Why aren’t my air fryer chips amazing…

[BEAchDays2]

😑😭😔 I have an air fryer, and I really like it, it’s been incredibly useful, and I really like how it cooks certain things, so I don’t regret getting it at all.

However, one thing that is completely escaping me is how to create amazing air fryer chips, I hear about these amazing crispy chips all the time, and yet, I haven’t managed to do them. I’ve recently started cutting my own potatoes, but still don’t seem to be able to get them really crispy, the last batch I did I cut them into about 1 cm wide sticks, and then I added some oil to a bowl, and sort of rolled them around in that a bit, before air frying them.

Please, please please can someone give me their best tips for creating the crispy chips of dreams with an air fryer?

I coat mine in cornflour before the oil. Works a treat!

I've not tried it with regular potatoes but I make sweet potato fries and toss them in oil and cornflour and a sprinkle of paprika before hand. Also you need to space them out evenly on the tray - dont try and crowd them in. Toss them halfway through cooking.

Isn't this a duplicate thread?

1. parboil for a short while first.
2. Toss them every 5 mins or so

I've found the key is to keep tossing them whilst cooking as well, the more often the better

After you chop them up, drop them in a bowl with some kitchen roll and pat them dry. Then remove the kitchen roll, add oil, paprika and a little bit of salt. Mix it around to coat the chips and then cook

I admire you all for cooking from scratch however these are amazing in the Airfryer - Extra Crispy Chips www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/product/sainsburys-super-crispy-skin-on-chips-900g?utm_source=google&utm_medium=free_listing&utm_campaign=merchant_center&deeplink=true

Soak for 20 mins first to remove the starch, dry off on paper towel, add oil and seasoning and off you go. Don’t go too hot too early - better to get them well cooked and crisp up at the end if you need

My method

• Cut up potatoes
• Put them in a bowl of cold water to remove starch. (Rinsing or soaking cut potatoes in cold water removes excess surface starch, preventing them from turning soggy)
• Dry them
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Make sure the air fryer is already hot before adding them and make sure they are not just lying in the bottom or in one of those airfryer liners (mine has a little shelf thing).

200° for 25 mins giving them a good shake regularly.

Don't add any salt until you are finished (it draws out more water)

Try the birds eye crispy chips. They are amazing in the air fryer !

I don’t get the hype with air frying. It’s a small oven basically. Great for throwing the kids some beige freezer food in and cooking quickly, but beyond that I never found it did anything my oven couldn’t do better. My new oven heats up just as quickly, and even has its own ‘air fryer mode’ which I can’t understand the use of!

My method, get chips from the freezer, I buy skin on fries. Measure with my heart into the air fryer, spray with vegetable oil, toss a bit, put them on to cook. 5 minutes in toss again. 5 minutes after that light spray and toss again, last bit of cooking I think is 6 or 7 minutes.

The best thing to do is to experiment when you have time and not when you need them for dinner. We did a small batch, tested timings, tried the chips, amended a little and then cooked another small batch.

You are correct but it costs less money to heat up and it has a shorter cooking time because of the small space. Honestly if I am cooking 4 salmon fillets heating up an entire massive oven is a ridiculous waste of energy. I used to try to use the oven for other things at the same time but we have salmon every week.

I find if you peel them then dry them on a tea towel before cutting them. Spray with olive oil. Shake and respray every so often.

This is all there is to it.

Honestly, this would not surprise me! When I tried to post it, I got shut down for posting too many threads, but I’ve only had one thread in the last week. I think it must’ve been a glitch, hopefully Mumsnet will delete any repeats.

Are you putting too many in? I find smaller quantities better. Is it a ninja air fryer?

The only way to get properly 'amazing' chips is to deep fry them. Any other method is always going to be a compromise.

Do you have the right type of potatoes ? The floury kind ? Not big standard multi purpose white potatoes

Thanks everyone, potato type and cornflower are good tips!

Yes it’s a ninja!

Just use oven chips, get the temperature right, move them about and dont put too many in

Another recommendation for convenience
Koffman’s frozen fries. Used to order them on Ocado.

Nanna Tate’s potatoes from Tesco make good air fryer chips.

Maris piper potatoes, cut them chunky.
Steam the potatoes with plenty of salt.

when they’re almost cooked, take them off the steam and give them a vigorous shoogle with the lid on - you want a fluffy outer layer.

leave them for ten minutes with a clean tea towel to absorb the steam.

Add the oil and give them another good shake then wang ‘em into the airfryer - 195 degrees or thereabouts. Give them a shake as they’re cooking.

fifteen minutes should be enough, but another five minutes make them perfect.
They are every bit as good as a fried chip.

Don’t compromise with oven chips: they are foul.

I think the reality is that pre-made chips are the way to go. You can get them without any rubbish in them if that's your concern, just look out for nice/well reviewed ones that are of the type you're hoping for - skin on fries, triple cooked goose fat, etc. Plus cooking them for longer than the packet instructions is usually needed too.

Look at Poppy cooks (poppy O'Toole) and follow her recipes for all things potatoes- they are ace!!