Tips from chefs for utilizing an air fryer to streamline BBQ preparation, including advance meal planning and pre-cooking the main dish.
With summer in full swing, BBQs have become a staple for outdoor gatherings. But what if you could elevate your grilling game while reducing mess and cooking time? Enter the air fryer, a versatile kitchen appliance that's making waves in the world of BBQ cooking.
Kenny Tutt, the MasterChef champion, is a firm believer in the air fryer's potential. When barbecuing, Tutt favours making sides such as miso sweet potatoes or parmentier potatoes in his air fryer, adding a unique twist to traditional BBQ fare.
Molly Cleary, the Kitchen Appliances Editor, has tested just about every air fryer released since 2022 and is an authority on the subject. She shares her expert tips for using an air fryer to enhance BBQ cooking and preparation.
Preheating the air fryer to around 390°F–430°F (200°C–220°C) ensures even cooking and a crispy exterior, particularly for chicken wings or ribs. Thawing meat properly and oiling and seasoning it lightly helps the BBQ rub or sauce stick and promotes caramelization without excess grease.
For sticky, caramelized wings, cook them first, then coat with BBQ sauce and return them to the air fryer at a slightly lower temperature to set the sauce without burning. Flipping or shaking items at least once during cooking ensures even exposure to heat, and most proteins require flipping halfway through the cooking time.
Air fryers are great not only for BBQ chicken wings but also hot dogs, chicken thighs, ribs, and even burgers. They produce a grilled-like effect without charcoal or propane and are much faster and cleaner to use.
Dean Harper, Chef at Harper Fine Dining, agrees that using an air fryer to part-cook meat is a time-saving cheat. Pre-cooking sausages or ribs in an air fryer before finishing them on the BBQ for a smoky flavor and grill marks is a popular technique among BBQ enthusiasts.
Molly Cleary suggests preparing sides ahead of time in an air fryer, starting them 30-45 minutes before serving the main event on a BBQ. Sides that can be prepared in an air fryer include chips, Mediterranean veg, corn on the cobs, and parmentier potatoes.
For those with limited outdoor space, the Weber Lumin is a compact, electric air fryer that performs well and is suitable for small gardens.
Molly Cleary, who joined the team in September 2022, is a certified expert on appliances and a cooking and baking enthusiast. She encourages using an air fryer to keep food warm before serving, a useful feature for large gatherings.
Air fryers can also be used to part-cook meat like chicken, allowing it to be finished on the BBQ later. This method can be particularly useful for keeping meat or sides warm until the right time for serving.
With these expert practices, you can achieve tender, juicy, and flavorful BBQ-style dishes with the ease and efficiency of an air fryer while reducing mess and cooking time compared to outdoor grilling or oven baking. So, fire up that air fryer and get ready to impress your guests with your BBQ skills!
Incorporating an air fryer into your food-and-drink lifestyle can elevate your BBQ cooking and prepare interesting side dishes like miso sweet potatoes or parmentier potatoes, following Kenny Tutt, the MasterChef champion's lead. With Molly Cleary, the Kitchen Appliances Editor's expert tips, you can leverage an air fryer to cook various BBQ items such as chicken wings, hot dogs, chicken thighs, ribs, burgers, and sides like chips, Mediterranean veg, corn on the cobs, and parmentier potatoes, ahead of time to save time and reduce mess.
