Air Fryer Steak with Herb Butter
A simple recipe for perfectly cooking steak in an air fryer.
Serves2
Prep20 minutes
Cook11 minutes to 13 minutes
Classic pan-seared steak is undeniably delicious, but it takes some practice to get it right every time. Cooking steak in the oven is easier, but it doesn’t always achieve the crisp exterior you’re after. That’s where the air fryer comes in.
Air frying combines the ease of baking with all the deliciousness of pan-searing. The hot, circulating air quickly browns the outside of the steak, resulting in golden brown edges that mimic a hard sear. You don’t have to mess with a hot pan, worry about setting off your smoke detector, or deal with any oil splatters.
This date-night dinner is practically foolproof as long as you stick to some simple steps. Here’s how to do it.
3 Tips for Making Steak In an Air Fryer
Before you fire up your air fryer, keep these tips in mind.
1. Let your air fryer heat up for at least 10 minutes before adding the steaks. If you set your air fryer to 400°F as soon as you begin prepping the steaks, it’ll be perfectly hot by the time you add them. This ensures that the outside of the steaks get nice and brown — similar to searing. If you were to skip this step, the steaks could end up grey and overcooked by the time the outside browns, so be patient and let the air fryer heat up.
2. Flip the steaks halfway through cooking. Flipping the steaks gives them a perfectly golden brown color on all sides, and helps them cook evenly. After five minutes of cooking, flip them using a pair on tongs and continue air frying.
3. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness. Although this recipe gives suggested times for how long to cook the steaks, it really varies based on the thickness of the steak. The thickest 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’re not at your preferred temp, continue cooking them and check the temperature after two more minutes of air frying.
Air Fryer Steak
A simple recipe for perfectly cooking steak in an air fryer.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 11 minutes to 13 minutes
Serves2
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the herb butter:
- 4 tablespoons
(1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1
small clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon
finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon
finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
For the steak:
- 2
(1-pound) bone-in ribeye steaks
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Instructions
Make the herb butter: Place 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small bowl and let it sit out at room temperature to soften. Meanwhile, mince 1 small clove garlic. Finely chop until you have 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves and 1 tablespoon fresh chives.
Add the garlic, parsley, chives, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the softened butter and smash and mix together with a rubber spatula until well combined. Scrape the butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll into a 2-inch log, using the edge of a bench scraper or metal spatula to form a tight cylinder. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to tighten the log, tie each end into a knot, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Make the steak: Set an air fryer to 400°F and let heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the steaks.
Season 2 ribeye steaks all over with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Use tongs to transfer the steaks into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry, flipping halfway through, 11 to 13 minutes total for medium-rare. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak. The thickest part of the steak should register 125°F for rare, 130 to 135°F for medium-rare, and 140°F for medium. If the steaks are not at the desired temperature, continue air frying and checking the temperature in 2-minute increments.
Transfer the steaks onto 2 serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes. Unwrap and cut the herb butter crosswise into 4 slices. Place the butter on top of the steaks and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Make ahead: The herb butter can be made up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated.