I finally stopped preheating my air fryer and got better results

Everyone in here keeps saying you have to preheat an air fryer like it's an oven, but I think that's totally backwards for most foods. I run my own HVAC business and I know how these heating elements work, and when you preheat an empty basket for 5 minutes, you're just burning off any leftover oil from last time and making the initial temp spike way too high. I cook chicken thighs at 375 for 18 minutes and if I put them straight in a cold basket, they come out way more juicy with a crispier skin. The preheated basket overcooks the outside before the inside even gets warm. Frozen stuff like fries definitely shouldn't go in a hot basket either, they just brown too fast on the outside and stay soggy in the middle. Has anyone else tested this side by side with a thermometer?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor1742d ago

Hell yeah, same here! Cold start chicken is way juicier.

brookethomas2d ago

My last three cold start chickens turned out dryer than the one I did straight from the fridge. I think it's more about how long you let it sit before cooking than the starting temp. But hey, if it works for you I'm not gonna argue with juicy chicken.