Making Burgers in a Cuisinart Air Fryer

I will throw a frozen patty at the next person who tells me they make the best burgers in an air fryer. Okay, that might be a little excessive, but enough is enough; I get it.

All this air fryer talk drove me to buy an air fryer right as the pandemic gained steam. We cooked more at home, so it seemed the right time to do it.

So I went online and bought a Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air fryer. I had no idea what I was doing initially.

I chose one of the most feature-rich air fryers available. The function buttons include Warm, Broil, Toast, Bake, and Air Fry. There was a learning curve here, but luckily, I did have the time to put in.

I made mistakes along the way, like when I cooked burgers using Broil and smoked out my entire house. What’s worse, I did this at 7 a.m.

Who wants to wake up to a smoke-filled home, not my wife…that’s for sure! So don’t be like this BEAST.

PRO-TIP:  Add a little water to your air fryer drawer or basket when cooking foods like bacon and burgers; it will prevent the smoke-fest.

Differences between Fresh and Frozen Burgers

Choosing between a fresh or frozen burger might be the most crucial decision.

Fresh Burgers in an Air Fryer

My first attempts at cooking burgers in the air fryer were using half-pound patties from Sunshine Provisions, the same kind I sell in my BEAST Boxes.

If you can use fresh, never frozen, you will ultimately get the best results with the air fryer. I have moved on to cooking fresh beef quarter-pound burgers, which I prefer.

The main reason is that they could cook faster, and I get impatient waiting. And if you prefer the half-pounders, you can always double up on the patties when assembling your cheeseburger.

Frozen Burgers in an Air Fryer

When I have no choice but to use frozen patties, Chop House By Holten Steak Burgers is my burger of choice. I’ve always got a backup box of these, so I’m always ready. Sam’s Choice Angus Beef Burgers is another excellent choice.

The patties are 1/3 pound, which puts them in a sweet spot between the sometimes not-so-filling 1/4 pound and the many times too-filling 1/2 pound. There is no reason to defrost these; they go straight in the air-fryer.

Many Bubba Burger fans wonder why I didn’t mention or use them. The truth is, I’m not a fan of Bubba Burgers, but you do what you have to do.

Air Fryer Burger Recipes aka Cooking Tips

You can find most of the products I use online.

Needed

• Beef Burger Patty, preferably quarter pound fresh beef
• Salt and Pepper
• Your favorite cheese
• Hamburger Bun of some kind

Burger Patties

If you keep it simple, you won’t have any issues. Fresh beef works best, but some might find it difficult for monetary reasons.

There’s no shame in any game as long as, in the end, everything tastes great.

Salt and Pepper?

Burgers in an air fryer tend to absorb the seasoning. Season the burger to your liking with Kosher Salt and Coarse Black Pepper for a little added texture.

I suggest patting down the seasoning into the patties, which only works on fresh beef. Then, for a flavor upgrade, try using Lawry’s Seasoned Salt or McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Kind of Cheese

There are two ways to approach this, and three if you want to use a microwave. You can either melt the cheese in the air fryer or let it happen naturally from the heat of the patty.

Let’s pretend I never mentioned the microwave option.

Choosing the cheese should be based solely on preference; I prefer a sharp cheddar for air-fried burgers. If we were smashing these burgers, I’d be all about American cheese.

I used Tillamook Swiss Cheese on this burger adventure because I use Tillamook most of the time; it’s a favorite of mine. I like Kraft Deli Deluxe American Cheese Slices in the American cheese space.

Hamburger Buns

I used Nature’s Own Brioche-Style Hamburger Buns on this burger, but I’d typically use old faithful Martin’s Potato Rolls.

There’s a reason I use their soft, pillowy potato buns in my boxes, and it’s cause they never disappoint. I have a wandering eye, but I know where my bread is buttered.

Cooking the Burgers

I set my air fryer to 400 degrees and have kept an eye on it since my smoke-out disaster.

It takes 7 to 11 minutes to reach that Medium-Well doneness. When I open the air fryer, I place the cheese on it and give it a little more time to melt.

I’ve taken the air fryer patties to my Blackstone a few times for a quick sear, but I think that defeats the purpose of using the air fryer in the first place.

The burgers, if cooked properly, should be juicy, so I suggest toasting the buns so the burger juice won’t soak through and cause a bun integrity issue.

No one needs that in their life.

Air Fryer Burger in Pictures

The Verdict

Use an air fryer if you’re looking for a “healthier” alternative to cooking burgers. Me? I’ll stick to heating french fries and onion rings in them.

Burgers are meant to be made on a flat-top-griddle or a char grill if that’s more your speed.