You Can Use Aluminum Foil in Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer With Right Steps

Short answer: yes, you can use aluminum foil in an Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer, it is safe to use foil in the air fryer. An aluminum foil does not affect the functioning of an air fryer. Air fryers work more like a convection oven and use a fan to circulate hot air, so you never have to worry about the aluminum foil sparking and causing a fire.

However, it is still important to note that the official site does not recommend using aluminum foil even when trying to make clean-up easy. And this should explain why many Emeril Lagasse owners are skeptical about using aluminum foil on their air fryers.

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about using aluminum foil on the Emeril Lagasse air fryers and others, from why you may need to do it to whether it is safe or not. Also, we will tell you how to do it correctly and when to and not to use aluminum foil.

Read on to find out whether you should use aluminum foil in an air fryer!

Why Would You Put Aluminum Foil in Your Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer?

While you will not need to use aluminum foil when cooking everything on your Emeril Lagasse air fryer, it is highly useful in some situations. Here is why you might need to use aluminum foil:

1. It improves heat circulation

Aluminum foil is a good heat conductor, so it can ensure more heat passes to the food. Using it correctly can speed up the air frying by ensuring faster and more even heat distribution.

2. Enhances food flavor

Using aluminum foil can help enhance the food’s flavor. Covering food with foil ensures that the spices and other ingredients you use to add flavor to the food are not lost through drippings when cooking. This way, the species can give the food a more intense flavor.

3. Prevents food from sticking to trays or basket

Whether it is a basket-style Emille Lagasse air fryer like the 4 qt. One Touch Control or their models with shelves such as the Power AirFryer 360, aluminum foil can help prevent food from sticking. The foil provides a barrier between the food and tray or basket, making it hard for what you are cooking to stick.

4. Makes cleanup a breeze

Aluminum foil will make cleaning up your air fryer easier. It does this by preventing the food from sticking and containing the food drippings and particles so they do not drop to the bottom of the air fryer.

Does Aluminum Foil Have Any Health Risks?

While it is true cooking with aluminum foil can increase the amount of aluminum in your food, the amount is small, and experts seem to agree it will not pose any significant health risk.

The body can excrete these small amounts of aluminum you might ingest in your food. However, if the amount is too high, it can pose health risks. High levels of dietary aluminum are linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

You can ensure that aluminum foil does not add too much aluminum to your food by not using it when cooking at very high heat and when air frying acidic foods like tomato soup.

How to Use Aluminum Foil On your Air Fryer Safely

Now that you know that it is okay to use aluminum foil when air frying and how it can help improve your cooking, let’s look at how to use it correctly and safely.

1. Only cover what is in the basket or tray

While it might be tempting to cover as much of the air fryer as possible to ensure there will be little mess to clean up later on, it is not a good idea. 

Applying aluminum foil anywhere besides the basket or tray will interfere with the airflow, meaning cooking will take longer, and the food might not cook evenly.

2. Make sure you do not cover the heating element

It is also important to ensure you do not cover the heating element with aluminum foil. If your heating element is at the bottom, ensure there is no aluminum foil there.

Covering the heating element will interrupt airflow, which affects cooking and can expose the aluminum foil to high heat, causing more of it to leach into your food.

3. Ensure you weigh down the aluminum foil

Remember to ensure that the aluminum foil is wrapped around the food securely and that you weigh it down. 

Failing to weigh down aluminum foil makes it easy to be blown into the fan or heating element and damage the air fryer or, worst still, start a fire.

4. Poke holes for better air circulation

Poking holes in the aluminum foil can help ensure better heat distribution for faster and more even cooking.

However, you should only do it if you do not mind a little mess as the liquid in the food can drip through the holes. Also, avoid poking holes in aluminum when cooking liquid batter foods.

5. Avoid overfilling the basket or overcrowding the tray

One last thing to remember is that you should not overcrowd or overfill your air fryer basket or tray. 

Aluminum foil might still be able to contain the mess, but if you overcrowd the basket/tray, airflow will be restricted, meaning you will have poor heat distribution. And so, the foil will not be serving one of its core mandates, which is enhancing heat distribution.

Kinds of Food You Can/Cannot Use Aluminum Foil

As handy as aluminum foil can be when air frying, it is important to note that it can be useful when cooking some food types but a bad idea for others. Below we look at the foods you can and cannot use aluminum foil.

Foods You Can Use Aluminum Foil

• Vegetables – Cooking vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, and bell peppers in an air fryer using aluminum foil is easier and more effective. Also, the vegetables taste much better, and you will have an easier time cleaning up afterward.
• Chicken – Wrapping chicken in aluminum foil before air frying allows the hot air to circulate nicely around it and cook it faster and more evenly. Also, the aluminum foil helps preserve all the liquid, so you end up with a juicier well-coked chicken.
• Bacon – Using aluminum foil when cooking bacon ensures it gets nice and crispy without drying out. Also, it speeds up the cooking by providing better heat distribution.
• Cheese – Aluminum foil is vital when air frying cheese as it helps contain it when melting. Without the foil, your melted cheese can easily drop to the bottom of the air fryer and make a mess.

Foods You Shouldn’t Use Aluminum Foil

• Seafood – Covering seafood with aluminum foil when air frying can leave it with a strange smell. Oily fish types like mackerel and salmon can have a strong fishy smell if you cover them during cooking, which can be unpleasant when eating.
• Cake – If you plan to bake in your air fryer, ensure you do not cover the batter with aluminum foil, as you are more likely to end up with a soggy cake with no crispy top.
• Acidic food – You should not use aluminum foil when cooking acidic foods like tomatoes because it is a reactive material. The foil will react with the acid in the food and start to break down, meaning you end up with a lot of aluminum in your food.
• Foods with high sugar content – Foods with a lot of sugar, such as caramelized fruits, can react with aluminum foil. The reaction can leave the food with a terrible smell or give it some unpleasant black spots. 

When You Should Not Put Aluminum Foil in Your Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer

Since the manufacturer does not recommend using aluminum foil in their air fryers, it is better not to do it unless you know how to do it safely.

That said, there are some instances when you should never use aluminum foil in the air fryers, such as when you are unsure how the food will react with the foil material.

As mentioned in the previous section, you should also not use aluminum foil in your Emeril Lagasse air fryer when cooking highly acidic foods like tomatoes, lemons, and vinegar-based dishes.

And the same also goes for foods with high levels of salt and spices. High levels of acid, spice, and salt can accelerate the decomposition of the foil, and you end up with more aluminum in your food in the form of black specks.

Is aluminum foil toxic?

Aluminum foil is not toxic. Provided it does not leach a lot of aluminum it will not pose any health risks. According to Healthline, the amount of aluminum that can leach into your food from the foil will depend on the following factors:

• Cooking temperature – cooking at high temperatures will leach more aluminum
• Food type – cooking acidic and high sugar content foods can pass more aluminum into food

Will aluminum foil give food a metallic taste?

Aluminum foil should not give food a metallic taste if you use it correctly. Remember, it is a stable material that can withstand over 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, so there is little risk of the metal leaching into the food. However, it is possible for some food types, such as those with high acidic content, to get a metallic taste as the acidity can eat into the aluminum.

Can use aluminum foil damage my Emeril Lagasse air fryer?

Although the manufacturer does not recommend using foil, it will not damage your air fryer if you use it properly. As long as you weigh down the aluminum foil, there is hardly any risk of it damaging the appliance by being blown into the heating element or fan.

Can I put parchment paper or paper towel in my Emeril Lagasse air fryer?

Yes. Parchment paper is safe for your Emeril Lagasse air fryer, but a paper towel is unsafe since it cannot withstand high temperatures. Parchment paper can withstand up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and is a good alternative to aluminum foil if you are worried about metal leaking into your food.

Takeaways

Aluminum foil is generally safe to use in your Emeril Lagasse air fryer. Also, it can be beneficial for ensuring even heat distribution, enhancing food flavor, and making air frying less messy.

However, it is still important to know how to use it safely and correctly, which this article outlines clearly. Also, ensure you do not use it with highly acidic foods, as you will end up with more aluminum in your food.

That should be all you need to know about using aluminum on your Emeril Lagasse air fryer. Drop a comment below if you have something to add, and remember to share this article to inform others!