My air fryer smoked out my kitchen trying to cook a whole chicken
I tried to roast a 4 pound chicken in my air fryer last Tuesday, following a recipe that said it would take an hour. About 40 minutes in, the thing started billowing smoke like a campfire. I had to pull it out, open all the windows, and wave a towel around. The chicken was only half cooked and dripping fat all over the basket. I think the recipe was wrong about the size or the fat just had nowhere to go. Has anyone else had a big meat fail like this, and did you ever try again or just stick to smaller cuts?
Man, did you see the smoke cloud from my buddy's apartment last month? He tried the exact same thing with a whole chicken and set off every smoke alarm on his floor. The fat just pooled at the bottom of the basket and turned into a black, burning mess. He ended up ordering pizza while his place aired out for hours. He hasn't touched his air fryer for anything bigger than a pork chop since then.
Honestly, that sounds like my first attempt at a whole turkey in a tiny oven. The fat just pools and burns, it's a total mess. I stick to wings and thighs now, way less drama.