This Air Fryer Roast Beef is the juiciest most succulent way to cook a topside joint of beef. After using your air fryer to roast beef you’ll never go back to oven cooking. Serve perfectly medium to really wow your guests.
Why air fry your roast beef rather than cooking in an oven?
Roast beef is an absolute thing of joy when cooked perfectly. And for me, perfectly is medium so you still have a lovely blush of pink throughout.
I think it is easier to get a lovely even cook on a joint of beef with using an air fryer. This gives you the perfect pink interior with a deliciously browned crust. Who could ask for more than that?!
Air fryers cook food quicker than a standard convection oven which is great for saving energy and pennies but also for busy families that want to be able to make food quickly.
Another advantage is that air fryers are smaller than ovens so you’re not heating up a full-sized oven but instead a smaller air fryer. This means you’re using less energy because you’re heating up a smaller appliance as well as the food cooking quicker.
Once you have air fried your beef joint, I really don’t think you’ll go back to oven cooking it.
Which cut of beef is recommended to use?
Most British supermarkets sell ‘beef roasting joints’ and don’t boldly state which actual cut they are. However if you look more closely on the label they are usually topside, top rump or silverside.
These cuts are the most readily available which is why I chose to use them in this recipe as everyone should be able to get hold of them.
They also usually come in a variety of price points ranging from the more inexpensive to finest joints. You can select the joint which you are most comfortable with.
All three are similar cuts of lean beef. Some supermarkets sell joints with basting fat but I opt to not use them for this recipe.
You do not want to use a beef brisket joint for this air fryer roast beef. Be careful as they are often similar in appearance at a glance and near each other on the shelves.
Selecting your beef joint
When choosing your beef joint, try to pick one that is the same size throughout. Some are thicker at one end and then thinner at the other.
The issue with these is that the whole joint won’t cook at the same time. You run the risk of the thinner end being overcooked while the thicker end may be more rare than you were hoping for.
Although I have used a 1.2kg joint for this recipe, you can use a larger joint. You do just need to make sure that your beef will comfortably fit in you air fryer with enough room for the air to still circulate.
I use my smaller air fryer when developing recipes because I think it is closer to the size more people will have. It has a 3.5L basket and this joint fit very comfortably so you could go for a little larger.
If you do decide to cook a larger joint, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Keep the initial higher temperature cook the same, just increase the longer cook at a lower temperature.
how long to air fry beef for
This is largely down to personal preference of how you like to eat your beef. I like to serve my roast beef medium where it has a lovely browned exterior but the interior is soft and blushing.
Everyone has their own preference when it comes to eating beef. You can definitely reduce the cooking time to serve the beef rare or medium rare. And increase the cooking time to medium well or even well (if you must!).
It is definitely worth remembering that your beef will continue to cook slightly as it rests. So make sure you remove it from the air fryer a couple of degrees before it reaches the desired internal temperature.
This is why I find food thermometers incredibly handy in the kitchen. You don’t necesserily need to buy the branded option, there are thermometers for all budgets.
Use the chart below as a guide to cook the beef to your liking. Keep cooking the beef in 5 minute intervals until it reaches your desired temperature.
| Rare | 49 – 54°C | 120 – 130°F |
| Medium Rare | 54 – 57°C | 130 – 135°F |
| Medium | 57 – 63°C | 135 – 145°F |
| Medium Well | 63 – 68°C | 145 – 155°F |
| Well Done | 68°C+ | 155°F+ |
do you need to preheat an air fryer?
That depends on your air fryer, some require preheating whilst others don’t. I have a Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 multicooker and a Ninja Foodi Flexdrawer and I have never preheated either.
If your air fryer does require preheating, make sure you are careful when placing your beef in the basket. Use tongs or a kitchen fork to avoid the basket.
Your beef might cook slightly quicker if you have preheated your air fryer so I’d recommend checking it a couple of minutes earlier than the recipe states.
can you use an air fryer liner?
Air fryer liners are a great time saving addition because they are usually easier to wash than the basket of your air fryer.
Most reusable air fryer liners are silicone and although they are handy to have, I wouldn’t recommend using them for all recipes.
I wouldn’t personally use a liner for roast beef because you don’t want the joint sitting in any juices. I like the juices to run under the rack/basket which I can then add to any gravy I make.
I’ve written a whole post on whether you should use an air fryer liner, check it out for more information.
how to serve air fryer roast beef
The most obvious and classic way to serve this air fryer roast beef is as part of a roast dinner. Don’t worry, I’ve got a whole list of sides that you can serve with this delicious meat.
- Rosemary & Garlic Roast Potatoes
- Roasted Air Fryer Carrots
- Easy Sausage Meat Stuffing
- Roasted Air Fryer Parsnips
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Creamed Savoy Cabbage
how to use leftover roast beef
I always make sure I have enough leftovers of the beef and the rest of the roast dinner so I can basically create a mini version the next day.
Don’t forget you can also use any leftover vegetables to make air fryer bubble & squeak which is a perfect accompaniment to leftover beef.
Leftover roast beef is absolutely delicious in my chow mein, albeit slightly different to how it would be from a Chinese takeaway.
You could also make poutine inspired loaded fries by chopping up some of the beef and adding it to fries before scattering over cheese and piping hot gravy.
Along the same lines with the gravy, you could generously fill a baguette with thin slices of beef before dipping it in gravy.
Other recipes you might like
- Simple Air Fryer Whole Roast Chicken
- Honey Glazed Ham
- Simple Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Beef & Ale Stew
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Air Fryer Roast Beef
This Air Fryer Roast Beef is the juiciest most succulent way to cook a topside joint of beef. After using your air fryer to roast beef you'll never go back to oven cooking. Serve perfectly medium to really wow your guests.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg roasting beef joint top rump/topside
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
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Take your 1.2kg beef roasting joint out of the fridge approximately 30 minutes before you want to start cooking so it comes up to room temperature
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Preheat your air fryer if needed
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If your joint has a netting, I'd remove this but if it has string, I keep this on. Use kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture from the beef joint
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Rub 2 tsp vegetable oil into the beef joint before sprinkling it with 2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper
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Place in your air fryer basket and cook at 200°C for 10 minutes
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Reduce the heat to 180°C and cook until the internal temperature is to your liking. 30-35 minutes should achieve a medium cook on your beef with an internal temperature around 57°C. Keep cooking for longer if you want a more well done beef but remember as the beef rests it will keep cooking slightly.
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Leave to rest for 30 minutes wrapped in foil before carving
Jen says
I picked up some topside at the weekend and used your recipe. Easy to follow and turned out perfect. Will use this method again.