Air fryer query - I don’t know what I’m doing

[Jknow]

I bought an air fryer a few weeks back and it’s been great, with the limited things I’ve tried cooking. So far I’ve done a lot of beige type things from the freezer, whole chickens, jacket potatoes.

The instructions are shite so I’ve just been winging it. I know you’re supposed to be able to use less oil, but I don’t understand how you can use ANY oil, as I have to put anything I cook directly on to the racks or the grill plate as that’s what came with it.

So if I wanted to cook something that requires oil, eg roast potatoes, am I putting them in a dish and then putting the dish on the rack?

I know I must sound really dim here, but hopefully someone can advise me! Also if anyone has any exciting ideas of things to cook in an air fryer please let me know, I’m feeling very unadventurous with it.

Pics show the one I have.

Anyone?

Put oil on your hands and massage the oil over the potatoes, chicken, sausages etc. There are millions of recipes online for inspiration.

Ours isn't a rack one, but yes, drizzle a little oil directly onto the potatoes (after parboiling).

Hopefully you will get some adventurous ideas here from better cooks than I, but personally what I do is think of what I want to cook and google "[meal] in air fryer" for instructions.

Here's a couple of threads with recipes:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/food_and_recipes/4557603-i-have-bought-an-air-fryer

www.mumsnet.com/talk/food_and_recipes/4117419-favourite-air-fryer-recipes

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4237169-What-do-you-cook-in-your-air-fryer

Thank you for the replies, that makes sense. Roast potatoes are my main worry, dd1 eats them by the bucket load, I guess I’d toss them in some oil along with the seasoning and just Chuck them on the racks then. I did have an air fryer years ago that was a bit easier to work out as it was one with a paddle that pushed the food around, so I could add oil easily. That one was a bastard to clean though. Will check out the recipe threads.

I’d toss them in some oil along with the seasoning and just Chuck them on the racks then.

Yes, that will work. As you get used to your particular air fryer, you'll get to know through trial and error what works best for the things you eat most. I got one last spring - never had one before - and since then the only time the oven has been on is to use the grill!

I use a spray oil for things that need it.

@AnApparitionQuipped mine grills too apparently, although Christ knows how to make that happen 🤣. All the reviews said that it was great but the instructions were useless, and they weren’t kidding. So I’m fumbling in the dark with it a bit. That said, the only thing I have used my actual oven for since I bought it is pizzas, as they don’t fit in the air fryer. I love that there’s no waiting for it to heat up, so much quicker!

@msbevvy spray oil is a great idea, never bought it and forgot it exists but that would
be just the job.

Yes, the no pre-heating is a huge plus, and of course the shorter actual cooking time. I find it brilliant to be able to have jacket potatoes or a (small) roast chicken in less than an hour!

The recipes that came with ours seemed to be American (reading and thinking 'eh?' at some of the ingredients ), so as I mentioned, I find it easier to google how to do different things that I want to cook.