Air fryers have become so popular that majority of the households are ditching their convection ovens for healthier food options. While air fryers are known to cook food using air, you must be wondering can you steam in an air fryer?
No, you cannot steam food in an air fryer. Air fryers use hot air to cook by removing the water content and turning the food crispy. In contrast, food steamers use steam to hydrate the food and cook it.
Let’s take a closer look into why you cannot steam in an air fryer.
Air fryer vs. Steamer; what are the primary differences?
Reasons why an air fryer can’t steam food
Here are some reasons why you cannot steam food in an air fryer.
Not designed for steaming
If you thought your air fryer could steam food, you should take a closer look at its design and compare it with a steamer. An air fryer is not designed to hold water. You cannot pour enough water to steam in the basket or the drip pan. Plus, pouring loads of water inside will only damage the air fryer.
Ventilation in an air fryer
Since an air fryer uses hot air to cook food, the unit comes with vents at the back that allow steam from the food to exit. Therefore, an air fryer won’t be able to hold any steam for steaming food.
However, in the case of steamers, the unit is sealed to prevent steam from escaping.
Air fryer reaches high temperatures
You cannot steam food in an air fryer because of the temperature differences between it and a steamer. Air fryers get hot very quickly, reaching temperatures as high as 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Steamers function at around 212 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, you won’t get a steamed texture and look if you try steaming it in an air fryer.
Why you can’t use lots of water in an air fryer
While you can add a few tablespoons of water to an air fryer’s drip pan, adding loads can be dangerous and useless. An air fryer cannot boil water like a steamer can; therefore, you won’t get the steam you desire.
Air fryers are solely meant to deal with air. Pouring water inside an air fryer will not only damage it but can also result in electrocution.
Is it alright to add soap and water to an air fryer for cleaning purposes?
Is it possible to steam vegetables in an air fryer?
The main purpose of air fryers is to use little to no oil to produce healthy results. This is why air fryers only use air and end up producing crispy food items.
However, if you try to steam veggies in an air fryer, they’ll turn out soggy. You need to remember that even though steaming and air frying might seem similar, they produce entirely different results.
What are the main differences between an air fryer and a steam fryer?
Steamers use water and boil it to produce steam. As the steam rises, it cooks whatever food items you have placed inside the steamer. Since air fryers are not designed to deal with water, you cannot expect them to steam vegetables.
Conclusion
As you have learned, air fryers cannot be used to steam food. If you want to steam food, you will need to invest in a food steamer.
Air fryers serve a completely different purpose and help remove water content to make food crispy. On top of that, too much water inside can damage them. So, the next time you think of steaming using an air fryer, think twice.