Your air fryer can cook steak. Really good steak. We know… We were skeptical, too. But after one bite of this perfectly medium-rare strip steak with an actual crust and zero smoke alarm drama, we have to admit, it works.
Here’s what nobody talks about: the air fryer isn’t trying to be a grill or a cast-iron pan (our personal fav). It’s doing its own thing, and when you work with it instead of against it, you get edge-to-edge juicy steak with a crust that’ll make you rethink your entire indoor cooking game. It’s quick, easy, and frankly, gets the job done.
Our pro move for steaks, no matter how we cook them? An overnight dry-brine. Just kosher salt and time working their magic while you sleep. By the time these steaks hit the air fryer basket, they’re already set up for success. Twelve minutes later (plus a five-minute rest with compound butter melting into every crevice), you’ve got steakhouse-caliber eats without firing up the grill, smoking out your kitchen, or cleaning splattered oil off your stovetop.
Want the same flavor but feeding a crowd? Check out our garlic butter steak bites in the air fryer.
🥩 Best Steak for the Air Fryer
Strip steak is the sweet spot here. It has enough fat to stay juicy, cooks evenly, and doesn’t smoke out your kitchen the way a ribeye can. Thickness matters more than the cut—this recipe is written for about 1-inch thick steaks. Thicker steaks need more time, thinner steaks need less.
🔪 Ingredients
- Strip steaks (about 1 inch thick): Even thickness helps with consistent cooking and browning.
- Kosher salt: Our favorite way to season the meat, which helps dry the surface for a better crust.
- Garlic herb compound butter (optional): Melts over the steak as it rests, adding richness without masking the beef.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Wire rack and baking sheet
- Instant-read thermometer
- Tongs
📝 How to Cook Steak in the Air Fryer
- Dry the steaks thoroughly. Pat both sides dry with paper towels. Any surface moisture will steam instead of brown.
- Season with salt. Season generously on all sides.
- Dry-brine overnight. Place the steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 8–24 hours. The surface should look dry and slightly tacky.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Letting the airfryer preheat matters for crust.
- Lightly oil the basket. Use a neutral oil or avocado oil spray and skip the liners; they block airflow and soften the exterior.
- Cook the steaks. Air fry for 9–12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Pull the steaks when the thickest part hits 125–130°F for medium-rare.
- Rest the steak. Transfer to a platter, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5 minutes. The temperature will rise slightly as the juices redistribute.
- Finish and slice. Add compound butter while the steak rests for added umami flavor. Then, slice the steaks ¼-inch thick against the grain and season lightly with black pepper or flaky salt if needed.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Ribeye: Works, but expect faster browning and more smoke due to higher fat.
- Sirloin: Leaner and slightly firmer; pull closer to 125°F to avoid dryness.
- No time for overnight dry-brine: Salt at least 45 minutes ahead and keep the steak uncovered.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Dry-brining isn’t just seasoning. It dries the surface so the steak browns instead of steaming.
- Cook to temperature, not time. Thickness and air fryer models vary. Pull at 125–130°F for medium-rare. Carryover cooking finishes the job during the rest.
- If your steak is thicker than 1 inch, expect to add a few extra minutes and rely on the thermometer.
- No air fryer liners. They trap steam and ruin the crisp exterior you’re after.
- Slicing against the grain. No matter what steak we cook, we slice it against the grain. It shortens muscle fibers, keeping each bite tender.
🍽️ What to Serve with Air Fryer Steaks
- Serve with roasted potatoes, green beans, or a chopped salad.
- This steak pairs well with a bold steak sauce or a simple pan sauce if you want to dress it up.
🧊 Leftovers
- Leftovers: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat in a skillet or air fryer at low heat to avoid overcooking.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Air Fryer Steak Recipe
Recommended Equipment
- Wire rack and baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 strip steaks about 1” thick – adjust cooking times for thicker steaks
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Garlic herb compound butter if desired
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the package and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season them liberally with salt on both sides. Arrange the steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet and let them dry-brine, uncovered, overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 400°F and spray the cooking basket with non-stick cooking spray or avocado oil.
- Once preheated, add the steaks to the cooking basket and cook for 9 to 12 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, for a 130°F medium-rare finish.
- Remove the steak from the air fryer basket and place it on a platter to rest, tented with foil for 5 minutes.
- Place a dollop of compound butter over the steak while it rests.
- Slice the steak into ¼” thin strips against the grain and enjoy.
- Serve garnished with salt, freshly ground black pepper, minced parsley, and with homemade A1 steak sauce on the side.
Notes
- Optional Dry-Brine: 8–24 hours refrigerated after salted, uncovered.
- Cook to temperature, not time. Air fryer models and steak thickness vary. Pull at 125–130°F for medium-rare.
- Dry-brining improves crust. Salting the steak at least 8 hours ahead dries the surface and seasons it more evenly.
- Pat the steak dry before cooking. Surface moisture prevents browning.
- Skip air fryer liners. They block airflow and reduce the exterior crust.
- Rest before slicing. Let the steak rest 5 minutes so juices redistribute.
- Slice against the grain. This shortens muscle fibers and keeps the steak tender.
- Thicker steaks need more time. Add 1–2 minutes per additional ½ inch, but always rely on a thermometer.
Doneness Guide (1-inch Thick Steaks, 400°F Air Fryer)
- Rare: Pull at 120–125°F (about 8–9 minutes)
- Medium-Rare: Pull at 125–130°F (about 9–12 minutes)
- Medium: Pull at 135–140°F (about 12–14 minutes)
- Medium-Well: Pull at 145°F (about 14–16 minutes)
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❓ FAQs
Yes, you can actually cook steak in an air fryer (and it turns out it’s not that bad). High heat plus circulating air creates even cooking and solid browning when the steak is properly dried and seasoned.
Pull at 125–130°F for medium-rare. Resting brings it to final doneness.
It seasons the interior and improves browning by removing surface moisture.
No, we are not fans of using liners in the air fryer. They block airflow and prevent the exterior from crisping, pretty much defeating the point.
