Air Fryer Timing Question

[Comfysock]

DS has bought an air fryer.
I dont have any clue on timings.
Im guessing trial and error
So he wants to cook:
some mozerella sticks these are frozen so I told him Im guessing a very short time...maybe 4-5mins.

Breaded chicken gujouns, again not frozen, so Im suggesting 10 mins

Any guidance please!!!

Someone shared this on FB - haven't trialed these timings myself!

Most of them come with a book with the timings on them! We tend to take 20% off the cooking time, but use the same temperature. Works for us, and that's what the little instruction booklet said!

I use this calculator

https://lovefoodnotcooking.com/air-fryer-calculator/

If it only reduces cooking time by such a small amount what's the point of them? I had my oven on today, roasted a joint of breast, plus sausage meat stuffing , baked a banana bread, a pear and ginger pudding, chicken thighs and sweet potato wedges. It would've taken me a week in an air fryer. My oven heats up to temperature in a few minutes, I walk into the kitchen and switch it on, by the time I've prepped whatever is going in there it's the right temperature.

Don't get an air fryer then.

I just cook for myself and it's so much cheaper than heating up a conventional oven. And quicker.

Booklet isnt great. Very basic yells u how to cook frozen chips and a steak or bake a cake!!!

My son is 18 and cooks/eats at different times to us so it is ideal for him.

I usually follow the oven cook guidance but reduce the temperature by 10-20c and the time by around 25%.

You can keep opening the draw and peeping in to assess how the cooking is going, which is helpful while you learn more about cooking with an air fryer

They're not intended for people like you. Or for me when I have the family round for a roast dinner and pudding.

I live alone and have just bought one, because I often have to put my oven on for a single portion of one thing, which makes no sense. I'm looking forward to being able to take one frozen croissant out of my freezer and having it for breakfast. Or having a few roast potatoes as a side.

Also my oven doesn't heat up as quickly as yours.

Can you linw the pan with anything Im thinking grease proof paper to help with mess,cleaning etc

You can buy paper or silicone liners.

You get to know what works - generally lower temp and less time than conventional. So, if something takes 15 mins in oven, I'd be looking at it in airfryer after ten mins.

I use my gas oven, but I tend to fill it - I won't put it on just for baked potatoes. Yesterday, we had a pie, but I put an apple crumble in too. Today, we had pizzas, and some bread rolls went in after.

During the week, we eat what I've batch cooked, and so it's easy for non-cook husband to put a lasagne in the air fryer for twenty mins and make a salad. Adult son can heat his up when he comes in. Saves oven being on for hours to heat up one dish.

Yes, you can use anything that you'd put in the oven - mine is easy to wash up though, so I don't bother.

Yes, I use foil when I cook in air fryer. We have one as DS2 likes to cook his food, which has been trial and error. Oven chips are great, as are roasted potatoes, fish, rice and pasta. Garlic bread is also very good and cooking is even. We have a grill on ours, which is great for burgers, fish fingers and even toast. It does save some time as you don’t have to wait for oven to warm up and I would say oven chips are evenly cooked in about 10 minutes, my DS hardly uses the main oven now.

@Comfysock I've just cooked breaded chicken fillets in my air fryer 180 for 15 mins but could have done with a couple of minutes less so maybe 12 mins
Mine also goes in the dishwasher so very easy to clean but plenty of silicone liners available to make cleaning easy.

I reduce my cooking time by 25-33%, tend to cook at same temp as on packaging if its something like chips or sausage rolls, if it's something like sausages, my dds don't like the skins to coloured so adjust temp down for thus type of thing but you'll have to experiment with your machine type, mines a duel ninja.
Also so easy to clean, I don't find I need greaseproof paper etc.
Air frier tofu is lovely btw, if you like that sort of thing

@HighlandCowRose tell me about air fryer tofu. I love tofu, but no one else in my household does. I have half a block sitting folornly in the fridge.

I cooked a turkey for 8 in just under an hour in the oven it said just under 2. Gojons about 8 mins, jackets microwave about 8 to soften cook for another 8 in air fryer, roast par boil, baste then roast in air fryer for 12 to 15

There are timings for roasting a whole chicken here too

https://lovefoodnotcooking.com/recipes/air-fryer-roast-chicken/

Can you linw the pan with anything Im thinking grease proof paper to help with mess,cleaning etc

I put it in the dishwasher

Mine has shelves and I use greaseproof paper on them
Timing wise I'm very much... when it's cooked but I have a meat thermometer to check stuff if I'm not sure

It's a long time since I've eaten tofu. I know halloumi cheese is very different, but am I right in thinking you can cook both in cubes in a similar way? If so, I cut halloumi into cubes and air fry for a few mins, shake and maybe a couple of mins more.

Frozen triple cooked chips that take 40 minutes in gas oven take 12 minutes in cheap Aldi air fryer. Brilliant.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads

Sorry only just seen, I do it various ways but my current favourite quick one is to drain, then add chilli oil, black pepper and garlic granules, I cook at 200° for around 18 minutes, I cut mine into strips rather than cubes just because it increases the surface area for crispness, shake the drawer eery 5-6 minutes.

This works loads of ways though, I vary it with fresh chilli's, soy sauce, I prefer it in the air fryer just because in a pan you have to turn to colour all sides and I can't be arsed 😳