Just realized I've been seasoning my air fryer basket wrong for 2 years

My friend's sister who cooks professionally told me my fries were coming out dry because I was seasoning them before cooking instead of after, and the high fan was just blowing the seasoning off. I tested it last night with a batch of potato wedges at 380F for 12 minutes and the difference was huge. Has anyone else had to completely rethink their seasoning routine with an air fryer?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthony_campbell881mo ago

Man, two years beats my personal best by a mile. I was three years in before I figured out that my "crispy" chicken was just seasoned air blowing around the basket. Tried your trick with some fries last night, tossed them in oil and salt after cooking at 390 for 14 minutes and actually had to stop myself from eating the whole batch. Still finding seasoning dust in weird corners of my kitchen though, so your mileage may totally vary on that cleanup part.

the_jessica1mo ago

Counterpoint though, and hear me out on this one lol. I've been seasoning before cooking for years and my fries come out bomb, like restaurant level crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The trick is using a spray oil on the basket itself and tossing the fries in a little cornstarch and seasoning before you even put them in there. That coating sticks, it doesn't blow off because it's actually bonded to the potato surface from the oil. Plus if you season after cooking you're just putting raw spices on top of already cooked food, they don't really penetrate or get that roasted flavor from the heat. I tried seasoning after one time and it just tasted like I dumped powder on my fries, no depth at all. To each their own I guess but I'll die on this hill with my pre-cook seasoning ritual lol.