3 chef-approved tips on how to use your air fryer to prepare for a BBQ from things to prep ahead to pre-cooking your main event

Your air fryer is about to become your secret weapon

Outdoor kitchen with tiled splashback and Big Green Egg
(Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderon)

Hosting a BBQ is all fun and games until you end up sweating over hot coals rather than talking to any of your guests or (god forbid!) relaxing. If that sounds familiar, you've probably wondered at some point whether outdoor cooking is worth the hassle at all.

That's where I've found using my pick of the best air fryers to prep for the occasion can be so helpful. As well as my own experiences, I've rounded up tips and hacks from cooking experts so that you can master the best BBQ this summer and still have time to relax with a spritz in hand.

1. Prep sides ahead of time

Yes, this one is obvious but ultimately it works. Prep all of your sides in your air fryer ahead of time and then simply program it to start 30-45 minutes before you're ready to serve up your main event on your BBQ.

I'm talking chips, Mediterranean veg – even corn on the cobs (if you haven't tried this in air fryer yet then please go forth and enjoy). I've been relying on my air fryer for these extras for a while now with success, and I'm not the only one.

a compact outdoor kitchen with several units and a big green egg BBQ, with a duck egg blue painted wooden shed in the background

(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)

Kenny Tutt, MasterChef champion from 2018 and owner of nation-wide burger restaurant Patty Guy, was initially skeptical of air fryers altogether, but came around to using one to help with barbecueing.

'I do lots of sides in there when I’m doing a BBQ like some little parmentier potatoes -padron peppers are amazing in there too.'

His favourite side to make alongside a BBQ? 'My current thing is miso sweet potatoes – coat the sweet potatoes in some miso butter (mix some miso paste into some softened butter) before you cook them in the air fryer – these are a great side for any BBQ spread.'

You'll never regret the time you spent getting ahead before your guests arrive.

2. Part-cook the main event

Not all of us have the budget or space for a huge BBQ – I'm currently using this Cadac BBQ (£122 at Amazon) which is certainly mighty but also very small. That means that getting everything cooked together in good time can be a challenge.

Enter, your air fryer. Use it to get ahead in part-cooking meat like chicken, so that once you've finished with your burgers and sausages, you can stick it on the BBQ to finish.

Dean Harper, Chef at Harper Fine Dining agrees that this is a great cheat to time-save.

'For meats, you can pre-cook things like sausages or ribs in the air fryer to give them a head start,' says Dean. 'Then finish them on the BBQ to get that smoky flavour and grill marks.'

Outdoor kitchen with BBQ and pizza oven

(Image credit: Jemma Watts/Future Publishing Ltd)

'It’s a handy way to ensure everything is cooked through without having to worry about overcooking or drying out the more delicate cuts while you're focusing on the grill. Plus, it cuts down on prep time, so you can enjoy more of the party!'

3. Keep ready food warm

If you're cooking for a crowd, then you might need to keep certain things warm before serving, which most air fryers have a setting for.

This is especially if you use the Jamie Oliver hack of doubling up space by using a rack inside the drawers, which essentially doubles the space available to you. In there, you can keep meat or sides warm until just the right time.

Mini outdoor kitchen set up on wooden fence panel with stacked crates

(Image credit: Future Plc/Carolyn Barber)

If you haven't invested into the air fryer craze yet and you are a BBQ enthusiast, you could even combine the two together depending on which model you go for. Below you can find a few picks that we've tested that are great for BBQing and air frying alfresco.

Hopefully, with these tips you'll be able to cook a delicious spread and have time to entertain your guests. Have you got any hacks you use with your air fryer to stay on top of a BBQ?

Molly Cleary
Kitchen Appliances Editor

Molly is Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor, the Ideal Home Certified Expert on Appliances. An all-around cooking and baking enthusiast, she loves finding the next must-have product for readers that will their kitchen a better place. She joined the team in September 2022 after working on the editorial teams of Real Homes, Homes & Gardens and Livingetc.

For the last 4 years, she's been reviewing hundreds of small appliances; conducting tests at home or in the Ideal Home test kitchen. She would be hard-pressed to pick a Mastermind specialist subject but air fryers are her ultimate area of expertise, after testing just about every single one released since 2022.

To keep ahead of trends and new releases, Molly has visited the testing and development spaces of multiple kitchen brands including Ninja Kitchen and Le Creuset as well as attended consumer shows such as IFA, hosted in Berlin to see the cooking innovations of the future.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.