Air fryers have revolutionized the cooking game since they arrived in the 2010s, but there is still so much to learn about the quick and easy appliance. While there are , the longer air fryers are around, the more they seem to be capable of. One thing that many people have had a difficult time accomplishing with their air fryers in the past was cooking bacon within them.
Because of how quickly bacon fat burns while on a hot and dry surface, your air fryer is likely to start producing an excessive amount of smoke, something nobody wants when cooking breakfast in the morning. While many believed the only way to stop this was by air-frying bacon at low heat for a longer time or , these are not the only ways to keep your smoke detector from throwing a tantrum. In fact, by simply adding some water to the bottom of your air fryer, you could save yourself from a massive headache in the kitchen when cooking up your savory snack.
Why adding water to your air fryer makes cooking bacon easier You don't want to add too much water; roughly 1⁄4 cup — or just enough to form a thin layer — to the bottom section of the tray before adding in your bacon. But this step is vital as it will both reduce the mess in your air fryer and prevent smoke from forming. If you were to not put water in, the bacon fat would land in and burn on the drip pan, creating smoke.
Putting water into the air fryer results in the bacon fat being caught by the water, which prevents this sizzling. A similar method .