Are you wondering if you can put paper towels in an air fryer? Unfortunately, no. Using paper towels while your air fryer is running is not a good idea. The main concern is that it may ignite inside, which can be hazardous to the equipment.
Can paper towels catch on fire in an air fryer?
There is a high probability of paper towel fire because it usually starts burning from 425ºF to 450ºF (218ºC-232ºC). Therefore, this material is not suitable for air fryers. In addition, it sticks to food and you can prevent this by using parchment paper.
Another reason you shouldn’t use paper towels during cooking is that it may clog the holes where air passes, which results in uneven cooking of the food.
Uses of paper towels in air fryer
- To dry up and maintain clean the air fryer and its parts.
- After frying or cooking, it absorbs the excess grease.
- Before air frying, it may help to grease the basket gently with oil.
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Can you put a wet paper towel in the air fryer?
That’s not a good idea. As it was explained, its temperature to catch on fire is low, so that would preclude this thought. However, you can only use it wet when cleaning the air fryer. In this case, a paper towel only serves to keep it neat.
Furthermore, don’t use paper towels or napkins carelessly when you’re cooking, since they’ll fly around due to their lightweight. Despite your temptation to reheat food with it at low temperatures, once you place and turn on the air fryer, and it withstands the temperature you used, the paper towel will stick to your food, and this isn’t pleasant.
If you experience this issue frequently, you will find it time-consuming when trying to remove the paper from your food, causing you to be inconvenienced. This happens because there is a small amount of moisture in your food that combines with cellulose and when it is heated it releases the humidity and adheres. Frozen food is the most common example because it preserves water, but other types of food can also preserve water.
What else can I use instead of paper towels?
There are some alternatives, including parchment paper sheets. If you intend to cook a special recipe with a paper towel, replace it with parchment paper. This paper is designed to work with this appliance and oven. It even has holes for airflow to circulate. Hence, do not hesitate to use it.
Conclusion
What is your final thought on can you put paper towels in an air fryer? Using it inside while cooking, preheating air fryers or reheating any food is not recommended. Use it while the air fryer is open, clean, grease, and wipe it up, then remove when the basket is pushed to shut the air fryer at high temperatures.
Keep in mind when cooking special dishes in the air fryer, use parchment paper or aluminum foil.