An air fryer is an essential part of a modern kitchen. Sometimes, your appliance does not work properly and keeps burning the food. Either you feel a burnt taste or the food comes out burnt.
Many of the people are reporting this issue. I also faced it once with my old air fryer. Initially, I thought my fryer was damaged and I should buy a new one.
However, I searched for the reasons online and managed to fix my appliance at home. Now, it is working fine and this guide promises to fix your air fryer too.
Basic Measures and Checks
There are some basic rules and measures that you should follow while using an air fryer;
- You can use a silicone heat resistance mat to avoid the issue of burning or sticking.
- Do not leave your fryer unattended while it is cooking your food. Sometimes, we forget to take out the food at a set time and it burns.
- Special precautions are needed to cook raw vegetables, they should retain moisture.
- Certain types of food cannot be cooked in an air fryer such as wet batter or others that dry up too easily.
- While cooking delicate food items, use the bake function or low fan speeds.
1. Use an Adequate Amount of Oil
Too much or too little oil can cause burning. When you bake food, use one to two teaspoons of oil to coat it. If you do not use oil, the food may dry up earlier and get burned.
Likewise, using too much oil can cause flames in the fryer thus leading to burning. Therefore, you should use an adequate amount of oil to avoid such issues.
Oil acts as a barrier between your veggies and the direct heat. Moreover, use the right type of oil that has a high smoke point.
2. Place the Food Appropriately
While cooking, place the food items evenly and properly. Disperse them evenly on the tray. Otherwise, some items will receive heat directly while others will not cook. Make sure all the pieces are of equal size and thickness.
Thin and small pieces tend to be cooked earlier than bigger ones. This can cause burning of food. Furthermore, you should flip the sides of the pieces mid-cooking to avoid over-baking only one side.
3. Avoid Overloading
Stuffing too much food in your fryer also causes burning. Likewise, if you create high piles, the top pieces are in direct contact with the heat. While the heating element cannot reach the bottom or middle layers.
This causes the burning of some food and the undercooking of others. Hence, avoid placing too much food instead cook in multiple rounds.
4. Set the Temperature Correctly
A single temperature setting does not work for all sorts of foods. Moreover, you have to decide whether you want to bake or simmer the food. Set the temperature accordingly and your food will not burn.
For example, chicken steaks and pizza can be baked at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. However, some delicate foods require low temperatures such as 350 degrees. You should consult the user manual to decide the exact temperature.
5. Clean Your Air Fryer Properly
Cleaning the appliance after every cook is very essential. The food residue and bits can catch fire and burn the new food.
Therefore, you should thoroughly remove any residues from inside the fryer before cooking another item. Use a wet cloth or warm water and a dishwasher to clean it.
6. Ensure Ventilation
Another cause is poor ventilation. Like other appliances, air fryers also need to dissipate heat. Otherwise, it will hold all the heat thus causing the burning.
Do not place your oven in an enclosed space where it cannot ventilate. I will recommend placing it in the open air on the kitchen counter. Make sure your kitchen is airy and does not heat up.
7. Avoid Cooking High-Fat Foods
Foods loaded with fat burn easily because the fat melts and catches up flame. Hence, you should not cook such foods in the fryer. You can also use a smart hack to avoid burning.
Place a water bowl underneath the cooking tray in the basket. Any fat dripping will fall into water thus preventing any burning issue.
8. Your Air Fryer is of Low Quality
This issue often happens with low-quality air fryers. You might have bought a cheap appliance. It does not work well because its heating element is not stable.
Hence, the calibration is poor and overheating occurs. So, check the quality of your fryer and replace it with a high-quality appliance that uses sturdy material.
9. Check the Temperature Control
It may be the case that the temperature control of your air fryer is not working. Hence, the temperature you choose is not set. Check the dial of the manual machine and make sure it is working properly.
Otherwise, you should replace it with a new one. Likewise, your fryer may have a digital control. Observe the temperature on the digital panel to see if it fluctuates. Take your machine to a local repair shop.
10. Contact the Manufacturer
Is your brand new air fryer burning food? If yes, it may have some manufacturing defect. First, I will highly recommend you try all the troubleshooting tips.
If they do not help, contact the manufacturer of your appliance. The company will repair or replace the machine if the warranty period is not void.
It may have some damaged hardware component that needs to be replaced. You should get it repaired by a nearby certified technician if the warranty period has passed.
Also read: How to Fix Breville Toaster Oven Not Heating
Final Words
There are several reasons why your air fryer is burning food. In this guide, I have detailed every solution. Hence, you should try them all to fix your appliance at home. Ask us freely if you have further queries.
