A big question this time of year is whether you can prepare your Christmas dinner in an air fryer. We tried it and you absolutely can – but that doesn’t mean you should.
I’ll explain why below, and suggest some better ways to use your air fryer at Christmas.
How do you prepare a Christmas dinner in an air fryer?
First of all, it is perfectly possible to prepare a Christmas dinner – or any roast for that matter – in an air fryer and achieve excellent results. An air fryer does not actually fry food. It’s a mini convection oven, which means it cooks by circulating hot air around the food, just like a fan oven. The difference is that the smaller cooking space heats up faster and produces a crispier result.
I cooked Christmas dinner for two in a two-drawer air fryer. In one basket I roasted a 0.5kg turkey breast (and there was room for at least double that volume), and in the other a generous amount of potatoes and carrots – enough to feed at least three people.
I used the 10.4-quart Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer, which is a kitchen staple for me and one of the best air fryers we’ve reviewed.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
To see how it compares to other Ninja models, check out our review of the best Ninja air fryers and countertop cookers.
If you’ve never roasted potatoes in an air fryer before, it’s easy. Parboil them as usual, then roll them in oil or spray them with an oil spray bottle (£9.99, at Amazon) and then cook them on the fry setting of your air fryer for about 30-40 minutes. For best results, shake them halfway through cooking.
The turkey breast had a cooking instruction of 55 minutes at 180°C (or 160°C in a fan oven). Because an air fryer has a smaller cooking space, you can adjust the time and temperature downwards. I cooked it for 45 minutes at 150°C and it was juicy and well done.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
If you need extra help with roasting, use a meat probe to test the internal temperature of a large piece of meat and make sure it is done. You can buy one for just £10 from Amazon.
For even better results, you can purchase a cordless probe, such as the Meater Plus, that you can leave in while cooking. This is a more expensive option, but produces much better results because the accompanying app on your phone alerts you when the meat is done.
The other option is to choose an air fryer with a built-in meat thermometer. The excellent Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone (AF451) includes a probe, but earlier models of this air fryer did not, so make sure you get the right one if that’s the feature you’re looking for.
Lee Bell / Foundry
Why you shouldn’t prepare your Christmas dinner in an air fryer
If you have one or two people coming for Christmas dinner, an air fryer with two drawers or an air fryer oven is an excellent choice. It’s the fastest and most economical way to cook and there’s plenty of room for large portions and leftovers.
Check out the best dual tray air fryers and the best air fryer ovens we tested for our top recommendations.
By preparing portions for two, you won’t be tempted to overcrowd your air fryer, which will lead to less crispy and even results because the hot air can’t reach everything.
But if you only have one air fryer with one drawer, or you have a larger group gathering at Christmas, it’s much more economical to use all the space in your oven for cooking. If you use your air fryer twice or more, it is cheaper to use an oven. Plus, you’ll get better results in the oven because you won’t be tempted to stuff food in drawers.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t use your air fryer at Christmas.
This is how you use your air fryer during Christmas
If you have a larger gathering or a smaller air fryer, here’s how to use it:
- As a separate cooking zone for vegetables, vegans or people with food allergies
- For preparing starters or heating up canapés
- For warming up rolls or pastries
- For preparing your Christmas pudding
- As a hob replacement. Instead of cooking any of your Christmas vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts or carrots, roast them in the air fryer
For more cooking ideas with the Airfryer, see our article: Cooking with the Airfryer: five mistakes you make.
