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That tip about preheating the air fryer basket actually saved my chicken thighs
My neighbor Bob kept telling me to preheat the basket for 5 minutes before putting food in, but I thought he was just being picky. Last week I did it with some bone-in thighs I got on sale for $1.99 a pound at Safeway. The skin came out actually crispy instead of rubbery and the inside stayed juicy. Has anyone else tried preheating and seen a real difference or was Bob just lucky?
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the_miles2d ago
Did you dry the skin off with paper towels before seasoning them? That's the real game changer with air fryers, not just preheating. I spent months wondering why my chicken came out okay but not great until I realized moisture on the surface was steaming instead of crisping. Bob might be onto something with the preheat though since it helps the basket get hot enough to sear right away.
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murray.robert2d ago
Paper towels are the unsung hero of the kitchen honestly. My wife made fun of me for patting down veggies before roasting them for years but now she does it too. Reminds me of the time I tried to make wings in a regular oven for years and wondered why they never got crispy. Turns out I was cramming them on a sheet tray with no space between them, basically steaming the whole batch. Same principle applies I guess. Moisture is the enemy of crunch.
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