Air-Frying Beef Wellington: Is It Possible?

Beef Wellington is a luxurious dish that can be made in an air fryer. It's a deceptively simple dish to make, and cooking it in an air fryer is much quicker than using an oven. You can use a variety of cuts of beef, including fillet steak, sirloin, rump, or ground beef. It's important to note that the size of the beef should not be too big for your air fryer basket. The beef is wrapped in puff pastry or dough and cooked to perfection in the air fryer.

Choosing the right cut of beef

Yes, you can cook beef Wellington in an air fryer. When choosing the right cut of beef, it's important to opt for a good-sized piece of fillet steak. While beef Wellington is a luxurious dish, you don't want to go too big with the cut of meat, as it needs to fit into your air fryer basket. A 1kg/2.2lb fillet steak is a good size, but you may need to trim it down slightly to ensure it fits. If you're on a budget, you can swap fillet for sirloin or rump, or even make an air fryer meatloaf as a substitute.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, ground beef is a great alternative to fillet steak. It still has that beefy goodness, and it's a more economical choice. You can also try using deconstructed beef strips and pate wrapped in dough, which takes less than 10 minutes to cook perfectly in the air fryer.

When preparing your beef Wellington, it's best to start the day before. Scoring the beef, spraying it with extra virgin olive oil, and seasoning it before air-frying will help ensure a delicious result.

For the best results, choose a high-quality beef tenderloin. This will elevate your dish and make it truly impressive. With the right cut of beef and some careful preparation, you can create a mouth-watering beef Wellington in your air fryer that's sure to impress.

Preparing the beef

Yes, you can cook beef wellington in an air fryer. Here are some tips for preparing the beef:

Firstly, choose a good-sized piece of fillet steak. If you're on a budget, you can use sirloin or rump instead. Just make sure it's not too big for your air fryer basket. If you're using a 1kg/2.2lb fillet, you may want to trim it down slightly.

Next, slice the beef into thin strips and season with salt and pepper. You can also add extra virgin olive oil and spray the beef with it.

If you want to get ahead, you can start preparing the beef the day before. Pre-cooking the fillet will make it easier to cook in the air fryer the next day. Simply score the beef, spray with oil, and season before placing it in the air fryer.

Cooking time

Yes, you can cook beef wellington in an air fryer. The cooking time will depend on the size of your beef fillet and the type of air fryer you have.

If you are using ground beef, you will need to preheat your air fryer to 300° and cook the beef for 20 minutes. If you are using a beef fillet, you should trim the fillet down to 1kg/2.2lbs. You should also score your beef, spray it with extra virgin olive oil, and season it before cooking. The exact cooking time will depend on your air fryer, but it should take less than 10 minutes to cook a beef wellington in an air fryer.

It is recommended that you start preparing your beef wellington the day before you plan to cook it. This will give you enough time to trim, score, and season the beef, as well as cook it in the air fryer.

Air fryer vs. oven

You can cook beef wellington in an air fryer, but there are some differences to be aware of when compared to using an oven.

Firstly, the size of the beef fillet is important. When cooking in an air fryer, you should opt for a smaller cut of beef, as it needs to fit into the air fryer basket. If you're cooking in the oven, you can afford to go bigger.

Secondly, cooking time differs between the two methods. Air fryers are generally quicker than ovens, so you'll need to adjust your recipe accordingly. For example, one air fryer beef wellington recipe suggests a cooking time of just 10 minutes, whereas a similar recipe cooked in the oven might take upwards of 30 minutes.

Another difference is that air fryers often require pre-cooking the beef the day before, whereas oven recipes typically involve cooking the beef from raw on the day.

Finally, air fryers are great for achieving a crispy, golden finish on the pastry without drying out the beef. This can be more challenging to achieve in an oven, where the pastry may brown too quickly or not at all.

What to serve it with

Yes, you can cook beef wellington in an air fryer.

Beef wellington is a luxurious dish, so you could serve it with au jus, a rich gravy made from the juices of the meat. You could also serve it with a side of roasted vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. If you want to keep things simple, a green salad with a tangy vinaigrette would also work well.

For a heartier meal, you could make a side of mashed potatoes or cauliflower cheese. Or, for something a little lighter, a fresh tomato and basil salad would be a great option.

Finally, don't forget to finish your meal with a delicious dessert! A rich chocolate cake or a fruity tart would be perfect.

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