Air fryers have transformed cooking, simplifying life for those with tight schedules or dietary restrictions.
While many turn to this versatile kitchen appliance for a range of culinary tasks, certain foods may pose challenges in their preparation.
That seems to be the case for bacon, which due to its high fat content and irregular shape, can spell chaos for novice cooks.
Dietitian Brenda Peralta, advised people to exercise caution when it comes to using their air fryers for cooking bacon.
Brenda, in an interview with Yahoo, explained: “Given its fatty nature, when cooked in an air fryer, the fat tends to drip, resulting in smoke and splattering.
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“This not only makes it tricky to achieve even bacon cooking but also leads to excessive smoke and odours.”
As per the recipe developer, this scenario heightens the possibility of certain bacon strips being undercooked, thus raising the risk of food-borne illnesses.
Furthermore, the buildup of bacon grease within the air fryer can pose a hazard, resulting in sudden smoke emissions.
The splattering bacon fat might also reach the air fryer’s heating element, causing smoke and spreading an unpleasant scent of burnt food everywhere.
The expert further explained: “Each strip of bacon is relatively small and delicate, making it tricky to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without it breaking.”
She also noted how due to the appliance’s compact size, it’s not usually feasible to cook large batches simultaneously – becoming even more tedious than other methods.
The dietitian went on: “The air fryer basket may not have the capacity to accommodate a significant amount of bacon, which can be inconvenient, particularly when cooking for a group.”
Scrubbing away all of the grease without scouring your air fryer down to nothing can be tricky, not to mention incredibly time-consuming.
Taking to the Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning Tips, one woman recommended a laundry product most will already have a hold of – washing powder.
Tracey Anne said: “Try soaking in biological washing powder and boiling water. The enzymes in the powder break down the grease. Make sure you rinse really well though.”
