Can You Put Mince In An Air Fryer? (beef, turkey, pork, lamb & chicken mince)

In our never ending search for making life simple, especially in the kitchen, we decided to look at using the air fryer to cook everyday food items. In this article, we ask the question: can you cook minced beef in the air fryer?

The answer is yes you can, it’s super easy and the results will amaze you. There’s no fuss, no mess and it takes far less time than cooking mince on the hob. 

Keep reading to find out the best and simplest way to cook minced meat in an air fryer.

How To Cook Minced Beef In An Air Fryer

Once you’ve cooked your minced beef in this way, you’ll never want to cook it any other way again.

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) Minced Beef

Method

1. Place the minced beef in the air fryer basket
2. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently break the minced beef into small pieces
3. Cook at 180 C (350 F) for 9 minutes
4. After 3 minutes open the basket and stir the minced beef
5. Continue cooking
6. At 6 minutes open the basket and stir the minced beef again
7. Continue cooking
8. When the 9 minutes is up, remove the minced beef from the air fryer basket

The minced beef is now completely cooked and can be used in any of your favourite recipes. Please ensure the internal temperature reaches at least  71°C (160°F). 

You will find that the fat has remained in the base of the basket and can be poured away.

Can You Use Reduced Fat Minced Beef In The Air Fryer?

If you are not a fan of full fat minced beef, you can cook 20% fat, 10% fat or even 5% fat minced beef in the air fryer and get perfect results every time.

In fact, using minced beef with a lower fat content will help prevent the air fryer from smoking.

Can You Cook Frozen Minced Beef In An Air Fryer?

You can cook frozen minced beef in the air fryer, you just need to complete one step before following the recipe above.

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) Frozen Minced Beef

Method

1. Place the block of frozen minced beef in the air fryer basket
2. Cook for 10 minutes at the lowest temperature to partially defrost your minced beef
3. Set the air fryer at 180 C (350 F)
4. Cook for 9 minutes
5. After 3 minutes stir the minced beef using a spatula or wooden spoon
6. At the 6 minute mark, stir the minced beef again
7. At 9 minutes remove the minced beef from the basket and use in your favourite recipe

Can You Cook Turkey Mince In An Air Fryer?

You can cook turkey mince in an air fryer. In fact it’s a quick, easy and healthy way to cook minced turkey. 

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) Turkey Mince
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Method

1. Place the turkey mince in the air fryer basket 
2. Mix in the olive oil
3. Cook at 180 C (350 F) for 5 minutes
4. Stir the turkey mince and cook for a further 4 or 5 minutes
5. Using a meat thermometer, check that the internal temperature is at least 75 C (167 F)
6. If not cook for another 1 minute
7. Once the safe temperature has been achieved, remove the turkey mince and use in your favourite recipe

Turkey mince is an incredibly lean minced meat which makes it the perfect choice for many of your favourite meals that require minced meat.

Can You Cook Minced Pork In An Air Fryer?

It is possible to cook minced pork in the air fryer however, as pork has a high fat content, it is more likely to cause smoke.

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) Minced Pork

Method

1. Place the pork mince in the air fryer basket
2. Cook for 10 minutes at 180 C (350 F)
3. After 3 minutes stir the mince with a spatula or wooden spoon
4. Stir again after 6 minutes
5. At 10 minutes, check the internal temperature of the pork mince is at least 75 C (167 F) using a meat thermometer
6. If not cook for a further minute or until the desired temperature has been achieved

Can You Cook Lamb Mince In An Air Fryer?

You can cook lamb mince in an air fryer but, just like pork, as lamb has a high fat content, it could cause your air fryer to smoke.

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) Minced Lamb

Method

1. Place the lamb mince in the air fryer basket
2. Cook at 180 C (350 F) for 12 minutes
3. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the lamb mince after 3 minutes
4. Stir again after 6 minutes
5. Stir at 9 minutes
6. At 12 minutes, check the internal temperature of the lamb has reached at least 71 C (160 F)
7. If the desired safe temperature hasn’t been achieved, cook for a further minute and recheck
8. Once 71 C (160 F) has been achieved remove the mince from the basket and use in your favourite recipe

Can You Cook Minced Chicken In An Air Fryer?

Cooking minced chicken in an air fryer has all of the health benefits of cooking minced turkey and takes exactly the same time and method as turkey mince.

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) Minced Chicken
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Method

1. Place the chicken mince in the air fryer basket 
2. Mix in the olive oil
3. Cook at 180 C (350 F) for 5 minutes
4. Stir the chicken mince and cook for a further 5 minutes
5. Using a meat thermometer, check that the internal temperature is at least 75 C (167 F)
6. If not cook for another 1 minute
7. Once the safe temperature has been achieved, remove the chicken mince and use in your favourite recipe

SEE ALSO: Best Meat Thermometers (top digital probes)

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