Leberkäse in the Air Fryer
A South German everyday classic in miniature: a smooth, seasoned meat mixture baked to a golden crust in the air fryer. Cut it into thick slices and serve it warm in a roll with mustard.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Formbrødsform About 1 litre, needs to fit in the basket
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
For the Mixture
- 400 g ground pork 8-12% fat, ice-cold
- 200 g ground beef 8-12% fat, ice-cold
100 g bacon Smoked, diced- 1 pcs onion Finely chopped
- 100 ml ice water
2 tsp salt- 2 tsp potato starch Binds the mixture
- 1 tsp white pepper Ground
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
For Serving
- 4 pcs bread rolls E.g. kaiser rolls
- 4 tbsp mustard Sweet German mustard, if possible
Instructions
Preparation
- Finely chop 1 pcs onion and dice 100 g bacon. Put the meat in the freezer for 15 minutes so it's completely ice-cold before you blend it.
- Add 400 g ground pork, 200 g ground beef, the bacon, the onion, 2 tsp salt and 2 tsp potato starch to a food processor. Blend in short bursts for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is completely smooth and even.
- Add 100 ml ice water a little at a time while you keep blending, and season with 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp dried marjoram, 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg and 0.5 tsp ground ginger. The mixture should turn glossy and stick together.
- Fill the mixture into a greased loaf tin of about 1 litre, pressing it well into the corners so no air pockets remain. Smooth the surface with a wet spoon and score a fine diamond pattern on top with a sharp knife.
Cooking in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 170 °C.
- Place the tin in the basket and bake the Leberkäse at 170 °C for 35 minutes. After 25 minutes, check whether the top is browning too much, and loosely cover it with a piece of foil if needed.
- Turn up the heat to 190 °C and bake for a further 5 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp.
- Check the core temperature in the middle of the Leberkäse with a meat thermometer. It should be 75 °C. If it's lower, give it another 3-5 minutes at 170 °C and check again.
Serving
- Let the Leberkäse rest in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out. This lets the mixture firm up and makes it easier to cut into neat slices.
- Cut the Leberkäse into thick slices, about 1.5 cm. If you'd like them extra crispy at the edges, give the slices 3-4 minutes at 200 °C in the air fryer.
- Halve 4 pcs bread rolls, place a warm slice in each and top with 4 tbsp mustard. Now you have a classic Leberkäsesemmel.
Notes
Tips for the perfect result:
Everything needs to be ice-cold — meat, bacon and water. If the mixture warms up while blending, it will split and the loaf will turn out dry and crumbly. Without curing salt, the mixture will be greyish inside instead of pale pink; the taste is exactly the same. Good to know:
Despite its name, Leberkäse doesn't actually contain any liver. The name refers to the shape — a fine meatloaf baked in a loaf tin. Variation:
Stir 100 g grated Emmental into the mixture at the end for a Käseleberkäse with melted veins of cheese. A pinch of ground cardamom gives it a more pronounced Bavarian flavour. Serving:
Serve the warm slices in a roll with sweet mustard as a Leberkäsesemmel, or with fried potatoes and pickled gherkins. Cold slices are also great on rye bread the next day. Serving size:
Use a tin that fits in your air fryer — about 20 x 10 cm. If your air fryer is smaller, you can divide the mixture between two small tins and bake them in two batches.
Everything needs to be ice-cold — meat, bacon and water. If the mixture warms up while blending, it will split and the loaf will turn out dry and crumbly. Without curing salt, the mixture will be greyish inside instead of pale pink; the taste is exactly the same. Good to know:
Despite its name, Leberkäse doesn't actually contain any liver. The name refers to the shape — a fine meatloaf baked in a loaf tin. Variation:
Stir 100 g grated Emmental into the mixture at the end for a Käseleberkäse with melted veins of cheese. A pinch of ground cardamom gives it a more pronounced Bavarian flavour. Serving:
Serve the warm slices in a roll with sweet mustard as a Leberkäsesemmel, or with fried potatoes and pickled gherkins. Cold slices are also great on rye bread the next day. Serving size:
Use a tin that fits in your air fryer — about 20 x 10 cm. If your air fryer is smaller, you can divide the mixture between two small tins and bake them in two batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 37gFat: 25gSaturated fat: 9gPolyunsaturated fat: 3gMonounsaturated fat: 10gTrans fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1500mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 3mgNet carbohydrates: 30g
