Perfect Air Fryer Steak

Air Fryer Steak is great for a steak with a crispy outside and locked in juices, no matter the weather!

Why Use the Air Fryer?

I know what you’re thinking. Why make steak in the air fryer when you can make it on a grill or follow my reverse sear method for perfectly cooked steaks? I will admit that cooking steak in the air fryer is not my favorite method because it’s harder to get the perfectly browned crust that you can get from other methods.

However, there are a few reasons to make steak in your air fryer. The first is, of course, that it tastes great. The high heat of the air fryer cooks the outside of the steak quickly, locking in the juices. It doesn’t brown as much as from other methods, but it’s still very good. Note that I’ve added a little bit of sugar to my recipe to aid in getting the outside a bit caramelized, browned, and crisped at least along the edges.

Another reason is that it’s very low fuss! Unlike a grill, there’s no flame to worry about. That means you don’t need to hover over the steak as it cooks. The air fryer even turns itself off when the timer runs out, so you don’t need to rush to take it out like you would need to do with steak cooked in the oven.

It’s honestly probably the easiest and most foolproof way to cook steak. The result is juicy and tender. For a quick and simple steak dinner, this is definitely a great method to use. I suggest that you try it once or twice, and figure out the exact right timing for your own air fryer model and number of steaks put in there. Then, when you want a really easy steak, set the timer on your fryer, add the steaks, and walk away.

The Best Cut Of Steak To Use

When choosing a steak to cook in your air fryer, there are a few things to consider. The first is thickness. A steak that’s too thin will cook very quickly and can easily become overcooked and tough. On the flip side, a steak that’s very thick will burn on the outside before coming to temperature inside.

You’ll also want to consider how large the steaks are and if you’ll need to fit more than one at a time in your fryer.

NY Strip Steaks are great for air frying. They hit that sweet spot of not too thick and not too thin. Plus I can easily fit two strip steaks into my 2.6qt Crux air fryer.

How To Cook Steak In The Air Fryer

First, you’ll want to pull the steaks from the fridge about half an hour before you want to cook them to get them to room temperature.

Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Rub all over with olive oil. Then, sprinkle both sides of the steak with an even coat of steak seasoning (or your favorite steak rub) and brown sugar.

Heat your air fryer to 400°F. I’ve seen a lot of recipes say to spray the basket of the preheated air fryer with olive oil spray. However, that will lead to a residue build up over time and it’s hard to remove. That’s why I have instead put some olive oil onto the steaks themselves.

Place the steaks in the basket and cook until they reach your desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium. The steaks are done when they reach an internal temperature of 125°F (rare) to 145°F (medium).

I do not flip them while cooking. I find that leaving them be gets me a steak with one well-browned side, but flipping halfway through the cook time ends up with neither side of the steak well-browned before they are cooked through.

Transfer the steaks to a plate and let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. I encourage you to add a pat of garlic butter on top.

Should I Marinate The Steak?

When cooking in the air fryer, no, you shouldn’t marinate. It’s hard to get the steak to brown very much in the air fryer in the time it takes to cook to the correct temperature. Adding a marinade would introduce moisture and make that even more difficult, so skip the marinade for this method.

How Long Should I Cook A Steak In The Air Fryer?

This will depend on a few factors – the size of your steaks, your air fryer model, and your preferred final temperature.

I used New York strip steaks that were an inch thick and about 3/4 of a pound each, which is the size usually available at my local store. Air frying the steaks for 10 minutes, without flipping them, resulted in steaks that were a pretty perfect medium inside. Compare the color of the sliced steak above to the doneness chart below to see what I mean.

I will say that since not all air fryers are the same, and since people like their steaks at different levels of doneness (rare, medium, well-done), this is something that you probably want to be careful with the first time. Check the temp of your steaks at around 7 minutes if you like them rare or medium-rare. At around 8 minutes if you like them medium. Then go in for longer if needed.

Once you’ve done it one time though, you’ll know exactly what to do next time! And then that is where the beauty of air fried steaks really is. Once you know the time for your air fryer and your preferred doneness, you can set the air fryer to 400°F, put in your steaks, set a timer and walk away. Come back to perfectly cooked steak every single time!

How Do I Know When The Steak Is Done?

An instant read thermometer is your friend here. If you enjoy your steaks rare, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 125°F. For medium steak, cook until it reads 145°F in the thickest part of the steak.

If you prefer to judge by sight, here’s a helpful illustration of what the different temperatures of steak look like.

Top Tips For The Best Air Fryer Steak

1. Let your steak come to room temperature first. Pull your steaks out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to start cooking them. This takes the chill off of them so they cook quicker and more evenly.
2. Season and “sweeten” your steaks. I combine my favorite steak rub with a good amount of brown sugar in it. This is the secret right here! The sugar caramelizes as the steak cooks, helping it brown and giving it a nice crust, and a subtle smokey flavor. Don’t worry – it doesn’t actually make the steak sweet!
3. Preheat your air fryer. Even if your air fryer instructions don’t call for preheating, I’ve found that steaks come out best when you place them in a hot fryer basket. This helps the outside of the steak sear quickly, locking the juices inside.
4. Finish your steaks with a smear from this homemade garlic butter recipe.

What Should I Serve With This Steak Recipe?

You can’t go wrong with a beautifully baked potato (which are also delicious with the garlic butter). I also like to serve the steaks with a roasted vegetable side dish like broccoli or asparagus.

Podcast Episode: Air Frying Steak

This post originally appeared in June 2020 and was revised and republished in September 2022.