Cooking Spray Is The Secret For Golden Air Fryer Food

The air fryer is trending, but this little appliance isn't just a fad as it promises crispy fried foods without using a pot of oil. In fact, it has become so coveted that U.S. News reports "more than 25 million air fryers were sold in the U.S. over the past two years." Air frying devotees swear by the speed, convenience, and quality of the food they can produce.

This uptick in air fryer use could be the fact that it can whip up more than just wings and fries. There's a variety of dishes to be made, including healthy ones like Brussels sprouts and crispy chickpeas. Those foods get crispy and caramelized much faster than in a standard oven. Plus, you save the time of having to preheat the oven. Aside from that time, you save those energy costs. According to Food Manufacture, that's a big reason people appreciate the air fryer they own, and, those savings are driving new buyers. Finally, food manufacturers are getting up to speed and starting to include air fryer-specific instructions on the packaging. Why not enjoy saving time, crispy food, and lower energy costs?

Crispy is king. Flavor historian, Nadie Berenstien explains in The New York Times, "To understand the obsession many people have with the air fryer, it helps to look back to the mid-20th century when food manufacturers learned that crispiness and crunch were among the textures consumers craved most." The air fryer's inventor just wanted crispy french fries without a deep fryer. What they invented is a small convection oven that uses fans to move hot air over and around the food. Science of Cooking explains, "The fans in convection ovens allow more heat to be transferred via convective heat." Those higher temperatures being transferred faster means that food from an air fryer will be America's favorite food attribute — cripsy.

Air fryers mimic a fryer, but with a minimal amount of oil. Minimum is the key, as oil is still a necessary part of air frying. According to Science of Cooking compared to hot air (or water) oil reaches higher temperatures faster. The oil on the surface will absorb the thermal energy of the circulating hot air. Higher temperature lead to better browning and a crispier surface of the food. So, food that isn't breaded, like sweet potato fries, salmon, or even a hamburger will benefit from a thin coating of fat.

Cans of cooking spray are ideal for delivering a tiny amount of oil exactly where you need it. Thankfully, these aren't the chemical aerosols of old. According to America's Test Kitchen, "Consumers have questions about the health effects and environmental safety of cooking sprays, particularly regarding propellants and antifoaming agents — the chemicals used to force oil out of the can." Cooking spray manufacturers have started designing new formulas that don't include those concerning chemicals. Now cooks have many choices for the type of oil within these cans.

There's another option for cooks who don't want to buy cans of spray oil. Clean Eating points us toward oil misters. These manual pump sprayers are just like squirt bottles but are specifically designed for dispersing oil. They allow cooks to avoid even the purest of storebought spray can option by using whatever cooking oil they'd like. That means you can spare yourself the expense of a small amount of oil in a pricy can. Plus, these spray cans are refillable, so you won't keep buying can after can either. That's a win-win. Add in all that delicious golden brown food, and that's a win-win-win.