Food plays a key role in providing us with energy that in turn enables us to work. The majority of the food eaten consists of cooked food. Talking about cooked food, the way of cooking determines whether the food is beneficial for your body or not.
There are several ways of cooking such as grilling, baking, broiling, frying, etc. When thinking about frying, you might assume cooking food with a lot of oil usage.
Well, that’s not the case with air frying as it mimics the results of deep frying by using little or no oil. Air frying cooks food by its hot air technology which circulates hot air around the food and makes it crispy.
There are several air fryer rules or you can say general tips to follow to get great cooking results.
Preheating your air fryer is one of these rules which can effectively help you by reducing the waiting or cooking time. Spraying your air fryer before cooking is also very important as it can prevent your food from sticking and getting broken.
However, not all types of oil can be sprayed on an air fryer.
You must not use PAM cooking spray inside your air fryer.
Want to know more about air frying and spraying on it, read till the end as I’ll be going through it all.
How Does An Air Fryer Work?
Before knowing about spraying in an air fryer, it is essential to know the mechanism of an air fryer.
The food you want to cook in an air fryer goes into a perforated basket. The top section of an air fryer holds a fan and heating mechanism.
The machine cooks the food by blowing air around it. The force of air produces a convection effect and the exterior of the food in the basket.
This rapid circulation makes the food crisp similar to deep frying, but without oil.
When the air fryer temperature reaches around 320 F, frozen chicken tenders or unbreaded starchy food like french fries or taters will turn brown.
What Is Meant By Spraying An Air Fryer?
Spraying an air fryer means greasing an air fryer by spraying a little bit of oil on the bottom grates.
Even if your food does not require oil, spray your air fryer basket to get great results.
Spraying in an air fryer sometimes refers to spraying oil on food if it gets dry. In most cases, the amount of oil sprayed is usually very little.
Can Pam Nonstick Spray Be Used in an Air Fryer?
One of the first things that come to mind when thinking about fried foods is the oil that is used to create that delicious crispiness and savory aroma.
However, as we all know, ingesting too much oil into our bodies isn’t always the healthiest option.
The ever-popular air fryer uses very little oil while still producing crispy mozzarella sticks, french fries, and baked potatoes.
The second reason is that propellants are frequently used in these types of sprays. These are butane and propane mixtures that are used as fuel for lighters or portable devices such as stoves.
These are not only unhealthy to consume, but they can also damage the nonstick coating of your air fryer and cause premature peeling.
If you prefer nonstick coating on your cookware, it will hasten the demise of the air fryer.
Why Shouldn’t You Use Nonstick Sprays in Your Air Fryer?
There are two main reasons why nonstick sprays should not be used in air fryers. Unfortunately, nonstick cooking sprays like Pam are frequently made with low-quality ingredients.
If you look at the back of a Pam bottle, you’ll probably see “soy,” “corn,” or “canola” listed in the ingredients section. These oils are not of high quality and are primarily derived from genetically modified crops that have been engineered to withstand pesticide applications.
In the process of using it, you consume genetically modified crops. If your health is at stake, you should avoid using these types of sprays.
Why Should You Spray Cooking Oil In Air Fryer?
Although an air fry not really need oil to cook your food. However, a little bit of oil may produce great results.
Spraying oil prevents food from sticking to the rack or basket. It also plays an important role in retaining moisture in the food and building up the crust and crispiness in your food.
The only condition in which you may go without extra oil is when you are cooking fatty meats such as dark meat of beef and chicken.
To know more about using oil in an air fryer, have a look at this video:
What Type of Oil Can Be Used In Air Fryer?
It is safe to use any oven-safe oil in an air fryer. Vegetable and coconut oil are also included in this category. Some healthy oils to use in an air fryer are:
- Sesame Oil
- Soybean Oil
- Peanut Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Grape seed Oil
- Virgin Olive Oil
- Olive Oil
Oil can be used to prevent your food from sticking to the air fryer or to perfectly cook your food if it gets dry.
Air Fryer: Can I Use Olive Oil Spray In It?
Yes, you can use olive oil in an air fryer in some capacity. The amount of oil may vary depending on the food you are air frying.
It sounds surprising that an air fryer is much healthier than a deep fryer, although both use oil at some point in time.
However, the oil used in air frying is much lesser than the oil used in deep frying. Therefore, cooking in an air fryer is still healthier than cooking in a deep fryer.
How To Spray An Air Fryer Basket?
Spraying in the air fryer is mostly done on the basket in which your food is placed. Follow these steps when spraying your air fryer basket:
- Prepare the air fryer by heating the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes to the desired temperature.
- Pull out the basket and onto the areas that will touch food.
- While cooking, you may also spray a little bit of cooking oil on your food if it looks dry or burnt on the outside.
The Best Spray For Air fryer
Air fryer spray you use somehow depends on the food you are preparing and the temperature at which you are cooking.
You must ensure that the oil you are using must have a higher smoke point.
These are some of the best oils to use in an air fryer:
| Spray | Condition |
| Canola Oil | When cooking below 400 degrees. |
| Olive Oil | For cooking food at 375 degrees or below. |
| Avocado Oil | For dishes cooked at up to 520 degrees. |
| Baking Spray | For sweets fried below 400 degrees. |
| Grapeseed oil | For cooking food up to 420 degrees. |
What Not to Spray in an Air Fryer?
Although aerosol cooking spray creates a fantastic coating for muffin tins, sheet pans, or anything that needs to be less sticky.
However, these sprays contain agents like lecithin. When those are combined with no stick coating on the basket or pan, a build of residue is inevitable.
Although the build-up residue is not very difficult to clean, it causes your air fryer basket to chip.
This is why you should not spray aerosol cooking spray on the nonstick surface like air fryer baskets. But don’t fear; there are plenty of other healthy oils you can spray on your air fryer.
Can I Cook Frozen French Fries In An Air Fryer?
Yes, it is possible to cook frozen french fries in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Just follow these four fundamental steps:
- Start by preheating your air fryer. Some models like Philips air fryer don’t need to be preheated.
- Now, add fries to your air fryer and make sure the air in it is circulating.
- Cook by shaking the basket or tossing the fries every five minutes to get the best results.
- When fries have attained the desired crispiness, now it’s time to take them out, put them in a bowl, and season them with some salt.
Conclusion
Spraying is crucial to get the best air-frying results, but not all cooking sprays can be sprayed in an air fryer.
- Spraying your air fryer before cooking is also very important as it can prevent your food from sticking and getting broken.
- You should not spray aerosol cooking spray on the nonstick surface like air fryer baskets as it can cause your air fryer to chip.
- Any oven-safe oil can be used in an air fryer such as Sesame oil, Soybean oil, Peanut oil, Avocado oil Grape seed oil, and Olive oil.