Air Fryer Ground Beef

Discover the benefits of Air Fryer Ground Beef versus cooking on the stove and get step by step instructions.

Video: Ground Beef In The Air Fryer

Why Cook Ground Beef In The Air Fryer?

There are a few great reasons to cook ground beef in the air fryer. First, it’s very hands off. You put the ground beef into the air fryer basket, season it, close it up and let it be. When you cook ground beef on the stove you usually have to stir it much more often, and keep your eye on it.

The other reason to cook ground beef in the air fryer is that the fat gets drained away as it cooks. The perforations in the air fryer basket are perfect for the fat to drain off of the meat. This means that the meat isn’t cooking in fat the entire time.

Also, when the meat is finished cooking, you just lift out the basket and the fat is all left behind. That means that you don’t have to strain it or use a spoon to scoop out the fat, like you do when you cook it on the stove.

So by cooking ground beef in the air fryer, you get hands-free cooking with leaner meat and an easier clean up. Win-win-win!

The only drawback to cooking ground beef in the air fryer is that it can be a bit dry. That’s because of the fat draining away. If you’re using the beef in a sauce, like spaghetti sauce, that’s totally fine and you won’t notice. If it’s going to be more plain, like in tacos, you will probably want to add a sauce.

How To Cook Ground Beef In The Air Fryer

Use thawed ground beef for this. If it isn’t already defrosted, use one of the quick methods for defrosting ground beef from over here.

Put the ground beef, up to 1 and 1/2 pounds, into the basket of the air fryer. Season it with salt and pepper.

Use a wooden spoon to break it up and stir the seasonings in.

Let the ground beef cook in the air fryer set to 400°F for 5 minutes. Stir it up a bit. Cook some more for another 3-5 minutes, until cooked through. Use a wooden spoon to break it all up.

Then your ground beef will be cooked and crumbled. You can crumble it more or less.

Finally, lift the basket out and you’ll see that all the fat and liquid has been drained off. A little bit of meat might have gotten through the perforations of the basket, but not much.

And there you have it, perfectly cooked ground beef in the air fryer ready to use in your favorite meal like Ground Beef Casserole or Southern Style Baked Beans.