Air fryers could be taking centre stage in kitchens this Christmas as people have figured out how to cook a whole roast dinner in one.
The must-have kitchen devices have taken the world by storm as an energy efficient alternative to the conventional oven. Now they may become a prime item to have in the kitchen to help with the all important Christmas dinner.
Rather than watching over endless pans in case they boil over, you could have more time to put your feet up and enjoy time with family as an air cooker saves time and space. Zoe Simons, senior development chef at Waitrose said: "If you're looking to save money, time, washing up and stress this festive season, don't forget to turn to your air fryer."
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She told Wales Online: "Depending on how many people you are catering for, it can either do all the work for you or be a much needed helping hand while you save the oven for your turkey or other centrepiece that needs the extra space to cook".
Here are the expert's top tips for cooking a whole Christmas dinner using only your air fryer - including turkey, veg and roasties.
Turkey
If your air fryer is large enough to fit your turkey, prepare it just like you would for a conventional oven. Although it’s popular at Christmas, I would advise against brining the turkey as it can become over-salted in the air fryer. If you have a smaller appliance, you will need to separate the joints of the turkey into wings, crown and legs and roast each separately to achieve a perfectly cooked turkey
For frozen turkeys, ensure they are fully thawed and the neck and giblets have been removed
Add butter, herbs and seasoning under the skin for a juicy and flavourful bird
Cook light meat separately to dark. After cooking each section of the bird, set the meat aside to rest until all of the pieces are fully cooked
For timings, the rule of thumb is that it takes 8-10 minutes per pound / 453g. Please follow the instructions on your specific appliance for the correct temperature as this can vary. If you have a meat thermometer, you want to have an internal temperature of around 165 degrees.
I would advise cooking the turkey first before moving on to do your vegetables and roasties to allow the bird time to rest before carving. You can keep it warm by wrapping it in some foil.
Vegetables
Chop and prepare the vegetables as usual and add them to the air fryer. Follow your appliance instructions for the correct temperature and time. They should take around 25-30 minutes.
Roast potatoes recipe
These classic roasties are as soft and crunchy as they would be cooked in an oven but use less fat, thanks to the air fryer. Adding a little vinegar when you parboil the potatoes helps them stay together, allowing you to cook them to the point of collapse for extra-crisp edges.
Ingredients
- 750g floury potatoes (we used Maris Piper)
- 1 tsp flaky salt, plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- 1½ tbsp plain flour
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 3 rosemary sprigs
5 tbsp goose fat
Method
Preheat the air fryer to 180ºC. Peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks (halve small ones and quarter larger potatoes). Put in a saucepan and rinse in a few changes of cold water to remove excess starch. Cover with cold water and add the salt and vinegar. Put on a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat, bubbling for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender but still holding together.
Drain and allow to steam-dry for at least 5 minutes. Return to the dry pan and sprinkle over the flour. Holding the lid on firmly, give the pan a few firm shakes to break up the edges of the spuds and distribute the flour. Warm the goose fat in a small pan until just melted then pour over potatoes; give the pan a further shake to coat. Put the potatoes in the air-fryer basket, spreading in a snug single layer on top of the rack. Bash the garlic cloves and add to the basket with the rosemary.
Crispy Parmesan and truffle sprouts recipe
Soak your sprouts for 10 minutes in water, drain and coat in some melted butter then add to your air fryer
Cook until crispy, following your appliance guidelines. To finish, grate Parmesan and sprinkle over some Cooks’ Ingredients Truffle salt
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