Are you wondering if you can put aluminum foil in the air fryer? The answer is yes, as long as you don’t cover the holes. As you know, air fryer technology relies on hot air circulation, so take care if you use one.
How to use aluminum foil in the air fryer
While it has some pros and cons, it is highly recommended that you do not use it when not needed in a recipe. Take a look at the following considerations before using it.
What to consider
When you use aluminum foil to cook, you can expect these features:
- Juicy foods: Some foods are cooked in their juice, so when they are covered with foil, all flavors are concentrated. When you wrap your food, the water steam circulates inside, allowing it to retain moisture. Therefore, if you make a fish, for example, it will be juicy and delicious since all its essence and aroma will be contained inside the wrap.
- Even cooking: Since aluminum is a metal, foil form distributes heat evenly because it is a good conductor and also has the advantage that it won’t stick to food.
- Clean air fryer: Using aluminum foil also prevents food residue from sticking to the air fryer and dripping off. As a result, you won’t need to spend a lot of time cleaning up your air fryer.
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Aspects to bear in mind
There are also a few things to avoid with aluminum foil in an air fryer:
- Foil should not cover the holes: When you place foil in your air fryer basket, avoid sealing holes because the air fryer won’t function properly. In the event, you need to use it, wrap your food in a manner that foil does not extend to the whole bottom of the basket. Keep this in mind when the basket’s fan is below the drawer. Alternatively, you could also stretch aluminum foil over the basket and poke holes in it to allow air to circulate.
- Keep acidic ingredients away: As aluminum foil is a metal, it oxidizes when exposed to some acidic ingredients. Vinegar, for example, can react with aluminum due to its acetic acid content of 3-5%. There are also citrus fruits, such as oranges, limes, and lemons, that contain acid, known as citric acid. Generally, this type of reaction is called oxidation-reduction. As a result of the chemical reaction, aluminum dilutes, becoming opaque, losing its brilliance.
- Don’t preheat the air fryer with foil: Remember not to preheat your air fryer with aluminum foil in it, since that makes no sense. Only place aluminum foil in the basket if the recipe tells you to.
The FDA considers aluminum foil to be toxic at a level of 0.2 mg/L. All of the statements may apply to tin foil, so it is important to note that these aren’t exclusive to aluminum, and may apply to other metals as well. If you prefer another option, you can use parchment paper instead.
Is it safe to put aluminum foil in the air fryer?
As long as you place aluminum foil on the basket/tray, it is safe to use. Furthermore, do not cover any of the appliance’s parts, as it has a fan, which circulates the air. Doing so can damage your air fryer’s motor.
Can you cook with aluminum foil?
As I said, you can cook with aluminum foil in the air fryer. This will help you maintain moisture and make the food juicy. Nevertheless, if you want to get away from its use, you can always make food in a bare basket or with parchment paper, as some people suggest.
In addition, there are several recipes that can be cooked in the air fryer with aluminum foil: cajun salmon, baked potato, shrimp foil packets, ranch chicken foil packs, and steak Hobo.
Will aluminum foil burn in the air fryer?
No, it won’t. Aluminum foil is able to withstand temperatures that air fryers cannot. In addition to air fryers, foil can also be used in ovens and other types of cooktops since aluminum ignites above 1000ºF (537ºC).
Contrary to this, air fryers heat at a much lower temperature than aluminum. Normally, they reach temperatures of 325ºF-400ºF (163ºC-204ºC).
Before considering these opinions and assumptions, please read the guideline that came with the air fryer. As a precaution, whenever you get a new product, it’s always a good idea to check its specifications to ensure you handle it correctly and do not make a mess in your kitchen.
| Model | Temperatures | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Power XL | up to 400ºF (232ºC) | 1700 Watts |
| Cuisinart Toaster oven manual | up to 450ºF (232ºC) | 1800 Watts |
| Gowise 5 Quart manual | 170ºF-400ºF (77ºC-205ºC) | 1400 Watts |
| Gourmia 6-quart manual | 90ºF-400ºF (32ºC-205ºC) | 1500 Watts |
| Nuwave Brio 6-quarts | 60ºF-400ºF (15ºC-205ºC) | 900,1500, 1800 Watts |
| Chefman 8 qt. Turbofry manual | 200ºF-400ºF (93ºC-205ºC) | — |
| Instant Pot Duo 6 quarts manual | Low, Med, High | 1000 Watts |
| Air fryer Vortex 6-quarts manual | 95ºF-400ºF (35ºC-205ºC) | 1700 Watts |
| Philips XXL | (104ºF-392ºF) 40ºC-200ºC | 1750 Watts |
| Cosori 3.7 quart manual | 170ºF-400ºF (77ºC-205ºC) | 1700 Watts |
| Breville Smart oven | 80ºF-480ºF (26ºC-249ºC) | 1800 Watts |
| Ninja foodi DualZone 8 qt manual | 105ºF-450ºF (40ºC-232ºC) | 1690 Watts |
| Bella 6 qt manual | 175ºF-400ºF (79ºC-205ºC) | 1700 Watts |
| Emeril Lagasse Power Airfryer360 | up tp 450ºF (232ºC) | 1500 Watts |
| T-fal Actifry manual | — | — |
As seen in the table above, all of the air fryers have temperature ranges that should allow them to use aluminum foil. Nevertheless, you should review their manuals and specifications.
Conclusion
It is safe to use aluminum foil in an air fryer because it won’t burn. In terms of health, some experts prefer not to use it, but just parchment paper. Even so, some recipes will not come out the same if they require foil, obviously provided that you don’t use it frequently.