Can You Use An Air Fryer To
Roast Coffee Beans?
A modern convenience, air fryers have altered the dynamics of family meal preparation in the home. Can an air fryer, on the other hand, be used to roast coffee beans?
It should come as no surprise that an air fryer is capable of roasting coffee beans, given all of the other things it can do. It's as simple as preheating the fryer to 450° Fahrenheit, placing a single layer of beans in the basket, and roasting until the beans have reached the color you desire. Check for burning on a regular basis to avoid it.
This method of roasting coffee beans (in an air fryer) is advantageous because many people already own an air fryer. This fact alone is one of the most compelling arguments in favor of roasting your own coffee beans at home – you already have the necessary equipment and do not need to purchase an additional appliance. Much less, you won't have to worry about finding space in your limited kitchen storage for this particular appliance.
After all is said and done, there is a method to roasting your coffee beans in the air fryer that is, admittedly, quite simple. Please ensure that you follow the steps outlined below if you intend to do so:
- Preheat Air Fryer
Preheating your air fryer is not required for many foods. But when it comes to roasting coffee beans, this is one of the most vital steps. The first step in roasting is to preheat your beans.
When the beans absorb heat, the Maillard reaction occurs, determining the roast level. If you put your beans in an unheated air fryer, the heating process may be delayed, causing your beans to go stale. So, get your air fryer hot (around 450°F) and then start roasting.
- Arrange the Coffee Beans in a single layer
A critical aspect of roasting beans evenly is ensuring that there is adequate ventilation around each and every one of them. The consequence of this is that if you stack the beans on top of one another, the roast will be inconsistent and unattractive. Some coffee beans may only be roasted to a light roast, while others may be roasted to a medium roast, and still, others may be roasted to a dark roast, according to the roasting classification. This inconsistency is detrimental to any brewing process.
If you want to prevent your coffee beans from roasting unevenly in the air fryer, layer each batch in a single layer before cooking. This means that there will be no stacking or overfilling. However, while this may make the process more time-consuming, it will ensure that each bean receives a constant flow of air around it, allowing each and everyone to roast evenly.
- Roast Coffee Beans to the Roast Level You Desire
This is done by catching the beans before they crack. Allow just enough time for the first crack to occur in a light roast coffee. Then you can remove your beans.
At this temperature, this should be 5-7 minutes. The first crack should be audible. If you want to roast a medium bean, do so after the first crack. The bean changes color and deepens to a more maple brown. With a medium roast, be quick.
After the first crack, it can get hot and there is only a small window before the bean turns dark. To get a dark roast, you will need to roast it longer. This can take 12-15 minutes, but the second crack is required for a dark roast. This crack will be less audible, so look for a deep brown color and an oily appearance in your beans. If you see oil on the surface, you've done a dark roast!
- De-Gas Beans
As with other roasting methods, your coffee beans will require time to de-gas following the roasting process. This is a process that allows the beans' accumulated CO2 to escape. CO2 is a problem for coffee beans because it degrades the flavor of the beans.
To initiate this process, simply spread your coffee beans out in a single layer and allow them to cool. Once cooled, it is best to leave them out for a full 24 hours, if space permits, to ensure that as much CO2 as possible has escaped. After they have been properly degassed, you can begin storing your air-fried coffee beans.
- How to Store Air-Fried Beans
Proper storage is as important as any other step in prepping your coffee beans for air frying.
To ensure maximum flavor and freshness, avoid grinding and storing coffee beans, instead opting to store them whole. The least amount of air permeates the beans, the freshest. This way, you can extend the shelf life of your air fryer roasted
Keep them in an airtight container somewhere dark and cool. Avoid storing them in direct sunlight, warm areas, or transparent containers as light and heat can accelerate staleness.
If you can, store them in containers that are only big enough to grind in one go. Less opening means less oxidation.
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About US | OCM Profile
OCM (OnCoffeeMakers.com) was started in 2007 with the first webpage about coffee machines. And for a number of years, we focused on helping people find their desired coffee machine (we still are helping folks with that! So, if you are looking for coffee machines for office or restaurants - check out the link).
In 2010, we started getting enquiries on restaurant marketing and we start to help food and beverage brands with their marketing. Below are campaigns and events that we have done over the years:
OCM's campaigns: F&B Marketing Ideas by OCM
OCM's Events: F&B Industry events by or with OCM
Check out this restaurant marketing guide to learn more about the many campaigns and companies we have worked with.
Since then, we have also created many marketing workshops and classes for the F&B industry. Many of these modules are still running in tertiary institutions such as Temasek Polytechnic Skillsfuture Academy and also ITE College East COC classes, below are some snippets of our lectures and workshops:
OCM’s F&B workshops: Food and Beverage Marketing Lectures | Workshops - click to watch classes on customer journey map, JTBD and more.
So, if you are looking for industry practitioners to help you scale your coffee or F&B businesses, do drop us a message or book an appointment. Do also check out our various social media platforms on regular F&B and coffee market updates:
For regular coffee (F&B) related videos: OCM Youtube
For Daily Coffee Inspiration (fun coffee content): OCM IG
For insights into the coffee (F&B) industry: OCM LinkedIN
PS: For the coffee lovers, we continue to share coffee articles (and videos) and have also started a free coffee class section (with free online coffee training supported by coffee partners).
