Tillie Doyle
Air fryers are a great alternative to grilling or pan-frying hamburgers. They are quick, easy, and result in juicy burgers with a crispy exterior. The air fryer also makes cleanup a breeze and prevents overcooking. To make hamburgers in an air fryer, start by mixing ground beef with your preferred seasonings. Then, form the mixture into patties and place them in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the patties in batches. Air fry the patties for about 10-12 minutes at 350°F, flipping them halfway through for even browning. Finally, add cheese and toppings of your choice and serve on toasted buns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Meat | Ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or bison |
| Meat Blend | 80/20, 85/15, or 90/10 |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, coconut aminos, steak seasoning, or barbecue sauce |
| Patty Thickness | 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch |
| Patty Diameter | 4 1/2 inches |
| Patty Indentation | Use thumb to make a small indent in the center of each patty to prevent puffing up during cooking |
| Patty Layering | Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket |
| Patty Cooking Time | 6-10 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes |
| Patty Internal Temperature | 145-160°F (71°C) |
| Patty Resting Time | A few minutes |
| Bun Toasting | Optional, but can be done in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes |
| Cheese | Optional, add after cooking and use residual heat to melt |
| Fries | Can be cooked in the air fryer before or after the burgers |
| Other Toppings | Lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, bacon, jalapeños, green chilies, sauerkraut, chipotle aioli, fried egg, roasted red bell peppers, sautéed or air-fried mushrooms |
| Grease Management | Add water or a piece of bread under the air fryer basket to catch grease and prevent smoking |
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What You'll Learn
Air fryer vs grill
Air fryers and grills are two popular methods for cooking hamburgers, each with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Here is a detailed comparison between the two:
Temperature Control and Cooking Time:
Air fryers offer precise temperature control, allowing you to set specific temperatures for cooking your hamburgers. This ensures consistent results and makes it easier to follow recipes. The cooking time in an air fryer is generally shorter than on a grill, making it a faster option for preparing hamburgers.
Flavor and Appearance:
Grills, especially charcoal grills, impart a distinctive smoky flavor to hamburgers that many people associate with traditional barbecue. Grills also leave characteristic char marks on the patties, enhancing their visual appeal. While air fryers may not provide the same level of smokiness, you can still achieve a chargrilled effect and attractive grill marks by using grill plate attachments or griddle plates designed specifically for air fryers. Additionally, air fryers are known to preserve the flavors of the meat, allowing you to enjoy the pure taste of your hamburger.
Convenience and Cleanliness:
Air fryers are renowned for their convenience and ease of use. They require less oil than traditional frying methods, making them a healthier option. Clean-up is typically simpler with air fryers, as there are no greasy grills or coals to deal with. The excess fat drips into the basket, which can be easily cleaned afterward. Grills, on the other hand, often require more time and effort for cleaning due to the grease and residue left behind.
Capacity and Batch Cooking:
One of the limitations of air fryers is their capacity. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may only be able to cook a few hamburgers at once. This can be a disadvantage if you're cooking for a large group or hosting a barbecue. Grills, especially larger outdoor grills, tend to offer more cooking space, making them better suited for batch cooking and serving larger crowds.
Sides and Accompaniments:
Both air fryers and grills can be used to cook side dishes alongside your hamburgers. Air fryers are versatile and can cook items like french fries, while also allowing you to toast burger buns. Grills, particularly charcoal grills, provide a unique flavor to grilled vegetables or sides, enhancing the overall barbecue experience.
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Patties from scratch
Air fryers are a great way to cook homemade hamburgers. They are fast, easy to clean, and can cook patties evenly without the need to flip them.
If you want to make your hamburger patties from scratch, you will need ground beef, and a variety of seasonings. Most recipes recommend an 80/20 blend of ground beef to keep the patties juicy without too much grease, but you can also use 90/10 or 85/15 blends. For seasoning, you can use salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and coconut aminos. Some recipes also suggest adding in barbecue sauce, butter, and beef soup base.
To make the patties, combine your ground beef with the seasonings in a bowl. Form the mixture into four equal parts and shape them into patties. Make the patties slightly bigger than your buns to allow for shrinkage, and make them about 3/4–1 inch thick. Use your thumb to make a small indent in the centre of each patty to prevent them from puffing up during cooking.
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Patties from frozen
Cooking hamburgers in an air fryer is a quick and convenient way to get a tasty, juicy burger with minimal prep and cleanup. It's also versatile—you can use beef, turkey, or chicken, and season and top your burger however you like.
To cook frozen hamburger patties in an air fryer, first preheat the air fryer to 370°F–390°F. Then, season your frozen patties generously with salt and pepper, and perhaps some garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or Worcestershire sauce. You can also buy pre-seasoned beef patties. Place the patties in the air fryer in a single layer to ensure they cook evenly. No need to thaw the patties or flip them halfway through.
Cooking times will depend on the size and thickness of your patties, as well as your desired doneness. For a medium internal temperature, cook the patties for 15–17 minutes. For a more precise measurement, use an instant-read thermometer: a temperature of 120ºF–125ºF in the centre indicates a medium-rare burger. If you prefer your burgers well done, simply increase the cooking time.
Once the patties are cooked to your liking, remove them from the air fryer and leave them to rest for 2–3 minutes before serving. You can add cheese to your burgers by placing a slice on each patty and letting it melt in the residual heat of the air fryer, or by transferring the patties to a plate, adding cheese, and covering with foil. Serve your burgers with your favourite toppings and sides, such as lettuce, tomato, onion, condiments, and onion rings or French fries.
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Melting cheese
To achieve the perfect melt, add cheese to your patties once they are cooked to your liking. Leave the cheese to melt in the residual heat of the air fryer for 1-2 minutes.
If you are cooking from frozen, you will need to add around 5-7 minutes to the cooking time, depending on the thickness of your patties. You can use a meat thermometer to ensure they are cooked to your liking.
For the perfect melt, it is recommended to use a slice of American cheese, but any other melting cheese slices will work. You can also add your burger buns to the air fryer for a minute or two to toast them.
Air frying is a great way to cook hamburgers, as it is fast, easy, and cooks the burgers evenly without the need to flip them. You can also add water to the bottom of the air fryer to prevent dripping grease from burning and creating excess smoke.
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Sides and toppings
The fun part about making hamburgers is that you can get creative with toppings and sides. The classic hamburger toppings include lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and pickles. You can also add cheese to make a cheeseburger. Cheddar, Swiss, and American cheese are popular options. If you like your cheese melted, place it on the patties while they are still hot and let the residual heat melt it, or put it back in the air fryer for a minute or two.
If you want to experiment with toppings, you can try mushrooms, fried eggs, bacon, jalapenos, green chillies, sauerkraut, roasted red bell peppers, or sautéed onions. You can also make your own burger sauce by mixing mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet relish, apple cider vinegar, honey, and ground black pepper.
For sides, you can make air fryer french fries to go with your burgers. If you want to make them in the air fryer, cook the fries first and set them aside. Once the burgers are done, add the fries back to the basket and cook at 400°F for 3-4 minutes. Alternatively, you can make oven fries or opt for a burger bowl, serving the patty over lettuce and toppings without the bun.
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Frequently asked questions
First, mix ground beef with your preferred seasonings in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into three equal-sized patties, making sure the centre of each patty is thinner than the edges. Place the patties in the air fryer basket, making sure they’re not stacked, and air fry at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 160°F for safe consumption.
Once the patties are cooked, add a slice of cheese on top of each burger. With the air fryer turned off, place the patties back in the basket for a couple of minutes to let the residual heat melt the cheese.
Air fryer hamburgers are less likely to overcook than those cooked on a grill or in a pan. This is because it’s easier to control the cooking time in an air fryer. However, you can also prevent overcooking by keeping an eye on the internal temperature of your patties with a meat thermometer.
