AirFryday: Pork sirloin roasted in an air fryer with ginger-garlic butter

I’ve been astonished to find how all-pervasive my air fryers have become. I feel almost guilty when approaching the big old gas oven. Maybe I owe it an apology.

And I’m wondering: am I nearing the end of my relationship with the old oven? It’s become an undeniable fact, lately, that I hardly ever roast anything in it. Almost all my roasts, whether chicken, beef, pork or even on occasion lamb, are roasted in an air fryer.

Now that a move to Cape Town has suddenly become near reality — we move in late November — I’m doing a lot of head scratching. Do I need to take the oven with me at all? Will I manage with air fryers sitting on counter tops from now on?

This could be where many of us are headed. We’ll have to see what reality brings. I’ll let you know once the decision has been made. For now, here’s what I roasted — yes, in an air fryer — the other day.

Ingredients

1 x 1.5kg whole slab of pork sirloin with a layer of fat

4 Tbsp butter mixed with:

2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger, and

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, plus

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste, and

1 tsp ground coriander

Method

Preheat an air fryer to 200°C.

In a small bowl, mix the butter with the fresh garlic and ginger, ground coriander and salt and white pepper.

Smear this all over the pork sirloin.

Place the roast directly into the air fryer — or place it in a small tasting pan that fits your air fryer — and roast it for 20 minutes at 200°C.

Turn the temperature down to 180°C.

Cover the joint with foil, tucking it underneath, and continue roasting for another 50 minutes to an hour.

Check for doneness by inserting a skewer to see whether juices run clear. If pink, cook a little longer and check again.

I like to serve roast pork with sautéed cabbage finished with a splash of hanepoot and seasoned with salt and pepper. A potato side dish is a perfect fit as well. DM

Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.

This dish is photographed on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.