Many individuals are finding lots of new techniques for cooking with air fryers, which circulate hot air to cook food quickly. Air fryers are great for individuals looking for a simple, healthier alternative to deep-frying. Still, some of these new experimenters wonder if it’s safe to put wax paper in an air fryer when cooking. Unfortunately, that’s not a good idea, but here are some alternatives.
Before getting started
The basics of cooking with these fryers include a few key safety measures.
You’ll want to avoid non-sticky rice, lettuce, and highly chopped vegetables not coated in a sauce. Good recipes for an air fryer include handmade veggie burgers, meatballs, or adding food in compact shapes.
The variety of things you can fry is vast, like frozen food and other things. If you’re using oil, you will want to be using a sparse amount. The point of the air fryer is to make good food without too much oil.
As with any electrical cooking device, be sure to monitor your food as it cooks. Note if any strange smoke or smells are coming from the fryer and turn it off, checked for any problems.
Buying the right items for air frying
When you first look for air fryers, consider ones with positive reviews that measure up to your safety standards and size preference. There are personal fryers and ones with multiple quart capacities that can be great for a larger family or parties. The cost can range from a used one at around $30-35 upwards to hundreds of dollars.
The type of fryer will matter when considering if you want one with an automatic stopping timer, varied settings, digital interfaces, and additional safety features that will benefit when using specific cooking options.
What is an air fryer?
An air fryer has electrical heating elements at the bottom of its base. This helps evenly distribute air circulation to cook anything that is fryer safe fully. In addition, there are coils above that are heated in a heating unit and are blown when increasing temperature.
Air fryer chambers help heat up foods quickly, cooking with airflow in the basket. Be sure to read the air fryer manual before beginning cooking.
What is the meaning of parchment/wax paper?
Wax paper is “a waterproof and grease-resistant paper produced by treating ordinary paper with concentrated sulfuric acid.” However, it is not heat-resistant enough for an air fryer.
Parchment paper, on the other hand, will work in an air fryer. Often, people use the two terms interchangeably, but in this case, it is important for selecting the one to use in your cooking.
Parchment paper is a compound of anti-stick polymers that stop it from sticking to an oven. This paper is processed into thin baking sheets, which tolerate high temperatures. So if you put parchment paper under your food it helps with easy cleaning up, and you simply have to dispose of the used parchment paper.
What specific types of fryer parchment/wax paper?
The air fryer parchment paper consists of perforated parchment paper, where manufacturers punch holes, explicitly designed for such fryers. As a result, the heating element won’t burn the parchment paper in the air fryer’s cooking basket.
Being heat-manufactured to have perforated holes, many brands of parchment paper come precut to sizes designed for these fryers.
When considering using wax paper in an air fryer, remember it’ll catch food crumbs and drippings to prevent making a mess.
Using parchment paper
You need airflow, so the right paper must be smaller than the basket size. Without food on parchment paper, it may catch fire, making it a fire hazard. You never want to preheat wax paper, and it isn’t necessary to preheat these fryers at all.
Why use air fryer wax paper?
The right paper in an air fryer wax paper ensures that food will not stick to the holes in the air fryer basket, where the food will cover the paper. It delivers chef-quality without messes. You can cut your own air fryer parchment paper from preauthorized, non-regular parchment paper rolls. Always give space in the fryer where the perforated parchment paper does not overlap in your air circulation.
Contrasts with wax paper or regular baking paper
The difference when you use parchment paper is that the holes are predrilled. It is simple to buy square or round air fryer parchment paper on Amazon, in bulk/packs of 100. It can be a fun way to bake, like cookies, in an air fryer basket.
Ensuring safe cooking with an air fryer
The purpose of an air fryer varies based on needs, individual preferences, and convenience. Since these fryers make food with air, you do not need much oil or butter. Therefore, this makes it a healthy alternative to getting delicious meals, using “dry air”, instead of deep-frying items.
Due to the circulation of hot air, preparing cooked food in this manner requires specific types of foods, like air fryer french fries and chicken wings, to have the maximum amount of space to cook evenly. You can cool oiled food with a paper towel or use parchment paper with a paper towel.
Important air fryer tips include that just the air fryer basket is dishwasher safe. Clean-up is easy and can be done by hand. Often comes with a few more recipes in the pamphlet accompanying the machine.
Ideas for correctly using air fryer parchment/wax paper
Air fryer parchment papers shouldn’t be waxed, yet resembles traditional wax paper. Alternatively, you can use aluminum foil, following the same size and placement safety measures with food on top. Aluminum foil is similar to making perforated parchment paper.
Use frying-specific non-stick materials every time; replenish your paper after use. Wash, or at least rinse, the air fryer rack/basket when dirty, so leftover food is not a fire hazard.
Popular reasons for air fryers
These fryers emerged in popularity because it provides healthy food, without excess calories, effort, or time. It’s popular for health, and for cutting out excess fats. The rise in air fryer popularity made it ubiquitous in many households.
New ones come with industry-tested warranties and manuals made by popular companies. Since many people already have fryers, they are often on sale. In addition, new recipes are available online due to their popularity.
When buying one, you will soon learn about the many types of cooling racks, basket accessories, and complimentary items, like air fryer wax paper.
Can you put wax paper in an air fryer basket?
Yes, put wax paper in the air fryer basket if you are sure that the wax/parchment paper is perforated and designed specifically to allow airflow. Ensure that the wax paper is cut or designed to be slightly smaller than the basket to allow for airflow and avoid fire hazards.
Please note: It’s very important to double-check your air fryer’s instructions on what can and cannot be placed in it. As with any electrical product, there is the potential for a fire if it’s not used correctly.
Related: Can Wax Paper Go in the Microwave?