Expertise Kitchen tools | Appliances | Food science | Subscriptions | Meal kits
Air fryers magically turn ordinary food into crispy, juicy snacks or dinners. I make wings, whole chicken, salmon filets and last night's pizza in the countertop cooker. Not all foods taste great when they're subjected to the air fryer's powerful heat. Some foods are just OK when air-fried, but others will be completely ruined by these compact convection ovens.
As tempting as it is to throw all your meals in your miracle machine, I'd recommend another way to cook nice cuts of beef, leafy greens and certain types of seafood. Below, you'll find a list of foods you should never cook in the air fryer.
A perfectly cooked pork chop is a thing of beauty but these lean cuts of meat can dry out in a hurry. Bacon, bone-in pork chops and fattier cuts of swine can handle the air fryer but lean, boneless pork chops tend to dry out when subjected to the blast of high heat. If you're going to use the air fryer to cook pork chops, do so at a lower temperature and use some fat to keep things moist.
Leafy greens are a big no when it comes to air-fryer cooking. The hot convection air will crisp most leafy greens such as spinach, kale and chard far beyond anything you'd want to eat.
Steak reheats well in the air fryer, but it's not a good place for it the first time. Air fryer baskets get hot but not hot enough to give the outside of your steak a proper sear. I've tried cooking steaks in the air fryer before. Even fatty, forgiving steaks don't come out as well compared to when they're cooking on a hot plancha, cast-iron skillet or grill.
Chicken wings, thighs and any bone-in pieces are perfect candidates for the air fryer. Boneless chicken breasts don't have much fat and will dry out easily. Protect them with a little egg batter and breadcrumbs and you'll be okay, but bare chicken breasts cooked in the air fryer often emerge dry or rubbery.
Large cuts of beef, pork and lamb typically do best when cooked with a low and slow method such as braising or smoking. Avoid the air fryer with its hot blast of convection air when cooking large cuts of meat and opt for the Dutch oven, slow cooker or pellet smoker.
If you wrap your broccoli in foil, you can use the air fryer to roast it (quickly). If you leave it uncovered and exposed to the hot convection air and you'll end up with sizzled broccoli ends that are anything but delicious.
Shellfish such as clams and mussels need liquid to cook without drying out. They are also easily overcooked, which can lead to a chewy rubbery morsel that you don't want anywhere near your plate. Avoid the air fryer when cooking most shellfish.