How To Use A Bella Air Fryer
How To Use A Bella Air Fryer Like A Pro
Now that you have invested in the best air fryer for your needs, take some time to familiarize yourself with how it works. We will be learning how to use a bella air fryer.
How To Start Your Bella Air Fryer
The instruction manual will give you a good start, of course, but here are some basic tips for how to interpret the buttons and settings, as well as guidelines for getting started:
Temperature and Time
The Temperature Control Dial enables you to select specific frying temperatures from a wide range (typically 175 degrees to 400 degrees, although models vary). This is incredibly important because part of what makes the air fryer so convenient and easy is that it works at a steady and specific temperature, thereby taking the guesswork out of frying in general. You can adjust the temperature as food is cooking when necessary.
More Buttons On The Bella Air Fryer
The Control Panel indicates when you have reached the desired cooking temperature as well as letting you know when the air fryer is on and working. There are also some shortcut functions on your control panel that will enable you to cook particular kinds of food, such as chicken or fish, with just a touch of a button. These are automatically set to particular temperatures and times.
More About Automatic
The Automatic Timer button lets you program a specific amount of time for food to be cooked, showing you a countdown of how many minutes to go before food is done. Most models will alert you when cooking time is complete, and many models will also shut off automatically when finished. Nevertheless, always be sure to check to see if the air fryer is off before leaving the kitchen.
In addition to the control panel and buttons on the unit, air fryers will have a nonstick basket with a handle for ease of use. Before selecting your preferred model, be sure that the basket is large enough for your needs and that the handle is comfortable for you to grip.
Cleaning The Bella Air Fryer
Be sure to clean your air fryer before first use, as well. The basket and any other accessories can be washed with soap and a soft sponge, while the unit itself should be wiped down with a damp paper towel.
Preheating the Air Fryer
When reviewing your instructions, make sure to note whether you need to preheat your model or not. Some models require this step.
Placing Food In The Air Fryer
Once you are ready to use your air fryer, prep your food carefully: for even cooking, cut the food into uniform sizes; if you marinate ingredients, be sure to dry thoroughly before putting into the air fryer as excess liquid may cause the unit to smoke; if you bread food, be sure that the outer coating is firmly pressed to the food. For more on breading food, see the section below.
When the food is prepared, put it in your basket, place it in the fryer, and set the timer. For best results, avoid overcrowding with too much food and shake the basket to redistribute smaller morsels; these tips help with evenness of cooking. If a recipe calls for you to turn specific items of food, be sure to use tongs—don’t burn your fingers!
The same advice goes when your food is done: remove the basket from the unit, and take the food out with tongs. If you dump the basket onto a platter or plate, residual oil or other liquid might splash out as well, and this could burn serving ware or fingers in the process.
Most air fryers will also allow you to use a pan or bowl that fits into the basket: be sure to consult the manual for what size and shape work best for your particular model. Remember not to touch the pan (or metal bowl) when cooking is complete—it will be very hot!
You might consider saving the juices collected in the drawer beneath the basket for use as a sauce: de-grease if necessary and reduce on the stovetop if desired.
More Cleaning
Be sure to clean both basket and drawer after each use: you don’t want mold to grow in the drawer or the smell of food going off to develop between cooking sessions.
The air fryer will also simply dry itself for ease of clean up. Once you’ve washed the basket and drawer, place them back in the unit and turn it on for just a couple of minutes: this will dry everything thoroughly and quickly.
Tips for Safe Cooking and Delicious Meal
You might consider getting a spray bottle for your oil usage: not only does this make using your air fryer even more convenient, but it also limits the amount of oil that you use even further, making your cooking super-healthy.
As previously mentioned, you should avoid overcrowding your air fryer basket when cooking: for best results, cook food in batches so that everything crisps up nicely.
You don’t have to worry about opening your air fryer during the cooking process, unlike certain kinds of cookers. The air fryer will resume the cooking process where you left it once you close it back up.
More Info That Will Help You
When breading food, try this method for best results: coat your food in flour first, then dip in liquid (egg or milk or a combination thereof), then finally in bread crumbs, panko, or more flour. You want to seal the food completely in the breading for the best results.
Also, beware of spraying oil too closely to breaded food: the burst of the spray can send your crust flying, so back up and be gentle.
You can use frozen food in your air fryer, but be sure to check your recipes and monitor food closely. Be conscious that many processed frozen foods can be crisped up nicely in the air fryer (think: pre-prepared chicken nuggets or French fries), but they are often already fried or otherwise dressed, so you may not avoid fat and calories here. If you’re more interested in the healthy cooking aspect of your air fryer, it’s best to start from scratch.
Conclusion
This was a lot of information that will help you to use the Bella Air Fryer. Hopefully you enjoyed it, see you at the next one.