Are you wondering whether you can put wax paper in an air fryer or not?
Cooking in an air fryer is a great way to cook healthy and deliciously. However, air fryer cooking can also lead to a sticky mess as the spices and grease drip to the bottom of the fryer basket. Covering the food securely with wax paper ensures everything stays inside.
There are questions regarding whether we can put wax paper in an air fryer. The short answer is we cannot. This article will delve into the question of whether you can put wax paper in an air fryer. We will also discuss the alternatives to wax paper used inside the air fryer.
Why Papers And Foils Are Used In The Air Fryer?
Before we proceed further into knowing the details of why can’t we put wax paper in an air fryer, it is essential to know why we place anything in the first place.
An air fryer operates on electricity and cooks your food by circulating scorching air inside. The traveling hot air cooks the food evenly without the use of cooking.
Nonetheless, as we place food inside the air fryer and power it on, the force of moving air is enough to make the inner spices of the food fall below the basket. Similarly, grease also drips if the food is solely placed into the air fryer basket. Additionally, garnishes and other food items of considerably less weight may fly around the fryer when it powers on.
Papers are a great way to secure food and limit your air fryer from making a mess. However, if the paper is not secured firmly, the air inside can remove the paper and leave it flying around the air fryer.
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Problems While Using Papers And Foils In The Air Fryer
An air fryer creates a hot air flow from the bottom of the fryer that flows upwards, and this process occurs repeatedly. However, one can encounter two main problems while using papers and foils in an air fryer.
Firstly, the food in the air fryer cooks because of the hot flowing air. Paper wrapped over the food can cause hindrance to the air reaching certain parts of the food, resulting in longer cook times and partially raw food.
An air fryer cooks food evenly and quickly as the hot air reaches every tiny bit in the fryer, uniformly cooking the food.
Moreover, the problem with papers and foils is that they occasionally leave an envelope for the hot air to accumulate. The excess air inside a particular spot can result in burnt food.
These problems exist, but cooking food with paper and foil is still manageable. A real mess is when food alone is put into the air fryer, causing a grave mess!
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What Is a Wax Paper?
Wax paper is a soft paper coated with wax. It looks pretty similar to a baking sheet or parchment paper. Wax paper is used for various purposes around the kitchen. Firstly, it is used to line cabinets and trap the mess often spilled onto them.
Secondly, they are great for polishing faucets because of their generous wax coating. Wax papers mainly cover food such as sandwiches and act as separators for sticky foods such as cheese slices and hamburger patties.
Additionally, wax paper is used for spreading and freezing hot substances such as chocolate. Most probably, wax papers are used for cold storage.
What Is Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper is a cellulose-based composite with specific non-stick properties that make it ideal for baking food and storing sticky substances. Parchment paper is also grease-resistant and resistant to humidity. Parchment paper can be used in high temperatures. Hence, it is mainly used in baking cakes and muffins.
What Is The Difference Between Wax Paper And Parchment Paper?
Wax and parchment papers look similar, and people use them interchangeably in kitchens. However, both are not the same as they are coated with different substances that give them distinguished qualities. Wax paper is coated with a type of wax, mostly paraffin-based. On the other hand, parchment paper is coated with silicone, which gives it non-stick properties.
The prime difference between the two papers is the temperature they can be used in. Parchment paper can be used in extreme heat, which is why it is called baking paper.
Parchment paper can also be used in cold temperatures. In contrast, wax paper can only be used at cold temperature as they are coated in wax. If they are used at hot temperatures, the wax on the paper will melt.
Can You Put Wax Paper In An Air Fryer?
As an air fryer gets extremely hot due to the scorching air circulating inside, using wax paper is not recommended at all. The wax on the wax paper will melt and mix with the food, making it inedible. In extreme cases, wax can get sizzling, resulting in air fryer fires.
Can You Put Foil In An Air Fryer?
Aluminum foil can cause a huge mess when placed in the microwave as it explodes because the electrical energy converts into heat energy.
Aluminum foil can be used in an air fryer while cooking food, as the food simply cooks through hot air. The food cooks evenly, and all the spices stay intact within the food, thanks to the foil.
The foil must be appropriately secured to the air fryer basket as the airflow can cause the foil to become loose and fly around the fryer. It is recommended that users should mold the foil in the shape of the fryer, so it stays there. Do not place the foil at the very bottom of the fryer, as that is the place from where hot air disperses. Covering the bottom can block air and leave the food uncooked.
Can You Put Parchment Paper In An Air Fryer?
Parchment paper is by far the best thing that can be used to cover food in an air fryer. A parchment paper is primarily made to withstand extreme temperatures, thus making it suitable for an air fryer. Food can be wrapped inside the parchment paper and placed in the air fryer to stop any leakages and spillage.
However, parchment paper should be used under 450 degrees at maximum. Silicone in the parchment paper can melt if the temperature increases to 450 degrees.
Hence, the parchment paper will catch fire if you have an air fryer that reaches 500 degrees or more. Parchment paper fires are barely a problem as most air fryers only go up to 400 degrees at maximum.
Final Views
So can you put wax paper in an air fryer? No, you cannot. Wax papers are most suitable for cold storage, and the wax in them can melt at higher temperatures. If you want to cook your food in an air fryer without making a mess, we recommend using aluminum foil and parchment paper as they are suitable for high temperatures.
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