ALL ABOUT AIR FRYERS

Why Air Fryers Were Invented and Why They Remain Popular

It may surprise people to know that the first air fryers weren’t introduced into the market until 2010. That means that air frying technology is younger than the iPhone. The home-use technology was invented for two very important reasons. One, air fryers are a much healthier way to create the same crispy on the outside/soft on the inside food that traditional frying in oil creates. The second reason is that they are a fast and convenient way to cook for the entire family.

How Air Fryers Deliver Delicious Foods with a Fraction of the Grease

So how do air fryers manage to make their magic? The answer lies in their interesting design that has a heating element on one end and a fan on the other. The fan circulates super-hot air around the food, cooking it from the outside in and creating the same effect (called the Maillard effect) that you get with fried foods. The difference is that instead of using fat-filled oils, you are using calorie-free air. Many recipes still call for a little oil, but it is literally a fraction of a percentage of what you would use with the traditional frying method.

Make Meals for Any Occasion

This is an overlooked benefit of the air fryer and one that I think deserves a little more attention. Again, this machine is not just for potatoes and chicken; it can be used to cook anything from breakfast to desserts. To take that idea one step further, thanks to its safety and versatility air fryers like this one can be used to cook for any occasion. It is great to fry up multiple courses for a cookout or leave something warming on the counter in a busy house during Thanksgiving.

Enjoyed by Everyone from College Kids to
Professional Chefs

As noted, professional chefs love to use air fryers because of their many benefits, but you don’t have to be a pro to use this machine like one. It’s not just for busy moms and dads who don’t have much time to cook for the family. Air fryers like this one are becoming increasingly popular with college kids because they are so easy to use, make great tasting food, and are safe enough for a dorm room.

Much Healthier Than Traditional Fryers Preserving Nutrients, Using Less Oil and Fewer Carbs

One of the best reasons to own an air fryer is that you don’t need to fry your foods in a pool of fatty oil. You get all of the taste and texture of fried foods without having the calories and guilt that come along with traditional fried foods. Additionally, foods cooked in an air fryer hold their nutrients better to make them just as healthy as they are mouthwatering. The best part is that you get all of these benefits without having to sacrifice portion size or taste.

HOW TO USE YOUR GOWISE HOT AIR FRYER

Preparation is King: How to Properly Prepare Your Food Before Cooking

For the perfect results, preparation is the key. This means making sure that food is prepared the way it should be with the right ingredients and the proper amount of time, given with any seasonings you may be using.

Fries/Chips

Cooking potatoes are probably the most common time you will be using any kind of oil. A tablespoon of olive oil in a full basket will help to make sure that your fries are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It is recommended that you cut any potatoes up before frying them for the best results, but if you do want to cook whole potatoes make sure that they are smaller and don’t overfill the basket.

Steak and Other Meat Cuts

Preparing meat for frying isn’t a difficult task, but it is one that you should give yourself enough time to do. When you are simply seasoning a cut, there is not a lot of preparation time that goes into it; all you need to do is lightly coat both sides in seasoning shortly before cooking. If you are having trouble evenly coating your cuts, pat them down with a damp paper towel to help the seasoning to stick to the meat.

Marinating your meat is an entirely different beast that takes a much larger time frame. Depending on the type and thickness of the meat and the kind of marinade you’re using it could take up to 24 hours to prepare the perfect meal. More than likely, it will take at least 4 hours to marinate your cuts for them to absorb all of the juices of the marinade. Air fryers are made for marinades because the cooking process seals the juices inside the meat instead of cooking them out.

Shrimp

Make sure that you remove the tail and devein your shrimp before you cook it. If you are using a marinade, toss your shrimp in the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. If you want to go the dry seasoning route, you may want to toss the shrimp with the seasoning and a little water or oil to help the seasoning stick to the shrimp.

It is not extremely common to marinate shrimp, but it is common to bread them before frying. For this method, you will want white flour, egg, and whatever you have chosen as your breading. Make sure your shrimp are completely thawed before breading. Coat the shrimp in flour, then dip it in a bowl of beaten egg, and lastly, coat it in your breading before transferring to the basket.

Baked Goods

There is not a lot to say about the preparation of baked goods, other than to make sure that you follow the baking instructions carefully. Baking is an art and missing even the smallest step can hurt the result. Whenever possible put a separate pan in the basket and always coat the pan with cooking spray to make it easier to remove your goods once they’re baked.

Chicken

Preparing chicken is a lot like preparing any other meat with a few notable differences. If you are using spices to season your chicken put them on a flat plate and press each side of your breast down onto the spices. Chicken breast is usually a little damp and should hold the spices well, if not, pat down the chicken with a damp cloth.

Chicken can also be marinated in any number of marinades from classic buffalo sauce to a marinade of your own concoction. Chicken absorbs marinades fairly well so it should only take 4 to 6 hours to perfectly marinade your chicken.

You can’t talk about a frying machine without talking about breaded chicken. Whether you are cooking breaded chicken strips or bone-in chicken breasts, the method is going to be the same. Coat your chicken in flour, then dip it in a bowl of beaten egg, lastly coat it with your chosen breading before placing it in your basket.

Fish

Fish follows the same general guidelines as other meats, but it is different enough to warrant its own attention. Seasoning fish is a little more difficult due to its delicate nature and tossing it will almost surely break it up into pieces. You shouldn’t even have to wet your fish down and sprinkling spices over it evenly should do the trick.

Breading fish is much like breading any other protein; you just need to be more delicate when you do it. Coat the filet in flour, then dip it in a bowl of beaten egg before coating it with your choice of bread. Again, exercise caution in every step leading up to placing the fish in the basket as fish can be delicate and fall apart easily.

Understand the User Interface

Out of all of the air fryers on the market, the GoWise may have one of the most complicated user interfaces on the market, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Unlike other less expensive models that rely on a couple knobs, this fryer has a fully digital interface which makes it a lot easier to read and program your device. Once you understand how to navigate the GoWise screen you will be happy that you went with this model.

1. When your machine is plugged in but not running, it will only display a single power button on the bottom left hand side. When you press that button, the entire screen lights up with your options.
2. This machine has eight preset temperatures for some of the most popular foods you will be cooking in your air fryer. To the right of the power button is another circle with four small triangles inside of it, this button lets you cycle through all of the preset temperatures which are easily identified by lit icons surrounding the temperature window.
3. In the center of the screen you will find the temperature clearly displayed and to the very left of your screen you will see two arrows above and below a thermometer that can be used to manually change the cooking temperature.
4. To the right of preset cycling button is an alarm button which allows you to quickly set a timer with an alarm. This quickset timer works in 5-minute increments.
5. To the left of the power button you will find the pause/start button which does exactly what it says. It allows you to pause the cooking process in order to remove or toss your ingredients then restart right where you left off.
6. On the very right hand of the display you will see a clock with arrows above and below it that allow you to manually set the timer.

A Breakdown of How to Use Your GoWise Hot Air Fryer from Start to Finish

How to Properly Clean and Store Your GoWise Air Fryer

The key to keeping your GoWise around for years to come is to make sure that it is properly taken care of. The GoWise machine is nice because most of its parts are dishwasher safe, but to extend the life of your machine it is always best to hand wash it. Here are a few tips for cleaning and storing your air fryer:

1. Always make sure that your machine is unplugged and the elements are at room temperature before cleaning.
2. Prepping can get messy if you need to clean the outside of your machine wipe down the outside with a damp towel.
3. The pan and basket should be cleaned with hot soapy water and a non-abrasive, non-metal sponge. Feel free to soak the pan and basket in hot soapy water if there is any stuck-on food.
4. Wipe down the inside of the machine with a damp towel.
5. Use a soft scrub brush to clean the heating element of any food residues.
6. Store your machine in a cool, dry place to prevent unnecessary wear and dust build up.

How to Properly Store Foods

Let Them Cool Before Storing

Storing food that is still warm causes condensation to build up inside the container which leads to soft and moist foods. Let the food cool for as long as possible before putting in a container. You can also pierce small holes in the top of the storage containers to allow anymore condensation to release.

Store Baked Goods in Paper or Plastic Wrap

People have been using paper bags to store stuff for decades, the more notable thing here is that you can use an air fryer to make baked goods. Whether you are cooking a traditional cake or even making donuts, they can be stored for long periods of time in brown paper or plastic wrap to maintain their freshness.

Freeze them in Storage Bags

Once your food is properly cooled, you should put it in a freezer bag and get out as much air as possible before freezing it. When you are ready to reheat your food, let it thaw and then put it back in your fryer to reheat it. It will not have the same crispness as fresh out of the fryer food, but it will retain a little crispness and all of the flavor.

Wrap it in Foil

If you absolutely need to store food without an adequate cooling time, the best way to store it is by wrapping it in tin foil. The foil will draw some of the heat out to keep it from creating condensation and making the food soggy. Foil works to keep the food ready to serve in minutes or days which makes it one of the best options for fried food period.

Safety Concerns When Using Your Air Fryer

Traditional fryers and air fryers surprisingly share the same safety concerns, though in slightly different ways. Both can cause burns and smoke, though an oil-less fryer is inherently safer than a traditional oil fryer. You should never leave your air fryer alone for too long while you are cooking because you never know what could happen. These machines are relatively safe, but it is always better to be safe than sorry with any appliance.

PRO TIPS

Match the Right Seasonings to the Right Foods

This may go against the idea of experimental cooking, but most foods just taste better with the right seasonings. Here is a list of some of the best and most common seasonings for the food you will prepare in your air fryer:

Proper Food Care During Cooking

To make sure that your food comes out the best it can every time it is important to take steps to take care of your food while you are cooking.

It is true that you don’t need to use as much oil as traditional frying, but you may still need some depending on the recipe. Lightly toss the food in oil or even spray it will cooking spray before you put it in the basket.

Never put your food in wet, a little oil is ok, but food that has water on it can cause harm to the machine and create smelly and unhealthy smoke in your kitchen.

Some foods turn out best if they are taken out and tossed a few times during cooking. Usually, the recipe will call for it, but it won’t hurt any recipe if you shift the foods a little during the process to ensure even cooking.

Don’t Overfill Your Machine

One of the biggest mistakes people who are new to air frying make is to overfill their baskets. It may seem like a good idea to get everything cooked at the same time, but the fact is the food won’t cook evenly. This means that your food may burn in some areas and be underdone in others, leaving you will a pile of ruined food and no closer to having dinner on the table. To make matters even worse, overfilling your machine can break it which is the last thing you want. Always add the recommended portion and remember that an air fryer cooks rather fast, so it is not a big deal to have to cook multiple batches.

Always Put Food in Dry

One of the biggest complaints about the actual process of frying foods the traditional way is the smoke and smell that come along with it. This doesn’t happen with an air fryer as long as you make sure that your food is not soaking when you put it in. Foods don’t have to be completely dry, after all, you will still need to use a little oil here and there, but they should not be dripping wet. If your food is too wet, you will notice a thick white smoke with an odor coming from your machine. To avoid this issue, pat down your food with a dry paper towel before it goes in the basket. If there is a large amount of smoke coming from your fryer, don’t freak out, just stop your timer, dry the food, and restart the timer. This should stop the smoke and prevent any further issues if the problem continues, you may have to wait it out a few minutes. Remember that it won’t hurt you or the machine, it is just a little unpleasant.

Know the Average Times for your Everyday Fried Foods

Air fryer cook pretty fast and the more you use yours, the more you will get to know the best times for all of your favorite recipes. While there are a lot of factors involved in cook time including how well done you like your food, the following are general guidelines for cook times and temperatures of some of the most common foods you will be cooking in your fryer.

Potatoes: Potatoes very because of the many sizes of different potato configurations. Most potatoes cook between 360 and 390 degrees and 10 to 20 minutes.

Steak: For a perfectly cooked steak, you are looking at 10 – 15 minutes at 390 degrees.

Chicken Wings: Chicken wings will take about 20 – 30 minutes to cook at 390 degrees.

Pork/Lamb: These cuts will take about 16 – 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Stuffed Vegetables: Items like this usually take about 10 minutes at 360 degrees.

Baking: It is impossible to generalize baking since each dish requires its own cook time, for the most part, following the traditional baking guidelines should work for your air fryer.

Keep Foods Crisper and Warmer for Longer

One problem with fried foods is that they come out crispy and hot, but the can get cold and soggy way too fast. If you are cooking multiple batches and need the food to keep its warmth and texture there are a few steps you can take.

Always use a cooling rack

By placing the food on an elevated cooling rack, you allow the air to escape around it. Trapped air leads to condensation which causes soggy food. The only problem with this method is that while the food will maintain its texture, it does lose its heat.

Take advantage of the oven

If you need to keep the food hot and crisp one of the best ways to do that is by putting it an oven set on warm. Food can be stored like that for hours if necessary, and it will come out warm and crispy. If you can put them straight on the oven rack, or another over-safe rack that is the ideal situation.

It’s Ok to Reheat