miller and carter style steak experience in an airfryer
The Miller and Carter chain of restaurants offer something they call ‘steak experience’, a dinner of fries, a lettuce wedge, a sauce, an onion loaf, and of course steak the way you want it. But I wondered… can you make it in a Miller and Carter airfryer steak experience?
In a word, yes!
The Miller and Carter steak experience as described on their website
I’ve made lots of the components of this before. But with my new Ninja airfryer, with two drawers and a temperature probe, makes it a great way to juggle all the elements.
Air fryers have revolutionized home cooking, offering a convenient and healthier alternative to traditional frying methods. With their rapid air technology, air fryers can crisp up food to perfection, giving you that irresistible crunch without the need for excessive oil. But can they handle something as delicate and precise as a premium steak?
Turns out using the probe in the Ninja stops the cooking when it’s exactly right. You don’t need that however, a regular meat thermometer will do. Just check your steak after about 6 minutes, until the thickest part of the steak is the temperature below. Remember the internal temp will rise up to 10 degrees more while resting (known as ‘carry over’ cooking). Use whatever steak you prefer – a ribeye will need a little more cooking to crisp the fat, whereas a rump steak can be a little more rare.
What I would recommend is an airfryer with two drawers, so that you can cook the parts separately before bringing them together on your plate.
A couple of caveats: some elements I don’t do in the air fryer. The lettuce wedge (of course), a sauce (not impossible but more effort in the airfryer than it’s worth. Make it in advance and reheat as you need it), and the tomato (which is an absolute waste of space on the plate). But the steak, fries and onion loaf are absolutely doable. I’ve given instructions for the onion loaf previously, it just needs 5-10 minutes in your airfryer.
Is it as good as a pan-cooked steak with deep-fried chips? No, not quite. I would love a greater sear on the steak, and the perfect crisp fries you only get from deep-frying. But for a midweek treat that makes less mess, less smell and let’s face it – is a bit healthier, it’s a great alternative. Give this Miller and Carter airfryer meal a try!
miller and carter airfryer steak experience
Ingredients
For the onion loaf (makes about 4):
- 2 onions approx 350g once prepared
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons plain flour about 50g
- milk just a splash optional
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
For the fries:
- 1 large floury potato eg. Maris Piper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the steak:
- 450 g steak rump, rib-eye as you prefer
For the salad:
- ¼ iceberg lettuce
- caesar sauce to taste
- blue cheese to taste
Instructions
For the onion loaf:
- Peel and halve the onions. Slice into thin half moons and place into a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with salt and stir well to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes to soften.
- After 30 minutes fill the onion bowl with cold water. Swish them around in the water, then drain them off and rinse in more cold water to get as much salt off as possible. Tip them onto a clean tea towel or several layers of paper towel. Squeeze and squish them dry.
- Beat the egg and mix with the flour, pepper and paprika. If needed add tiny amounts of milk (like a teaspoon at a time) to make a batter thick like custard. Stir the dried onions in. You will not need to salt this batter, the salt soaking earlier will do your salting for you.
- Take the onion batter and form into blocks approx 2cm deep. You can freeform this, or you can use a mini-loaf baking tray, lined with cling film. Cover and freeze for at least an hour but they can be frozen for months at this point. The freezing helps the onions bind together.
For the steak:
- Set the steak on a rack over a baking tray. Sprinkle with a fine dusting of salt and leave uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the fries:
- Cut your potato(es) into 1cm chips. Leave in cold water for 30 minutes to rinse off excess starch.
Start cooking:
- Drain your fries and drain really well, patting dry. Drizzle with oil and start cooking them at 200°C.
- Put your airfryer on to 200°C and get your steak on to cook in another drawer. Cook for 8-15 minutes depending on your steak and how done you want it (refer to temperatures in the main post). Leave to rest for 5 minutes while you finish the sides.
- After the fries have had 10 minutes, give them a good shake. Push to one side and add one of your onion loaves. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
- While everything else finishes cooking, prepare your lettuce. Slice a big wedge, drizzle over your sauce and top with blue cheese.
- When the fries and onion loaf are ready, serve your steak alongside your sides. Top the steak with a pat of butter and serve immediately.