Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?

Air fryers are one of the newer kitchen gadgets that have quickly gained a following. This is mainly due to its efficiency and effectiveness as a kitchen tool. Incredibly versatile, this kitchen appliance is a great investment.

However, new users have often come across this particular question:

Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?

Yes, you can put aluminum foil in your air fryer. As long as the food you are frying is not very acidic, aluminum foil can improve heat distribution and help seal the flavor into your food. However, there are correct ways to safely use aluminum foil in your air fryer.

Luckily, we’re here to help you do just that. Be sure to read on as we explain everything you need to know to properly use aluminum foil in your air fryer.

How does the air fryer work?

First of all, we must see how an air fryer cooks food. By doing so, we can better understand why it makes sense to use aluminum foil.

In simple terms, air fryers work by circulating hot air. By the principle of convection, food is cooked, or reheated, evenly.

Keep in mind that most air fryers have heating coils and fans installed. These components are usually found on top of the device. You will probably find them just above the receptacle where the basket is placed.

The design of the air fryer is all about simplifying and maximizing the distribution of hot air, which is why the air fryer basket has a mesh design.

However, this has a major drawback: a significant amount of crumbs, juices, residues, and liquids full of flavor and spice will simply fall down and collect on the bottom.

Why put aluminum foil in an air fryer?

That being said, the issue of using aluminum foil on kitchen appliances is nothing new. But why would you want to use aluminum foil in the first place?

Again, it has a lot to do with the design and functionality of your air fryer. Specifically, the way airflow is promoted through the basket’s mesh design.

If you’re very experienced in the kitchen, you probably know that the drippings that come out of your food are bursting with flavor. Letting them drain would simply be an unfortunate waste of flavor.

So using aluminum foil in your air fryers serves to solve two problems: optimizing flavor and promoting better heat distribution. As one of the most versatile kitchen products around, aluminum foil can do just that.

This is because the aluminum foil helps heat to disperse evenly and quickly during cooking in your air fryer. At the same time, it can also seal in the juices during the cooking process, ensuring a delicious meal.

This is also the same principle that works when you wrap your baking sheet in aluminum foil for use in a regular convection oven.

How to Properly Use Aluminum Foil in the Air Fryer

Now that you have a better understanding of why you not only can, but should use aluminum foil in an air fryer, it’s time for us to tackle the main topic: how to do it safely and properly.

After all, there are a few things you need to remember. Failing to do so can lead to serious problems, from a damaged air fryer to uneven cooking of food.

1. Ensure heat circulation

This is the number one rule for using aluminum foil in your air fryer. You have to make sure that you do not prevent air from flowing freely inside your device.

For example, if your deep fryer’s heating coil is at the bottom of the machine, you should avoid placing it there. Otherwise, your food will take longer to cook and may turn out uneven.

At the same time, blocking the airflow will also cause air to be diverted to other places, including parts not designed to withstand the continuous flow of hot air.

2. Do not cover anything outside of the basket

We understand how tempting it can be to put aluminum foil on the bottom to serve as an additional receptacle for grease and other food particles.

However, we strongly recommend that you avoid doing so. Again, this is likely to disrupt airflow in the fryer.

3. Put aluminum foil inside the basket

This should serve as a rule of thumb. Always keep it inside the basket. Do not cover the entire basket with aluminum foil. If all the gaps in the basket are covered, there will not be proper airflow.

There should be no problem as long as you only cover your fryer basket with aluminum foil.

Conversely, you can also wrap food in aluminum foil before placing it in the basket. Either way, you make sure drips don’t go to waste and that airflow and heat distribution are adequate.

3. Put weight on it

Another important rule of thumb for using aluminum foil in your deep fryer is to make sure it is well weighted. The last thing you want is for it to get into the fan or heat coils of your fryer, as this can easily damage your appliance.

Worse yet, it may even be the start of a fire.

Of course, you can completely avoid this problem by properly wrapping the food in aluminum foil, as the weight of the food will help hold it in place.

4. Wrap the food correctly

Aside from the reason mentioned above, properly wrapping food in aluminum foil serves another equally important purpose: to contain the juices while it cooks. If you don’t, the food will cook unevenly and be virtually inedible.

5. Don’t put too much food in the fryer

This is a basic rule that you must remember. We understand that it can be tempting to overload your deep fryer with food wrapped in foil for the sake of efficiency.

However, you may end up doing more harm than good, as it can result in airflow restriction. Therefore, make sure you leave enough space in the fryer basket for the hot air to circulate.

Remember that if the air is not circulating properly, your food will not cook properly, regardless of whether you wrapped it in aluminum foil or not.

6. Consider poking holes in the aluminum foil.

Punching holes in the aluminum foil is an optional step to consider if you want to promote air circulation.

Note that you should never do this if your dish uses a liquid batter, as it will cause the juices to simply drip onto the bottom of the fryer, thus defeating the very purpose of using foil in the first place.

Never use aluminum foil to fry these foods:

Before you start trying these tips for yourself, it’s worth mentioning that there are certain foods you can’t wrap in aluminum foil when air frying. In particular, it deals with highly acidic foods such as

• Lemons
• oranges
• Tomatoes
• Ketchup
• Vinegar-based dishes

Now, you may wonder, why can’t I use aluminum foil when air frying acidic foods? It may seem strange, but there is a simple scientific explanation.

This is because the aluminum foil will have a chemical reaction to the high levels of acidity that can be found in this type of food. Similarly, aluminum foil can also react to foods with excessively high levels of salt and highly seasoned foods.

Specifically, acidity, spiciness, and high levels of salt can speed up the aluminum breakdown process. As aluminum breaks down, you’re left with black flecks of aluminum foil in your food.

Although the food will still be edible and safe, it will also have a sharp and noticeable metallic taste. Needless to say, that’s enough to ruin an otherwise perfectly cooked meal.

Air fryers are certainly popular today. No modern kitchen is complete without one. After all, it’s incredibly compact and versatile.

An air fryer can do the same as an oven, toaster or stove in a much more efficient and space-saving way.

However, concerns remain when it comes to efficiency and food waste.

Fortunately, the use of aluminum during air frying solves these problems completely. Although it is perfectly safe to use in your air fryer, you should also remember that there is a proper way to go about putting the foil in your air fryer.

Note : While it’s important to know how to use aluminum foil correctly, it’s a safer alternative to using parchment paper in your air fryer, something you should never attempt to do.