2 Steps You Should Always Take Halfway Through Air Frying Food

The advantages of using an air fryer in lieu of an oven are numerous. Perhaps most importantly, you can heat up food in half the time it would take in the oven. It's really no wonder that this kitchen gadget is becoming so ubiquitous. While you only need to place food in the fryer basket, plug the machine in, and wait a few minutes to get deliciously crispy results, there are two steps you should take halfway through the frying process if you want to really elevate your meal — and don't worry, they're both super easy.

For starters, shaking your air fryer basket halfway through the heating process allows even crisping and cooking, redistributing the food's placement so it all cooks evenly. This is an especially important step when heating smaller food items like french fries or crispy vegetables, especially in mass quantities (although you should really stop making the mistake of overcrowding your air fryer). Still, it's a good habit to start with bigger items so you can better monitor your food. This simple action gives you a peek at your food before cooking is done so you can really monitor the process, possibly preventing burning or overcooking. To try this step, simply remove the basket from the machine halfway through cooking and shake. Then, before you slide it back in, perform our second recommended step: Add in some extra oil.

While air fryers don't really need any oil since they use the power of hot, circulating air to cook food instead, adding oil makes for even crisper, crunchier results and helps prevent drying, so it's something we strongly recommend. This might not do much for already-greasy foods like bacon or sausages (or for heating up leftovers), but it would really help elevate a batch of crispy potatoes, fresh chicken, roasted vegetables, and more.

To complete this step, simply pick out your oil of choice, gently pour a small amount over all the ingredients in your air fryer, shake to distribute, and close. Any type of oil will work here, but those with a high smoke point , such as avocado, canola, or peanut, would be best under such high temperatures. (Still, avoid using cooking sprays, as these can ruin your air fryer and its nonstick coating.)

With these two simple air fryer hacks, you can produce even crispier, more well-rounded food that's full of flavor. So, don't shy away from putting in those few extra seconds the next time you're using the machine.