How to Roast Coffee Beans in Air Fryer

Air fryers have become more popular in the last several years, and several homes own one. They are a great alternative to traditional fryers. There are so many different recipes that you can make in an air fryer, but can you really roast coffee in it? The great news is yes, you can. 

How to Roast Coffee Beans in Air Fryer

Apart from maintaining a consistent temperature, you should also consider the number of layers of beans you use. So, let's tell you everything you need to know about how to roast coffee beans in an air fryer. 

Most individuals or coffee lovers have air fryers in their houses instead of coffee roasters, since they are more popular. Since air fryers have multiple uses, it is important that the correct steps are followed. The steps for this process are as follows:

Step 1: Preheating the Air Fryer & Heating the Beans

Many foods you cook in an air fryer will not require you to preheat the fryer. However, when you plan to use it for roasting your coffee beans, preheating is a key step in the process. You will want to ensure that your air fryer has been preheated to 450 degrees.

Once the air fryer is at the correct temperature, the next steps for roasting your beans are as follows:

1. Put the beans into the preheated air fryer. 
2. Let the bean absorb all of the heat within the appliance. 
3. Once you observe the beans are heated you can then move on to the next step. 

Warning: If the beans-heating process is skipped, then there is a chance that the coffee beans might deteriorate or not roast correctly. This could cause your coffee to be bitter or have other unpleasant tastes.

Step 2: Place All of the Coffee Beans in Single Layer

For this step, even if you have a big space in your fryer basket, do not just pour the beans into it for the sake of speeding up your roasting process. Ensure that the beans are all arranged in one layer and remove and set aside any beans that overlap.

You need to follow a systematic approach to ensure that you don't ruin the integrity of the beans while roasting:

• There should be proper ventilation around every bean. Therefore, you should not crowd the beans in your fryer, as it might result in uneven roasting. 
• It is also important that you do not stack or overfill the basket with beans. 
• Give yourself an ample amount of time to arrange the beans in the right manner, knowing that you will need to repeat this process with each batch.
  
• Review to ensure that each one of the beans has consistent ventilation around it. 

Step 3: Roast the Coffee Beans to Preferred Level

The method behind proper roasting of the coffee beans is to catch the beans or stop the fryer before the right crack comes in. This will ensure that you roast your beans to your preferred roast. Here you will want to turn on the air fryer to 450 degrees and set the time for 30-40 minutes. Also, you will want to monitor your beans closely to ensure that you achieve the roast you wish to achieve.

• Light Roast: If you want a light roast coffee, you must wait until your beans experience the first crack within your air fryer. You must remove the beans right after that. It will be an audible crack, and you will be able to hear it. 
• Medium Roast: If you want a medium roast coffee, you need to notice the color of your beans after the first crack. When your beans change their colors to a deep maple brown color, it is your medium roast. Therefore, you need to monitor your beans closely and check them frequently to ensure they are at the level of roast you wish to achieve. The color change will take place shortly after the first crack. 
• Dark Roast: This occurs after the first crack but before the second. You need to give around 12 to 15 times of time to the beans after the first crack. To know that your dark roast is complete, let the second crack take place. And when it does, take it out immediately. The 2nd crack might not be audible so it is also important to check on your beans to observe the beans' oily texture. If you find that all of your beans have this oily texture, then the second crack is over, and you have achieved a dark roast. 

Tip: Note the time that it took for air-frying the coffee beans to your desirable roast type, you will use this time for your next set of beans. You will then repeat the process for all the batches that you want to roast through an air-fryer. 

Step 4: Allow the Beans to Release Maximum CO2

1. Leave the beans to de-gas after the roasting process. 
2. This process will help CO2 escape from the beans. It is important, as CO2 affects the taste of coffee beans. 
3. Set out the coffee beans in a single layer, and then allow them to cool down naturally, at room temperature. 
4. When they are cooled down, find a space around your kitchen, and let them sit out for a day or two to let maximum CO2 escape from the beans. 
5. After the CO2 gas is out, you can then store your air-fried roasted coffee beans in a air tight container. 

Frequently Asked Questions

At What Temperature Do You Roast Coffee Beans?

Usually, the coffee roasters heat the beans to around 370 to 540 degrees for roasting the coffee beans. Air fryers are able to match these temperatures allowing it to be a great way to roast your beans at home.

How Do You Add Flavor to Coffee Bean Roast?

Depending on your preference, you can add spices directly to the coffee grounds or store them with whole spices. You can also add different coffee oils to the beans to give them flavor. 

Conclusion

When roasting coffee, the difference in the taste is due to the roasting time, whether or not in an air fryer. It is important to monitor this entire process, and note that coffee beans that are not roasted will remain green in shade and should be removed. Roasting your own coffee beans at home can be a rewarding experience and will allow you to make coffee precisely to your tastes.