I, like many people, was so excited to get my air fryer because I knew I could recreate some of my favorite fried foods like chicken wings and still get the same crispiness without deep frying it in oil.  So when my brother and sister-in-law told me their favorite thing to make in the air fryer is steak, I was a bit surprised. I never pegged the air fryer as something that could perfectly sear a steak and keep it juicy and have easy clean up all at the same time.


We all love the taste of a perfectly seared steak in a cast iron pan, but that definitely takes some practice to get it just right and have it be cooked to your desired doneness. And while baking it in the oven is very fool-proof and easy to cook to the right temperature every time, you don’t get that delicious, seared crust on the steak. 

The hot, circulating air that the air fryer uses quickly browns the outside of the steak, which mimics the sear of a pan or grill, It’s also great in the air fryer because you don’t have to deal with oil splatters, a super hot pan, or worry about setting the smoke detector going off when you cook in the air fryer.

Here are 5 simple fool-proof steps to make an exquisite date night at home juicy ribeye steak. 

1. Get your steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before you cook them. If you like a steak that has a little (or more) pinkness to it, but you don’t want it to taste cold in the middle, make sure get your steaks out of the fridge about 20 minutes prior to cooking them so they have time to warm up a bit before hitting the air fryer.


2. Always make sure your air fryer is preheated before you put the steaks in. Turn on your air fryer to 400 degrees F as soon as you start prepping your steaks and it will be perfectly hot by the time you are ready to add them. This ensures they are able to get nice and seared. If you forget the step, the steaks can end up gray and overcooked by the time the outside browns, so make sure you are patient and let that air fryer heat up nice and hot.

3. Flip the steaks halfway through cooking. Or in my case with my air fryer with layered trays, I have to make sure to flip the top tray and bottom tray halfway through. Flipping the steaks with tongs halfway through gives them a nice, golden brown color on both sides and helps them cook evenly.

4. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness. There is a general rule of thumb, which I will share below on how long to cook the steaks, but keep in mind that cooking times will vary a bit depending on the thickness of the steak. The thickest part part of the steak should register 125 F for rare, 130 to 135 F for medium-rare, and 140 F for medium. If you check the steaks and they are not to your preferred temp, pop them back in and check every two minutes of cooking time until they are done to your liking.

COOKING TIMES FOR BEEF IN AIR FRYER

Burger (4 oz.)                 370 (degrees F) 16-20 (minutes)
Filet Mignon (8 oz.)         400 F                18
Flank Steak (1.5 lbs.)       400 F                12
London Broil (2 lbs.)        400 F                 20-28
Meatballs (1 inch)            380 F                7
Meatballs (3 inch)            380 F                10
Ribeye, bone-in (1 inch, 8 oz.) 400 F        10-15
Sirloin steaks (1 inch, 12 oz.) 400 F          9-14
Beef Eye Round Roast (4 lbs.)   390 F     45-55

Have you made steak in the air fryer before? What is your favorite way to make your own steaks? Please share your thoughts and/or tips in the comments below.