Video summary

When to Use and NOT to Use Air Fryer Parchment Paper - How To Use Your Air Fryer

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

Kathy (empower air fryer owners to save time in the kitchen). She mentions her online store, “Pine and Pepper,” for air fryer tools/liners, and includes a viewer email about using small magnets.

Purpose of Air Fryer Parchment Paper Liners (“What’s the Point?”)

  • Time sanity convenience: Acts as an easy cleanup aid and protective layer for the basket.

  • Easy lifting / less mess: Provides a “container” so food can be lifted out with less residue on the air fryer basket.

  • Protection: Helps keep the basket cleaner and may reduce baked-on residue—especially from:

    • cheese
    • sticky/sugary marinades or rubs

When to Use Parchment Paper Liners (with Examples)

Use liners when you want to contain food and make cleanup easier, especially for items that leave residue:

  • Bakes and snacks:

    • rolls, casserole dishes, pasta bakes, loaded nachos
    • loaded fries, loaded tater tots, enchiladas
    • cookies, brownies

  • Proteins with sticky/syrupy ingredients:

    • marinades or rubs with honey or brown sugar (sticky/syrupy sauces)

  • Anything with cheese:

    • baked-on cheese cleanup is described as “not fun”

Technique / Hack for Easier Cleanup

If you’re air frying food that releases grease/drippings but still want a liner:

  1. Put the liner under the basket or tray so drippings land on it.
  2. Let it cool a little, then lift it out to reduce mess.

When NOT to Use Parchment Paper Liners

Don’t use liners for foods where you want specific effects that liners can interfere with:

  • Fatty/greasy foods where you want grease to drain away, such as:

    • hamburger, bacon, chicken thighs

  • Ultra-crispy results you want to maximize, such as items with homemade breading:

    • liners may collect extra moisture and reduce crispness

  • “Really char” foods:

    • recommended approach: preheat the air fryer
    • place food on direct heat (directly on the basket/tray)
    • example: steak (would not use parchment paper)

Key Cautions / Potential Problems Mentioned

  • Never preheat with only the liner on top

    • Liners are described as lightweight and flammable.
    • The air fryer’s fan can blow the liner toward the heating elements (“blow up into the burner”).

  • Keep the liner flat

    • If there’s only a small amount of food, the liner may puff/blow up over the food.
    • This can:
      • touch burners/heating elements
      • cover food and cause less even cooking
      • potentially increase cook time

Equipment / Setup Requirements and Hacks

Magnet Hack (to Prevent Liners from Lifting/Blowing Into Elements)

A viewer mentioned using small magnets to hold liner corners down.

  • Magnets are designed for corners, but she says it may also be fine to place them on the sides.
  • Critical requirement: the air fryer basket must be magnetic.
  • Verify before buying: test with a regular magnet—if it sticks to the basket, it should hold the liner down.

(A link was referenced in description/comments, but no specific brand or quantity is given.)

Airflow / Cooking Performance Test (Side-by-Side Comparison)

Goal

Check whether liners:

  • block air flow
  • slow cooking
  • change results

Test Setup (Salmon)

  • Two identical air fryers
  • Place parchment paper liner on the right and left
  • Use two almost identical salmon fillets:
    • lightly spray
    • salt and pepper (evened out)
  • Note: one liner side was “pretty full” and could blow around without food holding it down—but with the magnet/basket setup it didn’t overhang.

Timing and Temperature

  • Cheat sheet: 380°F for 8–12 minutes
  • She started with 8 minutes because the liners were thinner.

Result (Internal Temperature)

  • Both salmon fillets reached 136°F, suggesting liners did not noticeably affect cooking for this test.
  • Cleanup note: liner side was easier to lift/remove; relatively clean aside from normal salmon oil residue.

Recipe-Inspired Example Using Parchment Paper (Dessert)

  • “Super easy small more scissor” (interpreted as a quick parchment paper dessert/snack setup):
    1. Put chocolate in the parchment paper
    2. Add marshmallows
    3. Add more chocolate
    4. Cook: 350°F for 4–6 minutes
    5. After ~5 minutes, dip and take a bite (Exact dipping method not specified.)

Serving / Handling Cues

  • With liners: food can be lifted out easily from the basket.
  • With the “liner under the basket/tray” grease-drip method:
    • cool slightly first, then lift away.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Preheating with liner only

    • flammable; could be blown into the heating element

  • Using liners when you need:

    • grease draining (fatty/greasy foods)
    • maximum crispness (breading)
    • strong charring (use direct heat; preheat basket and cook without liner)

  • Letting the liner puff/blow up (especially when food quantity is low)

    • can cause uneven cooking and possible burner contact

Referenced Items / Sources

  • Kathy’s earlier parchment paper comparison video (mentioned as “a few years ago,” with “pre-rated holes” style)
  • Her store/tools: Pine and Pepper
  • Viewer email about small magnets
  • No external scientific sources were cited; conclusions are based on side-by-side testing and her own two identical air fryers.

Original video