How to dry food in an air fryer

The air fryer is truly versatile and, among the infinite things it allows us to do, there is also drying food. Here's how it's done.

Air fryers are a great way to cook food in a healthy way . But did you know that they can also be used to dry food? Air frying is a great way to preserve food for a long time and create delicious snacks , all without needing a dehydrator.

Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food . This causes the water contained in it to evaporate, leaving it dry and crunchy. Air fryer drying is a process that can take from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours , depending on the type of food you want to dry and its size.

What foods can be dried in an air fryer?

In the air fryer you can dry almost all foods that would dry with other techniques. Among these are:

• Fruits : apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, plums, peaches
• Vegetables : courgettes, carrots, peppers, onions, garlic
• Meat : chicken, turkey, beef, fish
• Aromatic herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme, sage

How to dry food in an air fryer?

To dry food in an air fryer, the procedure is as follows:

1. Wash and dry the food.
2. Cut it into thin slices or cubes .
3. Put it in the basket of the air fryer making sure that there is some space between each piece so that the air can circulate.
4. Set the air fryer to a temperature of 50°C.
5. Dry the food until it is dry and crunchy . The time varies according to the type of food and the cut made.

Tips for air fryer drying

• Do not overload the basket. This may prevent the food from drying evenly.
• Stir or turn the food halfway through cooking to make sure it dries evenly.
• If the food is drying out too quickly, lower the air fryer temperature or shorten the cooking time.
• Once the food is dried, store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.