Cooking a frozen Pasty in Air Fryer

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How to Cook a Proper Frozen Pasty in an Air Fryer (Without Ending Up with a Cold Core and Burnt Crust)

There’s a frozen pasty in your freezer right now, isn’t there? Sitting there like a Cornish treasure chest filled with steak, potato, swede and pure hope. But there’s a problem. Reheating it in the oven takes half a day and nuking it in the microwave turns the crust into rubber.

So what do you do?

You whip out your Ninja air fryer like the modern-day culinary warrior you are — and you follow this no-nonsense, crust-crunching, centre-heating guide to pasty perfection.

🥟 The Pasty in Question:

This isn’t your flimsy petrol station hand grenade.

We’re talking a real pasty. Thick crust, dense filling, probably heavy enough to use as a doorstop.

You want it crispy on the outside and hot in the middle, not the other way around (we’ve all made that tragic mistake once).

⚙️ What You’ll Need:

• 1 frozen pasty of substance and honour

• A Ninja air fryer (or other capable air blaster of justice)

• A sharp knife/skewer

• Some patience and a healthy fear of molten gravy

🔥 The Ultimate Air Fryer Method (Tested and Devoured):

Step 1: Preheat like a Pro

160°C (320°F) for 3 minutes

Your pasty deserves a warm welcome — not a sudden blast of heat trauma.

Step 2: Slow & Low – Warm the Heart

Cook at 160°C for 15 minutes

This is where the magic begins. You’re defrosting and heating the centre without blasting the crust into oblivion.

Do NOT flip yet. Let it sit there like a pastry spa treatment.

Step 3: Crank it Up – Crisp the Crust

Increase to 180°C for 10–12 minutes

Flip halfway through to make sure both sides get golden.

By now the smell should have neighbours peering through curtains like meerkats.

Step 4: Check the Core

Pierce the centre with a knife or skewer and leave it in for a few seconds.

Touch it to your lip (carefully). If it’s hot, it’s done. If not, give it another 3–5 minutes at 160°C to finish the job.

🕒 Total Time:

25–30 minutes

But let’s be honest — it’s worth every second.

Oven? Forget it. Microwave? Please. This is air fryer supremacy.

🧠 Top Tips From the Pasty Elite:

• Worried about over-browning?

  
  

  Wrap it loosely in foil for the first 10 minutes, then remove to crisp.

• Serving suggestion:

  
  

  Pair it with chip shop curry sauce, mushy peas, or a quiet moment of reflection in the garden with a cup of builder’s tea.

• Feeling smug?

  
  

  You should. You’ve just mastered one of the noblest arts of modern British cuisine.

🏆 Final Thoughts:

Cooking a frozen pasty in the air fryer isn’t just a kitchen task — it’s a rite of passage. It’s the difference between soggy sadness and crunchy victory.

So next time someone tells you they still use an oven, just smile knowingly. You, dear reader, are living in 2025 — and your pasty game is strong.