Air Fryer Stew Meat With Garlic and Paprika

Air fryer stew meat with garlic and paprika starts on the stove, not with raw beef in the basket. Beef chuck needs a covered, gentle braise to become fork-tender; the air fryer then gives the cooked cubes browned edges. Plan on about 1½–2 hours of braising, followed by 5–7 minutes at 400°F (204°C). Preheat the air fryer for 3–5 minutes and shake the basket halfway through the finishing stage. This is a two-stage dinner, not a quick steak-bites recipe.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds beef chuck stew meat, cut into roughly 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

How To Make It

1. Trim away any large, tough pieces of surface fat and cut oversized beef pieces to about 1 inch. Put the beef in a snug, heavy pot with a lid. Pour in the broth; it should come partway up the meat. Add a little water if needed for your pot.
2. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1½–2 hours, checking occasionally that there is still liquid in the pot. Add a splash of water if it runs low. Continue cooking until the cubes yield easily to a fork; if they resist, keep simmering and check again.
3. Drain the cooked beef and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss the warm cubes with the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C) for 3–5 minutes with its basket and crisper plate in place.
4. Spread the beef directly on the perforated crisper plate in a loose, single layer. Air fry for 5–7 minutes, shaking halfway, until the edges are browned. Serve promptly.

Tips

Use chuck, or stew meat specifically labeled as chuck: a brief blast of dry heat alone will not tenderize this cut. The braise does that work, while drying the cubes and leaving space between them helps the surfaces brown. Cook in batches if your basket is crowded. No pan or liner is needed for the air-fryer stage; keep the perforations open for airflow, and never put loose parchment in an empty preheating air fryer.

For a make-ahead version, refrigerate the braised beef promptly in shallow containers. When finishing refrigerated beef later, use a food thermometer and heat the pieces to 165°F (74°C); they may need longer than 5–7 minutes. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours.

Spoon the garlicky beef over mashed potatoes or rice and enjoy those browned, paprika-seasoned edges.