Warning: parchment paper nearly wrecked my air fryer basket last night

I put a sheet of parchment in the bottom to catch drips from some BBQ chicken thighs, but it wasn't weighed down and the fan sucked it right up into the heating element. It started smoking like crazy after 4 minutes. Has anyone found a safe way to use parchment in an air fryer without it flying around?

3 comments

3 Comments

smith.parker1mo ago

...and that's exactly why I stopped bothering with paper in mine. It's funny how one little hack can turn into a total mess, isn't it? @the_anthony's story makes me think it's just one of those things where the shortcut isn't worth the headache, like trying to save a few bucks on cheap paint.

the_anthony1mo ago

Buddy of mine tried the same thing with salmon fillets. He figured the fish would weigh the paper down but the suction was too strong and it folded up around the food like a taco. Smoke alarm went off, whole apartment smelled like burnt paper and fish for two days. He just uses the basket bare now and scrubs it with a brush.

-1

max_brown1mo ago

That paper taco thing is exactly why I gave up on parchment too. I tried it once with some frozen chicken tenders and the paper just crumpled up underneath and caught on the heating element. Had to toss the whole batch and scrub the basket with a toothpick for an hour to get the burnt paper bits out of the mesh. Bare basket and a good preheat is the only way to go if you ask me.