The oven is loaded, the beef is resting, and someone is hovering close to the hob with a jug of batter, wondering if the oil is hot enough yet. If you walk into any British kitchen on a Sunday afternoon, there’s usually a moment of quiet tension. For something so basic, Yorkshire puddings have an odd weight. There are four components. However, the anxiety they cause is completely out of proportion.
This is likely the reason why dual drawer air fryers are becoming more popular, raising the obvious question of whether they are truly effective.
In a nutshell, the answer is yes. Before you pour that batter and hope for the best, there are a few things you should know about the longer answer.
An intriguing opportunity for a Sunday roast is created by the dual drawer format, which has two separate baskets operating concurrently at different temperatures. The practical reasoning behind the popularity of these machines in smaller British kitchens with genuinely limited oven space is that you can run your Yorkies in one drawer while vegetables or pigs in blankets finish in the other. It’s not a ruse. It resolves an actual issue.
With one significant exception, the process is comparable to oven baking for the puddings themselves. A pudding cooked right in the basket runs the risk of having a soggy base and a scorched top—the exact opposite of what you want—because most air fryers circulate heat so violently. This is directly addressed in the BBC’s air fryer Yorkshire pudding recipe, which suggests cooking the batter in a tiny baking tin set on a trivet inside the drawer. This avoids the dreaded undercooked bottom by allowing air to circulate underneath. It is a minor change that has a big impact.
Home cooks seem to have the most problems with temperature. Depending on your model, the sweet spot is between 180°C and 200°C. It is almost a must to preheat the air fryer for at least five minutes before adding the batter. The other fixed point is hot oil. If batter is dropped into improperly heated oil, the pudding will not rise; instead, it will just sit there looking dejected and a little depressed. Flicking a small drop of batter into the hot oil is a helpful test that comes from traditional pan cooking. You’re ready if it sizzles instantly and firmly. Give it another two minutes if it doesn’t.
In dual-drawer air fryers, both individual molds and ramekins produce puddings with the traditional high walls and hollow center that make them so satisfying for holding gravy. In online conversations among home cooks, metal muffin tins and ceramic ramekins are the most frequently mentioned options. Foil cases, similar to those used for jam tarts, appear to function surprisingly well and can be reused. That solution has an almost improvisational quality, but in cooking, improvisation is frequently where the best things happen.
A tray that fits the drawer snugly is essential for people who prefer a single large pudding over individual ones. Instead of the customary individual serving, the batter spreads, and the edges rise sharply, creating something more akin to a massive, shareable centerpiece. This was made in an air fryer that had been preheated to 200°C. Food writer Fanny Chupp, who has been conducting a structured series testing Yorkshire pudding variables, poured batter into a tray with properly hot vegetable oil and cooked it for fourteen minutes. She observed that the outcome had a soft center and golden edges; it was more pancake-like in texture than the crisp individual pudding, but it was still excellent and useful for a gathering.
Timing is one area where the dual drawer format excels. Once you understand how your particular air fryer behaves, which varies, you can arrange drawers with a level of assurance that is rarely possible with an oven full of trays. One drawer is used to cook puddings for twenty minutes at 180°C, while the other drawer is used to handle something at a completely different temperature. Without the temperature change that results from opening and closing a shared oven door, the machine controls both.
Even so, it’s important to keep in mind that not every dual drawer air fryer is created equal. A tin that fits neatly in a Ninja AF400 drawer might not fit in a smaller Salter model because different brands have different drawer sizes. Before purchasing specialized equipment, check the internal dimensions to avoid frustration. After two or three tries, most cooks find their rhythm and modify the timing by one or two minutes based on the results of the first batch.
Yorkshire puddings have historically rewarded focus over intricate technique. That doesn’t change with the dual drawer air fryer; it simply shifts the Sunday roast battle from the oven to the kitchen counter, where the outcomes are usually worthwhile.
FAQs
1. Can you actually cook Yorkshire puddings in a dual drawer air fryer?
Yes — they rise well and cook evenly with the right equipment.
2. What temperature should the air fryer be set to for Yorkshire puddings?
Between 180°C and 200°C, depending on your specific model.
3. Why do my Yorkshire puddings come out with a soggy bottom in the air fryer?
Cook them in a baking tin on a trivet, not directly in the basket.
4. How do I know when the oil is hot enough before adding the batter?
Dropped batter should sizzle immediately — if it doesn’t, wait longer.
5. What containers work best for individual Yorkshire puddings in a dual drawer air fryer?
Ceramic ramekins, metal muffin tins, and reusable foil cups all work well.
