JUICY Air Fryer Steak - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook a steak in an air fryer without it drying out? ›

The best way to ensure a juicy steak is to use high heat to cook the steak quickly, which will bring it to the proper temperature without drying it out. Remember to rest your steak after air frying to allow the meat to reabsorb juices and complete its cooking time without direct heat.

Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 400 degrees F. Season the steak on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Place the steak in the center of the air fryer basket and cook until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 minutes for medium and 14 minutes for medium-well.

Your steak will cook through, if left on just one side. However, because flipping can place a different part of the steak closer to the heating element (for an air fryer, this is at the top), a steak will cook more evenly if flipped halfway through.

Spray the steak with olive oil and coat both sides with the spices. Preheat the air fryer so the basket gets hot. For a 1-inch steak, air fry 400F 10 minutes turning halfway, for medium rare, for medium, cook 12 minutes, flipping halfway.

Using oil

Using oil in an air fryer is perfectly fine and helps the meat to remain moist and come out looking golden brown. However, a little oil in an air fryer does go a long way. With most cuts of pork, simply rubbing some oil into the meat will be all you need. You can use either regular olive oil or a spray oil.

Air fryers are designed to cook quickly and evenly, giving you a perfectly cooked steak in just a few minutes. You also don't need to preheat your oven or wait for your grill to heat up, which speeds things up tremendously.

Steak: We recommend flat-iron steak or boneless top sirloin. Ribeye or New York strip cuts are also good for the air fryer, because they have more fat, which helps them stay juicy. Here's more on types of steak. Salt and pepper: We never skip the salt and pepper when making air-fryer steak.

Thin steaks are prone to overcooking quickly and becoming chewy. To enjoy the best flavor and texture, allow the steaks to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking them in the air fryer.

Air fryers circulate hot air to quickly brown the the steak's exterior for golden brown edges that mimic a hard sear.

How do you know when steak is done in an air fryer? ›

The second most important thing to know when cooking your steak in the air fryer is that you pull the steak 5-6 degrees BEFORE your desired doneness. For example, if you are like me and love your steak medium rare (about 130 degrees F), you'll pull it out of the air fryer around 124-125 degrees F.

There are many spices available for seasoning a steak, with salt and pepper topping the list. However, other spices, like thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and minced onion, are also good options to enhance your steak's flavor. Or, use a one-and-done approach with Chicago Steak Seasoning.

Though Gordon Ramsay is clearly a fan of using an air fryer to cook steak, at his restaurants, his go-to method involves using a pan instead. Because you can only cook steak one or two at a time in them, an air fryer isn't the best option if you're feeding a crowd.

I bring the steaks up to room temp then brush both sides with a little olive oil then season with salt and pepper. I air fry them at 400º for about 8 minutes (flipping halfway) and they come out a beautiful medium rare.

Make your chicken breasts in the air fryer for juicy results. The air fryer yields a much juicier chicken breast than either the oven or the stovetop, according to Dang. "Due to the compact design of an air fryer, there's not as much room for the juices to evaporate like they sometimes do in other methods," Dang said.

Air fryers circulate hot air to quickly brown the the steak's exterior for golden brown edges that mimic a hard sear.

Salt your steaks.

For the most flavorful and tender results, salt your steaks at least 40 minutes before or even the night before you plan to cook them. This takes a little planning, but “dry brining” your steaks, will not only season the beef, but help them to retain moisture for a juicy, tender bite.