If there's one celebrity chef you can rely on for air fryer hacks, it's Jamie Oliver. Even before the release of his appliance-specific cookbook Jamie was a champion of the best air fryers for speedy, convenient cooking. And now he's turned his attention to the ever-useful kitchen appliance for dealing with Christmas leftovers too.
While some might scoff at the idea of turning away from their traditional bubble and squeak recipe on Boxing Day, this air fryer hack is one way to turn cooking after Christmas into a quick affair – in fact, Jamie says it's a method that takes him just 20 minutes.
You don't need any extra equipment to take advantage of this approach, though I can definitely recommend Jamie's Easy Air Fryer cookbook (now £13 at Amazon) if you want all-year-round inspiration. I've been turning to my copy for meal ideas all the time.
Jamie Oliver's Boxing Day air fryer hack
If you end up staring down your leftover carrots and potatoes after the big day in desperate need of a little inspiration, Jamie's advice is straightforward: 'simply chuck it in the air fryer!'.
In a video posted to his Instagram, he shows himself chopping his veg and then folding it all together into bite sized balls which go straight into his air fryer tray. Not only is it convenient to serve if you're hosting but it's also super quick.
Jamie's full recipe can be found via his website and though he uses his trusty Tefal air fryer (of which he has his own model) for his patties in his video, any drawer-style version will work. Just remember to set it to air fry at 190°C for 15 minutes.
This isn't the first time one of Jamie's air fryer techniques has helped me to cut down on time spent sweating over a hot stove, as I've also been adopting his 'take the tray out' approach to my trusty appliance recently too for all-in-one meals.
Finding inventive ways to use your air fryer might feel like a foreign concept if you've owned one for a few years now, but a good cookbook definitely helps to spark new ideas.
My favourite thing about this book is the 6-ingredient recipes, a lifesaver for when I'm totally out of dinner ideas and running low on time. If you want to cook along with Jamie from the recipes in this book then we've also tested his signature air fryer – our Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer review has the full details.
When Boxing Day rolls around I'm definitely going to be trying this trick out to make sure nothing goes to waste. Will you be giving this one a go too?
