My simple instructions for How to Air Fry Herring make the most of this nutritious oily fish. Whole fresh herring are economical to buy, packed with flavour and air fry in less than 10 minutes – what’s not to love?!
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Herring are a sustainable fish native to the UK and have been eaten for centuries – most often salted or smoked to preserve them. You may be familiar with smoked herring and not realise it – these are kippers!
Whole herring are extraordinaritly good value to buy and far easier to cook than you might first imagine – especially if you buy then ready gutted. If you’re screamish about whole fish with their heads, simply ask for them to be cut off when you buy or carefully and quickly do it yourself.
You do need to be cautious of the small bones when eating whole herring. But once you become a bit more familiar with the fish and it’s structure, it is actually easy to scrape the flesh off the bones in one easy movement. Just do please exercise caution when eating, no matter how experienced or condident you are.
Jump to…
- HOW TO SERVE
- INGREDIENTS
- HOW LONG TO AIR FRY HERRINGS
- HOW TO AIR FRY HERRING FROM FROZEN
- LEFTOVERS
- COMMON AIR FRYER QUESTIONS
- THE RECIPE IN FULL
The Air Fried Fish & Shellfish Collection
Find all of my best fish and shellfish recipes in one easy place.
Featuring everything from king prawns and scallops to haddock fillets, sea bass and sea bream as well as whole plaice, cod loins, mackerel fillets and of course I couldn’t miss out salmon fillets!
How to Serve
A simply grilled whole fish gives me summer med or northern Europen vibes. For the images on this page, I stuck with serving a series of salads starting with my herby warm potato salad for bulk, a simple tomato and quick picked red onion salad and some cooked beetroot. I made a quick sauce by mixing the beetroot juices with some sour cream and a little salt. The colour was magnificnt if nothing else. Some spinach leaves acting as a bed for the fish rounded things off along with another slice of lemon.
But herring has a strong flavour and can really stand up to some fairly heavy duty seasoning. So try adding a jerk or cajun seasoning and serving with my mango salsa and coriander rice. Or brush with teriyaki sauce and serve with simple chow mein noodles and edamame beans.
Ingredients
Herring
You may struggle to find herring outside of a fishmongers, supermarket fish counters or online fish retailers. But if you have one of these options, they will almost certainly sell herring. You can ask for them to be gutted and the fins removed or do it yourself like I show in the recipe.
As with any fish, you want to be looking for as fresh a fish as possible. Clear, not clooudy eyes and no overpowering “fishy” smell are good indicators. Also look for fish with intact, not broken fins as this can be a sign that they’re been manhandled rather than treated with care. Mostly, trust your gut.
Whole frozen herring aren’t that common but if you can get some, or you want to freeze them yourself, there is no problem with this. But I would suggest gutting and preparing them fully before freezing.
Butter
The butter both adds flavour and helps the skin to crisp. I only use salted butter as a general rule so if you insist on using unsalted, make sure to add some extra salt to the recipe.
If you don’t want to use melted, butter, you can brush or spray on oil instead – just make sure to choose either a neutral oil like vegetable or an oil with flavours that complement with the rest of your meal.
Salt
Salt is essential. I use Maldon flaky sea salt which is always my preference for seasoning. If you are using a fine salt, you will want to use half as much as in the recipe as it will be twice as strong in the same volume. You can always add more when serving.
You can of course also use other seasonings. Just make sure that that salt is included in there somewhere.
Lemon
The lemon flavours and seasons the herring from the inside. You can skip this step or switch it for another citrus option if you prefer.
Ideally you should but unwaxed lemons. And I have learnt the hard way that very cheap lemons tend to have a lot of seeds and much less juice. So if you are able, I do reccomend buying a slightly better quality option. Ultimately they do tend to be better value. Either way, do please make sure to remove the seeds from the lemon slices before putting into the fish cavities.
If you don’t have fresh lemons, a spritz of bottled lemon juice will be a good alternative.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, gluten and nuts.
Dairy Free: Replace the dairy butter with a plant based alternative or any other oil.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Herrings
Just like most other fish, whole herring cook exceptionlly quickly. In this case the herring which are roughly 125g/4oz each cook in just 8 minutes. Due to how delicate the fish is as it starts to cook, I don’t suggest trying to turn the fish during cooking.
If your fish are substantially larger or smaller, I would reccomend increasing or reducing the cooking time accordingly.
How to Air Fry Herring From Frozen
You can air fry the herring from frozen with a few caveats. Firstly the fish will need to have been fully prepared prior to being frozen.
Secondly, you will want to make sure that there are no ice crystals on the fish. I deal with this by quickly running under running water and then drying it thoroughly. The fish skin will then be clean and dry eough to brush with the butter and season accordingly.
You will need to add around 2 minutes to the cooking time if cooking directly from frozen.
Having said all this, it really is better to cook from defrosted if you can.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will store in the fridge for a couple of days. Depending on how you intend to eat the leftovers, you may find it easiest to remove the flesh from the bones while the fish is still warm.
Leftover herring can be eaten cold or reheated. It can be added and heated directly in something like a pasta dish, it can be microwaved or reheated in the air fryer. If just reheateding the flesh, I would reccomend wrapping it lightly in foil with a drop of water to keep things moist.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How to Air Fry Herring
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Whole Herring - roughly 125g each
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter - see notes
- 2 tsp Sea Salt Flakes - see notes
- 1 Lemon - halved & sliced
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, Start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry 3 Whole Herrings.
- Use scissors to remove any remaining fins.
- If the fish haven't been pre-gutted, use a sharp knife to make a slit all along the belly of each fish.
- Use your fingers or tip of the knife to pull out all of the innards.
- You may want to take this opportunity to wash the fish and dry them thoroughly again.
- Slice 1 Lemon into half rounds and stuff into the inside of each herring.
- Melt 2 tbsp Salted Butter in a small bowl. I do this in the microwave but you could use a small heatproof bowl in the air fryer if you like. The preheat setting will likely do the trick.
- Use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the fish with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle over around 2 tsp Sea Salt Flakes. Crush the flakes between your fingers as your sprinkle for a thinner even coverage.
- Place the fish into the air fryer basket. Leave a little space between each fish so the air can circulate.
- Air fry for 8 minutes at 200c/390f. There is no need to turn the fish.
- Be careful removing the cooked fish from the fryer as they will be delicate. Serve hot straight away.
Notes
- Butter – You can use an oil instead of butter but I do find that butter helps the fish skin crisp a little more and adds a nice flavour.
- Salt/Seasoning – You can use any seasoning mix or sauce instead of just salt but make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice. If you use a sauce with a high sugar content, you may want to brush this on halfway through cooking so it doesn’t catch and burn.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a 4.7 litre capacity Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501). This was needed to fit in 3 whole fish but if I was only cooking a smaller amount, my smaller Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) which has a square(ish) shaped basket of 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal would have been big enough. Remember that you can always cook in batches in a smaller air fryer.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
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