Can you make air fryer beef stew? Yes! You can air fry beef stew with a few tweaks to classic beef stew recipes. In this air fryer stew recipe, we’re using air fryer steak bites in place of traditional stew meat. Stew is one of those things everyone says you cannot cook in an air fryer. However, this delicious beef vegetable stew air fryer recipe proves them wrong!
I recently had a reader ask if they could make air fried stew. I replied that the problem with a beef stew air fryer recipe is cooking air fryer stew meat.
Stew meat is usually chuck roast or another cheap, tough cut of beef. The stew meat benefits from a long braise cook time over low heat. This allows the collagen and connective tissue in the meat to break down, and the stew meat to tenderize.
A stew meat air fryer recipe would basically be doing the opposite. Air fryers cook fast with dry heat. Beef stew meat in the air fryer ends up unpleasantly tough as a result.
Air Fryer Stew Ingredients
Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat
½ cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, diced
2 bay leaves
📌 FULL RECIPE :
°3 tbsp olive oil
°2 lbs beef cubes
°2 cubes onion
° 3 garlic lobes
° 340 ml of beer
° 4 cups of beef broth
°1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
°2 tbsp tomato paste
° 1/2 teaspoon paprika
°1 teaspoon thyme
°Salt and pepper
°1 teaspoon sugar
° 3 Large potatoes
Can you air fry stew meat?
You can make air fryer beef cubes for stew, but they should not be traditional chuck stew meat. Instead, cook beef tips in the air fryer, steak, or another quick-cooking cut of meat for stew.
In fact, you don’t even have to use beef in air fryer stew. Make chicken stew in air fryer with meat leftover from air fryer frozen chicken thighs. Or try lamb stew in air fryer with cubes of leftover air fryer lamb chops.
INSTRUCTIONS
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Spray your air fryer basket or tray with cooking spray. Place the biscuits in a non-touching single layer on your air fryer tray. Air fry biscuits at 325°F (163°C) for 6-8 minutes, carefully flipping them over halfway through cooking time. You want them to be about 1 minute underdone, as they’re going back in the air fryer later.
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Combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and onion powder. Brush this mixture on the steak. You can marinate the steak in the fridge, or pop it right in the air fryer if you’re short on time.
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Air fry the steak at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes. Use the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven. Then flip the steak, and air fry 5-10 minutes more, checking after 3 minutes. Cook the steak to whatever doneness you prefer, using a meat thermometer to check it.
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After air frying, set the beef aside to rest for 10 minutes, then cut it into 1-inch cubes (2.54 cm).
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While the cooked beef rests, work on the veggies. Cut the carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm). Mix with the oil.
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Air fry the vegetables for 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Add additional time as needed to soften them. You’re not looking to brown them much.
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Whisk the tomato paste, red wine, hot beef broth, thyme, and xanthan gum together for the stew gravy.
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Stir the beef, veggies, and gravy together and put in an oven-safe baking pan or ramekin that fits in your air fryer. Top with the biscuits (if using), and brush the biscuits with melted butter. Air fry at 325°F (163°C) for 3-5 minutes. (Use the middle rack if you have an air fryer oven.)
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After the stew has cooked, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese if desired, and serve.
NOTES
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles).
At almost 800 calories per serving, this air fryer stew is an energizing meal. To make a low calorie stew (or lower calorie), skip the biscuits.
This will drop each portion to about 500 calories per serving. Skipping the biscuits makes the stew somewhat low carb, but not keto.
That’s because the stew still contains potatoes, a starchy vegetable. The wine in the sauce doesn’t have a chance to cook off in air fryer stew.
That’s why I used much less than I would in stovetop stew. Additionally, the flavors in the stew aren’t given much as a chance to meld with the fast air fryer cook times.
If you want to develop the flavor in the stew, make it ahead, and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days.
After reheating, I think you’ll find it’s even closer to a stew made in the slow cooker, stove, or oven.
(You can also get away with using a little more wine if you are making it ahead. 😊)
Enjoy !!
