An Issue With Heating Various Foods

[Exaltist Ethan]

I am having issues heating various foods. I'm talking things like pizza rolls, hot pockets and taquitos.

The issue is, if I put them in my air fryer, they end up way too hard and crispy to eat. But if I put them in the microwave, the exact opposite occurs, and they end up soft and squishy.

Is there a middle path between these two extremes? For those three foods I typically don't put them in the oven, although I do have an oven and could try doing that. It seems like when the air circulates in the air fryer it makes everything it cooks extremely crispy, whereas putting them in the microwave makes everything soft and saturated in its own moisture.

I think I am going to try cooking these three things in the oven again to provide a mid-point between these two extremes. I am afraid however that doing this will result in the food being more crispy than I want it to be.

TLDR Version: What's the best way to heat food so its neither too crispy nor too soggy?

 

[Viker]

Try the old school tried and true oven.

 

[ChristineM]

I am having issues heating various foods. I'm talking things like pizza rolls, hot pockets and taquitos.

The issue is, if I put them in my air fryer, they end up way too hard and crispy to eat. But if I put them in the microwave, the exact opposite occurs, and they end up soft and squishy.

Is there a middle path between these two extremes? For those three foods I typically don't put them in the oven, although I do have an oven and could try doing that. It seems like when the air circulates in the air fryer it makes everything it cooks extremely crispy, whereas putting them in the microwave makes everything soft and saturated in its own moisture.

I think I am going to try cooking these three things in the oven again to provide a mid-point between these two extremes. I am afraid however that doing this will result in the food being more crispy than I want it to be.

TLDR Version: What's the best way to heat food so its neither too crispy nor too soggy?

Oven.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Try the old school tried and true oven.

I'll try that. The thing that both my air fryer and the microwave does better however is that it cooks the food fast. Using the oven means preheating it for 15 minutes, then cooking it for at least that amount of time. Sometimes when I'm hungry, I'm hungry, and don't like to wait. The microwave and air fryer can each individually heat up the food a fraction of the time it takes to use the oven. But I guess overall it's worth trying again if I want it to taste just right. Same reason why I put TV dinners in the oven rather than the microwave; it never tastes just right in the microwave; some parts being underheated while other parts being over.

As such with life... The only thing air fryers are really good cooking with is fries, onion rings and tater tots, where the crispier it is typically the better it tastes.

 

[Viker]

I'll try that. The thing that both my air fryer and the microwave does better however is that it cooks the food fast. Using the oven means preheating it for 15 minutes, then cooking it for at least that amount of time. Sometimes when I'm hungry, I'm hungry, and don't like to wait. The microwave and air fryer can each individually heat up the food a fraction of the time it takes to use the oven. But I guess overall it's worth trying again if I want it to taste just right. Same reason why I put TV dinners in the oven rather than the microwave; it never tastes just right in the microwave; some parts being underheated while other parts being over.

As such with life... The only thing air fryers are really good cooking with is fries, onion rings and tater tots, where the crispier it is typically the better it tastes.

I don't think an extra 15 minutes will kill you from starvation.

 

[ChristineM]

I don't think an extra 15 minutes will kill you from starvation.

It's worth the wait to eat decent food

 

[John53]

I am having issues heating various foods. I'm talking things like pizza rolls, hot pockets and taquitos.

The issue is, if I put them in my air fryer, they end up way too hard and crispy to eat. But if I put them in the microwave, the exact opposite occurs, and they end up soft and squishy.

Is there a middle path between these two extremes? For those three foods I typically don't put them in the oven, although I do have an oven and could try doing that. It seems like when the air circulates in the air fryer it makes everything it cooks extremely crispy, whereas putting them in the microwave makes everything soft and saturated in its own moisture.

I think I am going to try cooking these three things in the oven again to provide a mid-point between these two extremes. I am afraid however that doing this will result in the food being more crispy than I want it to be.

TLDR Version: What's the best way to heat food so its neither too crispy nor too soggy?

Warm it up in the microwave then finish it of in the air fryer until it reaches your desired level of crispiness.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Warm it up in the microwave then finish it of in the air fryer until it reaches your desired level of crispiness.

Have you ever done that? If so, does it still taste decent afterwards?

 

[John53]

Have you ever done that? If so, does it still taste decent afterwards?

Many times with various things. Just need to keep an eye on it in the AF so it doesn't go rock hard, after a bit of practise you get good at guessing when it's ready.

 

[Orbit]

Get a little toaster oven for the counter and use that if you don't want to use the big oven. They're cheap.

 

[Viker]

Just remembered. When I worked at Target a team member showed me a hack with hot pockets. Before you put it in it's crisper sleeve, slash two little x's on top with a box cutter or knife and knock ten seconds off the time given. It worked in the microwave we had then. It might work in others.

 

[Watchmen]

Or just don’t eat such things *shrug*

 

[Yerda]

Get a good hairdryer.

 

[Viker]

Or just don’t eat such things *shrug*

That's definitely an option.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Get a little toaster oven for the counter and use that if you don't want to use the big oven. They're cheap.

I actually have a toaster oven. The reason why I didn't mention it is because I almost never think about using it. My toaster oven typically does one of two things: heating toaster strudels or broiling pepperoni to become pepperoni chips. I might have to try the toaster oven for other things one day.

Or just don’t eat such things *shrug*

Blasphemy!

 

[The Hammer]

I've found most air fryer recipe times need to be reduced. Maybe try shorter amounts of time in the ari fryer, and check frequently.

 

[Father Heathen]

Slightly lower the time and/or temp on the air fryer and check it periodically.

 

[exchemist]

I'll try that. The thing that both my air fryer and the microwave does better however is that it cooks the food fast. Using the oven means preheating it for 15 minutes, then cooking it for at least that amount of time. Sometimes when I'm hungry, I'm hungry, and don't like to wait. The microwave and air fryer can each individually heat up the food a fraction of the time it takes to use the oven. But I guess overall it's worth trying again if I want it to taste just right. Same reason why I put TV dinners in the oven rather than the microwave; it never tastes just right in the microwave; some parts being underheated while other parts being over.

As such with life... The only thing air fryers are really good cooking with is fries, onion rings and tater tots, where the crispier it is typically the better it tastes.

You can put pizza under the grill too, I think.

But frankly, if you can't even wait 15 minutes to get your food ready, you have forfeited any right to expect it to taste good. It takes 15 mins to wash and assemble even a salad.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Get a little toaster oven for the counter and use that if you don't want to use the big oven. They're cheap.

That would be my advice, too. Nuke's are good for some things, the oven is expensive on hydro or gas to heat up, but a small toaster oven will heat up quickly and do a pretty good job on most small reheating jobs.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I am having issues heating various foods. I'm talking things like pizza rolls, hot pockets and taquitos.

The issue is, if I put them in my air fryer, they end up way too hard and crispy to eat. But if I put them in the microwave, the exact opposite occurs, and they end up soft and squishy.

Is there a middle path between these two extremes? For those three foods I typically don't put them in the oven, although I do have an oven and could try doing that. It seems like when the air circulates in the air fryer it makes everything it cooks extremely crispy, whereas putting them in the microwave makes everything soft and saturated in its own moisture.

I think I am going to try cooking these three things in the oven again to provide a mid-point between these two extremes. I am afraid however that doing this will result in the food being more crispy than I want it to be.

TLDR Version: What's the best way to heat food so its neither too crispy nor too soggy?

The middle way.

Nuke so its still undercooked.

Deep fry to finish the job but less time.