Everything is easier with air fryers, and the finished results are healthier than with conventional cooking methods such as deep-frying. However, don’t limit your air fryers to frying foods; you can also use them in steak recipes to halve the cooking time and fat content without sacrificing flavor. When it comes to cooking steaks using an air fryer, the results are excellent and satisfying.
This article will show you the ideal way to cook steaks in an air fryer and helpful tips and guidelines to guide you to desirable results. Ensure that you take note of the timing instructions to get the best out of your cooking.
Steak Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Steak in Air Fryer
Pay attention to the following tips, recommendations, and suggestions when cooking steaks in an air fryer:
Marinating your steaks can generally be flavored with pepper and salt, but seasoned salt or any liquid marinade can be used for added taste. Allow the steak to marinate for a minimum of an hour or up to eight hours, make sure to always bring it back to room temperature before cooking it in the air fryer.
Herb seasoning suggestions – A great herb seasoning combination includes parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, and minced garlic. However, don’t limit yourself; you can always use whatever hard and soft herb combination you prefer. Oregano, basil, and even sage are some other herbs that might be extremely tasty. If you want, you can also add some citrus zest.
It is important to ensure that the herbs you’re using are fresh rather than dried and thoroughly chopped. If in doubt, however, it’s a good idea to stick to the basics – good parsley and chive-based herb butter are hard to match.
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To flip during the cooking or not – When turning steaks in an air fryer, there are several competing views. You technically don’t need to flip your food when it’s cooking in an air fryer because of its amazing ability to move hot air around the food. If you only cook on one side of your steak, it will still be cooked through. However, a steak will cook more evenly if turned halfway through since turning can bring a new area of the steak nearer to the heat source (with an air fryer, this element is near the top).
Ideal timing – A 1-inch thick steak will typically take around 10 to 12 minutes to reach a medium-rare degree of doneness in an air fryer. With a thicker steak, there may be a need to cook for an additional 2 to 5 minutes to achieve medium-rare (or more if you prefer medium-well!)
Determining doneness – Typically, a professional chef would be able to tell the internal temperature of a steak simply by touching it. However, we don’t recommend using this procedure unless you’ve grilled hundreds of steaks in your lifetime. A meat thermometer is the best way to determine the temperature of a steak.
Keep in mind that the steak will typically keep cooking after removing it from the air fryer, so if your preference is medium-rare, take it out when the temperature reaches 130°. It will rest until it reaches 135°, which will be ideally pink and juicy when sliced.
Below is an estimation of doneness degrees and corresponding internal temperatures:
- 125°F (52°C) – rare
- 135°F (57°C) – medium-rare
- 145°F (63°C) – medium
- 150°F (65°C) – medium-well
- 160°F (71°C) – well-done
Cooking Time for Steak in an Air Fryer
The timing schedules in the table below should be paid close attention to for the best results with air fryer steak recipes:
Cooking Procedure
Cooking Time
Cooking steaks in an air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit
10 to 15 minutes (for medium-rare results)
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Air Fryer Steak (4 to 6 Servings)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of New York strip steaks (2 steaks, about 1 to 1½-inches thick)
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- Two teaspoons of Tex-Mex seasoning blend
- One teaspoon of brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
For the Garlic-Cilantro Butter
- Three tablespoons of salted butter softened
- One tablespoon of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- One clove of garlic, finely grated or chopped
- ½ teaspoon of lime zest
- ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions
- Take the steaks out of their cooling place and set them aside to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- To make the garlic-cilantro butter, combine the softened butter, garlic, cilantro, cayenne pepper (if using), lime zest, pepper, and salt in a small mixing bowl. To combine and stir well:
- Beat the ingredients with a fork.
- Roll the butter into a little block using a bit of plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the butter mixture for 30 minutes before serving.
- In the meantime, combine the Tex-Mex spice, brown sugar, ground black pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
- Brush both sides of the steaks with olive oil, and then season the surfaces using the spice mixture.
- Cook the steaks for 7 minutes at 400 degrees inside the basket of an air fryer, making sure to keep them arranged in a single layer. Cook for an extra 3 to 7 minutes on the other side, or until the steaks reach a temperature of roughly 135 degrees for medium-rare.
- Slice the butter into slices and place them over the hot steak pieces. Allow 5 minutes of resting time before slicing into the steaks and serving them.
We think you’ll love this video recipe if you’d like to see more ideas for air fryer steak recipes.
Notes
- Combine one teaspoon of chili powder with one teaspoon of ground cumin if you have no Tex-Mex seasoning spice mixture.
This air fryer steak recipe is quick and easy, and you can rest assured that the results will be delicious. The entire cooking time for this recipe is 45 minutes, including a prep time of 5 minutes and an active cook time of 15 minutes.