Experts have issued a warning to those who cook bacon in an airfryer, urging those who do so to perhaps think twice about the supposedly easy cooking hack.
Air fryers have been all the range for around a year now - with pretty much everyone and anyone boasting one in their kitchen.
And with Christmas just mere days away, I'm pretty confident in saying that lots of air fryers will be put to good use on the big day for perfecting those gnarly brussel sprouts and delicious pigs in blankets.
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But, in what will perhaps be bad news to a lot of people, it turns out that cooking bacon in an air fryer really isn't a good idea.
Dietitian Brenda Peralta explained that this method of frying the breakfast favourite can actually cause absolute chaos in the kitchen.
As bacon is extremely fatty and often comes in an awkward size, this can spell trouble for amateur chefs.
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Peralta told Yahoo: "It is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter.
"This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours."
As well as this, the air fryer becomes quite a hazard due to the build-up of bacon grease and can suddenly begin to smoke.
The bacon fat splatters out across the air fryer's heating element, causing the gadget to start smoking and creating a fire hazard before a smell of burnt food fills the air.
Yikes.
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Bacon can also be difficult to deal with if you want your plate arrangement to look pretty, according to Peralta.
She continued: "A bacon strip is a small and delicate food, and it can be difficult to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without breaking it."
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And although it's small, that doesn't mean you can fit loads in.
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"The air fryer basket may not be large enough to accommodate a large quantity of bacon," the dietitian added.
"This can make it difficult to cook a lot of bacon at once, which can be inconvenient if you are cooking for a group."
And of course, piling it on top of each other will inevitably leave some portions uncooked.
Maybe it's best to stick to the oven for those pigs in blankets on Christmas Day this year then, folks!
Emily is a sub-editor at LADbible Group. With degrees in English Language and Multimedia Journalism, she works with the editorial team on LADbible, UNILAD and Tyla sub-editing and writing articles. And for those who are interested, Emily is from East Yorkshire which means she makes a cracking cuppa.
Speaking previously to HuffPost, recipe developer Brenda Peralta, of FeastGood.com, urged people to think twice before rushing to throw a handful of rashers in the air fryer. According to the food expert, “bacon is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter”.
Bacon is a high-fat food that releases a lot of grease as it cooks, which can coat the bottom and inside of your air fryer (and isn't fun to scrub out). Too much grease can also start smoking in the fryer, which is never what you want to see when you're cooking.
Air-frying equipment is not known to cause cancer, but the process of air frying does result in the formation of certain compounds, like acrylamide, that are linked to cancer development. Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen.
Thus, well-done or burned bacon is potentially more hazardous than less well-done bacon. Also, bacon cooked by a microwave has less nitrosamine than fried bacon.
Air fryers are surprisingly controversial appliances – while home cooks love how convenient they are, some chefs have advised against using them. James Martin is one of the famous faces to rant about the devices. At the BBC Good Food Show, he told the audience: “I don't use an air fryer.
What are Disadvantages of Using an Air Fryer? Air fryers vary in the amount of foods they can hold, but usually do not have a large capacity. Air fryers may not be convenient when cooking for large groups. Foods that are air fried have different sensory characteristics than foods that are deep fried.
Air fryers aren't logical appliances for every restaurant's offerings, as their temperature settings can dry out or burn the food. Investing in combination ovens and deep fryers is a far more valuable and efficient solution for modern establishments.
In one study, air frying of fish raised the amount of a substance called "cholesterol oxidation products" (COPs). COPs form when the cholesterol in meat or fish breaks down during cooking. Studies connect these substances to coronary heart disease, hardening of the arteries, cancer, and other diseases.
The World Health Organization has classified processed meats including ham, bacon, salami and frankfurts as a Group 1 carcinogen (known to cause cancer) which means that there's strong evidence that processed meats cause cancer.
Bacon is a pork or turkey product made by soaking the meat in a salty solution containing nitrates and sometimes sugar before smoking it. Processed meats may be associated with cancer and heart disease, so it's best to eat bacon in moderation.
This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone." That's why the Meat and Poultry Hotline advises consumers to never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
While air fryers are popular, the most expensive models can start to get a little pricey which could undermine their status as a budget item. Many people came out for halogen ovens as the better option. One person said: "I treated myself to a halogen oven to help with Christmas; I only have one shelf in my oven.
Ditch your air fryer and replace it with this magic multitasker. Your countertop oven can handle your cookies no problem. You can also choose one that works for convection baking, air frying, dehydrating and dough proofing.
I find the texture of most air-fried food a bit off-putting
Air fryers are advertised as a healthier cooking option, mostly because they don't require a lot of oil. But fat has a big impact on the texture of foods. I've found that the appliance typically produces dishes that are more dry than crisp.
I cooked bacon using my stove, oven, air fryer, and microwave to see which had the best results. A pan on the stove may be the classic approach, but it was messy and extra greasy. The oven is great for big batches of bacon, but the air fryer created the perfect taste and texture.
The smoke point of bacon is 400°F (and grease leftover in your air fryer can start to smoke at 360°F, so this recipe air fries the bacon at 350°F to avoid the issue. If you do have problems with smoke when you air fry bacon, I read you can place a piece of bread in the air fryer basket to absorb extra bacon drippings.
It is a close second to the air fried, if only it had a tiny bit better texture! Last but not least, is the grilled bacon. Although it is super crispy, the bacon turned out pretty dry. A little too dry.
Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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