Cooking pies in an air fryer
What is an air fryer?
Air fryers are all the rage at the moment. Everywhere you turn, people are talking about them. But it’s not just a fashion statement. This is a serious piece of kit. They’re fantastically efficient, requiring much less energy than a conventional oven, as well as being hailed as a more healthy way of cooking. Where have they been all our lives?
It’s not all hot air
Chips can be cooked with much less oil, or even none, same with vegetables and, good news for all pie lovers, we’ve discovered our pies cook beautifully in them as well.
How to cook a pie in an air fryer
Bob B from Denbigh was the first of many of our customers to tell us about his experience with our pies in his air fryer. He said, “I think your pies cook so well because of the buttery pastry. I have had previous orders of your pies and a vegan friend enjoys the vegan/vegetarian squiches and pies. They all cook superbly in a Ninja Dual Air Fryer.”
Bob cooked his steak and kidney pie at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, from chilled, so that’s significantly faster than a conventional oven, but all air fryers vary so you need to consult your individual instruction manual. And, as some models have two drawers, you can cook your pie and veg simultaneously, side-by-side. A complete pie meal on the table in double quick time. It’s a win-win situation. Top tip from Bob is to use a temperature probe to ensure all food is cooked throughout.
Which model of air fryer to buy?
It’s a tricky question because, as is the way these days, there’s almost too much choice. To get straight to the end game, here’s a guide to the top 10 best options, according to Ideal Home: idealhome.co.uk
Prices for some models are quite reasonable and, judging by the number of customers who are asking us about cooking instructions for air fryers, they could soon be a familiar sight in kitchens all over the country, churning out pie meals like there’s no tomorrow!
How much space do you need for an air fryer?
In a nutshell, not much. They sit conveniently on the countertop, taking up very little room. And, they look kind of cool.
BBC Radio 4’s Greg Foot – what does he say about air fryers?
Award-winning science journalist, producer and presenter Greg Foot hosts a popular weekly consumer science show called Sliced Bread on BBC Radio 4 and on podcast. In a recent episode, he chats about air fryers to a food scientist from Imperial College, London and the BBC’s Good Food Magazine. His quest is to find out whether the claims being made around air fryers “live up to the hype or are just marketing BS,” as he puts it! And he investigates how much money can really be saved by cooking with an air fryer. Christian tuned in to it and was fascinated.
Should I buy an air fryer?
“The way things are,” says Christian, “it’s worth looking into anything that can reduce our energy requirements and air fryers might be one way to go. I sometimes wonder if I should invest in one myself but I decided against it because of the size - it’s great for individuals and couples but perhaps not so much for a family, although apparently you can do a whole chicken in one! Anyway, I’ve ended up buying a Panasonic combi oven, which is a combination of oven, microwave and grill. I use it to cook a roast chicken in 40 minutes instead of one hour 20 minutes, which is pretty good.”
But that’s another story..
Listen to Greg Foot’s Sliced Bread podcast here: https://uk-podcasts.co.uk
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