Talking about the dos and don’ts of using an air fryer, there are many things that we need to take care of. While air frying food, most of us prefer seasoning food with oil sprays. But, do you wonder which oil is the most suitable to be used in an air fryer and which is not?
According to my research, extra virgin olive oil is not good for air frying. However, olive pomace oil is suitable due to its high smoke point. The low smoke point of extra virgin olive oil cause it to create free radicals and toxic fumes due to high heat.
In addition to olive pomace oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed, and peanut oils are fantastic for producing crispy goodness due to their high smoke point. They don’t smoke at higher temperatures, which prevents food from getting burned and drying out rapidly.
So, I’m here to discuss the prerequisites for using oil in an air fryer. We’ll discuss the best oils that can be used to air fry food and the process of adding oil to foods that need to be air fried.
I’ll overview the information I’ve collected regarding using oil in air fryers, and the mistakes we do while using them.
Let’s get started.
Can I Utilize Oil in the Air Fryer?
In an air fryer, you can use any oil that you would use in an oven. Vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, and other oils are examples.
It is critical to use cooking oils that can withstand high temperatures. Because of its low smoke point, extra virgin olive oil is not suitable for air frying; however, extra light olive oil can be used for air frying due to its high smoke point.
Can I Cook with Butter and Oil in an Air Fryer?
In an air fryer, you may add flavor to any food by using butter or oil. Butter, on the other hand, can readily burn if the hot air temperature reaches its smoking threshold of 350°F.
It is preferable to use melted butter when applying it to the air fryer surface. If the butter is cold, chop it into pieces to make it easier to melt. When using butter to fry meals, you should always maintain a temperature moderate to avoid excessive smoke development.
How Can I Add Oil In An Air Fryer?
You can use oil misters and a basting brush to apply oil to food in an air fryer. These tools help especially if you’re cooking food in large portions.
When cooked in an air fryer, frozen meals like frozen dumplings and air-fried ravioli that are created from scratch or heated from frozen need a little oil. If you don’t add oil, these foods will become a bit dry.
Let me give you a quick review:
Applying the oil:
- Using an oil sprayer, evenly apply 5ml of oil to the food. Add a little extra oil if the food looks too dry when cooking.
- For my preference, I like to give a smooth brush on the side. Then I add a bit of extra oil. It is healthier than a deep fryer.
It’s quite easy to know the correct method of applying oil to your foods.
Which Kind Of Oil Should I Use For An Air Fryer?
You can use avocado, peanut, vegetable, and olive pomace oil for an air fryer.
The oil comes in a wide variety and is now easily accessible to customers. Everything from normal canola or vegetable oils to more expensive oils like avocado and coconut. There are also several types of olive oil.
Oil has a smoking point, which is essentially the temperature at which it starts to burn or smoke. When cooked at high temperatures, oils with lower smoking points lose many of their fantastic nutritional properties.
Additionally, you may use infused oils, such as cayenne-infused olive oil, which is excellent for preparing spicy dishes. Some fruit-flavored oils are particularly enjoyable to use for fish or chicken.
However, you should always keep in mind chill-infused oils if you add the spices by hand instead of purchasing pre-flavored versions from the shop.
Why Is Oil Required For An Air Fryer?
There is no absolute requirement for oil in air fryers to produce completely cooked, crispy food. However, adding oil maintains the tenderness and moist texture of your food.
Adding a small amount of oil to ready-made items like frozen chicken wings or french fries will give the exterior of food an extra crispy crunch. A little oil also aids in the seasonings’ adhesion to the food’s exterior.
If unsure, start with the absolute minimum amount of oil and add more if you want to. I must repeat that an air fryer doesn’t require oil to fry food, yet it can be added to make it tastier and more seasoned.
I have listed some of the air fryer oils available on Amazon. The prices are also mentioned below. Have a look at this table.
| Air Fryer Oils | Prices |
| Spectrum Organic Sunflower Oil, Refined 16 Oz | $16.69 |
| Trader Joe’s Clarified Butter (Ghee), 8oz. | $10.95 |
| Parachute Coconut Oil 18.8 Fl.oz. | $10.99 |
| TruffleHunter White Truffle Oil | $17.00 |
Can Butter Be Used In An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use butter in an air fryer. Butter can be used to grease your air fryer basket or your food. It has a good smoke point of 350°F.
An air fryer replaces deep frying by blowing hot air across the food to provide the same outcome as deep frying in oil.
A small amount of butter or oil helps to transfer heat more efficiently and makes food crispier. It also aids in giving off a luscious flavor. You can use it by rubbing the meat with some oil or butter to help the spices adhere.
For cooking below 350–375 degrees, you can use butter instead of oil. For recipes calling for 400 degrees, you can use oil with a high smoking point, such as avocado oil.
Put a small amount of water beneath your basket if you use butter in high-fat foods. So when the oil drips down, it settles in the water rather than on bare metal. This will stop a lot of smoke from forming.
Following some of these steps would prevent you from many toxic consequences.
Avocado Oil Vs Olive Oil: Which is Best For Air Frying?
The best oils for air fryers are avocado oil, olive pomace oil, peanut oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil.
Avocado oil offers meals in an air fryer a faint avocado flavor. The taste comes out perfect for avocado aficionados.
You would not think to use it with an air fryer because it is not normally used for deep-fried dishes. It is a great oil to use, compared to olive oil. Plus it has a more neutral flavor.
Olive oil is better to be used in air fryers. The best olive oil to use is olive pomace oil because it is flavorless and does not burn readily. Depending on the sort of olive oil you choose, the oil will have a different flavor.
Extra-virgin olive oil typically tastes fruity, bitter, and peppery, though this might vary depending on your chosen brand. As I’ve already talked about the smoke point, extra virgin oil is less likely to be used in an air fryer.
What Is A Common Air Fryer Fault?
You might unintentionally melt your air fryer or start a fire. To avoid that, use perforated parchment paper with food while using an air fryer on high heat.
The parchment paper will fly around and cover the food when the hot air circulates if there isn’t enough food to weigh it down.
Additionally, avoid using nonstick sprays with chemical bases, aerosol sprays, and culinary sprays. Many non-stick baskets and trays’ coatings may deteriorate under their influence.
Do spend a few bucks on a good oil spray or pump, and be sure to use high-quality oil. Spending a few bucks on high-quality oil makes you spend less on the maintenance of an air fryer.
Can Non-Stick Spray Be Used In An Air Fryer?
Nonstick spray is not air fryer friendly but rather dangerous to use. They can create havoc.
By using nonstick spray to coat the air fryer basket, you risk damaging its nonstick finish and making it dangerous to use.
If you must, only coat the food directly with a cooking spray before turning on the air fryer, such as when frying breaded foods like chicken tenders. Hopefully, you are aware that cooking sprays can harm the nonstick coating on pans, and an air fryer is no exception.
You pour oil into the pan first before putting food in it, That’s not the case with an air fryer. Before placing the food in the air fryer, season it with oil.
All in all, the air fryer appears to have transformed the kitchen appliances that people have used over the past few years.
It can bake, dehydrate, broil, air fry, roast, and do many other things. Air fryers have seemingly replaced microwaves, stoves, and even ovens to be the ideal all-purpose culinary appliance.
The following video will guide you more regarding using oil in the air fryer.
Wrap Up
To end it up, I’d like to enlist some key points:
- It’s better to use olive pomace oil in air fryers than extra virgin olive oil. The reason is the smoke point.
- Some oils have a low smoke point. A smoke point is a burning point that leads to explosions if exceeded.
- Olive oil has a smoke point of 374–405°F (19–207°C). It is, therefore a safe option for low-medium cooking.
- On the other hand, Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 374-405°F (190-207°C). Therefore it’s considered less suitable to use for cooking.
- Thus, there are several ways of applying oil to an air fryer that I pointed out earlier. While using an air fryer you should consult its manual as they are exclusive for every company.