best results out of your air fryer, maintain the fryer well. Clean the accessories after every use. Clean the interior, heating element, and exterior regularly. Most importantly, do not use too much oil in your air fryer.
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