Meaty Main Dishes Made in Your Air Fryer

Pork Schnitzel

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 14 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Season both sides of the pork chops with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper.
2. On a plate, place the flour.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.
4. In another large bowl, place the breadcrumbs.
5. Season the flour with the paprika and season the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
6. To bread the pork, place a pork chop in the flour, then into the whisked eggs, and then into the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded pork onto a plate and finish breading the remaining pork chops.
7. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees.
8. Place the pork chops into the air fryer, not overlapping and working in batches as needed. Spray the pork chops with cooking spray and cook for 8 minutes; flip the pork and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes or until cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
9. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serve with spätzle and a tossed salad to complete this German meal.

Beef Short Ribs

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 pound beef short ribs

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and ginger. Transfer the mixture to a large resealable plastic bag, and place the garlic cloves and short ribs into the bag. Secure and place in the refrigerator for an hour (or overnight).
2. When you’re ready to prepare the dish, preheat the air fryer to 330 degrees.
3. Liberally spray the air fryer basket with olive oil mist and set the beef short ribs in the basket.
4. Cook for 10 minutes, flip the short ribs, and then cook another 10 minutes.
5. Remove the short ribs from the air fryer basket, loosely cover with aluminum foil, and let them rest. The short ribs will continue to cook after they’re removed from the basket. Check the internal temperature after 5 minutes to make sure it reached 145 degrees if you prefer a well-done meat. If it didn’t reach 145 degrees and you would like it to be cooked longer, you can put it back into the air fryer basket at 330 degrees for another 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the basket and let it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

If you prefer more of a rare meat, decrease the cooking time to 14 minutes total.

Mustard-Crusted Ribeye

Cook time: 9 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Rub the steaks with the salt and pepper. Then spread the mustard on both sides of the steaks. Cover with foil and let the steaks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees.
3. Cook the steaks for 9 minutes. Check for an internal temperature of 140 degrees and immediately remove the steaks and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Sirloin steaks are a leaner cut. If you opt for a sirloin, you’ll need to reduce the cooking time.

Try this dish with any of your favorite steak seasonings.

Steakhouse Burgers with Red Onion Compote

Cook time: 22 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced and divided

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

4 brioche hamburger buns

1 cup arugula

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, 1 of the minced garlic cloves, the Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Form the meat into 1-inch-thick patties. Make a dent in the center (this helps the center cook evenly). Let the meat sit for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the olive oil and red onion for 4 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Add in the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and tomato paste, and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the onion compote to a small bowl.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
4. In another small bowl, mix together the remaining minced garlic, the mayonnaise, and the sour cream. Spread the mayo mixture on the insides of the brioche buns.
5. Cook the hamburgers for 6 minutes, flip the burgers, and cook an additional 2 to 6 minutes. Check the internal temperature to avoid under- or overcooking. Hamburgers should be cooked to at least 160 degrees. After cooking, cover with foil and let the meat rest for 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, place the buns inside the air fryer and toast them for 3 minutes.
7. To assemble the burgers, place the hamburger on one side of the bun, top with onion compote and 1/4 cup arugula, and then place the other half of the bun on top.

From a food safety perspective, we always advise cooking red meat to medium or well done.

This is a fancier burger for many people, but don’t underestimate these flavors! You won’t miss the classic tomato and onion slices. But, if you prefer the classic version, opt for sliced tomatoes, onions, and crisp lettuce instead.

Chicken Souvlaki Gyros

Cook time: 18 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 lemon, sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 whole-grain pita breads

1 cup shredded lettuce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup cucumber yogurt sauce

Directions

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, lemon, and salt. Add the chicken to the bag and secure shut. Vigorously shake until all the ingredients are combined. Set in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate.
2. When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees.
3. Liberally spray the air fryer basket with olive oil mist. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the leftover marinade. Place the chicken into the air fryer basket, allowing enough room between the chicken breasts to flip.
4. Cook for 10 minutes, flip, and cook another 8 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the air fryer basket when it has cooked (or the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees). Let rest 5 minutes. Then thinly slice the chicken into strips.
6. Assemble the gyros by placing the pita bread on a flat surface and topping with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and a drizzle of yogurt sauce.
7. Serve warm.

Warm the pita bread in the air fryer for a minute for a restaurant-like feel.