I’ve Finally Fallen in Love With Deep-Fried Steaks, and You Should Too.
Cooking a great steak is an art, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a challenge. It’s easy to trust a chef with your steak when you go out to a restaurant, but even a less-than-skilled cook can cook a good steak at home. Personally, I’ve taken ordinary steaks to the next level in my trusty Instant Vortex Air Fryer . It took a while to figure out, but I eventually settled on an easy way to deep-fry a steak that saves me time, eliminates the mess, and produces a near-masterpiece every time.
Grilling, pan frying, or cooking steak in a cast iron skillet are all pretty popular and common methods. While all of these methods are quick, they all still require a lot of attention, even reverse searing , and sometimes I just get tired of the attention. Air frying a steak gives you the freedom to get out of the room, and what I love most is that there’s a lot less smoke. That’s why the Instant Vortex is my favorite air fryer for everyday cooking ( read my review here), but these other top options will do the job, too.
In addition to being easy to clean, an air fryer cooks steak quickly and keeps the center juicy thanks to convection heat. Convection ovens, like air fryers, are powerful and use ambient heat—the steak isn’t directly against the coil, but a fan forces hot air around the basket. While you can certainly overcook something in a matter of minutes, you definitely won’t overcook a steak if you use this trick.
The Secret to a Juicy Air-Fried Steak
The key to cooking any steak is to control the doneness in the center. Since an air fryer can turn any cut of meat from rare to dry in minutes, the key is to slow down the cooking in the center a little so you have time to notice it. If you’ve checked out my steak patty recipe , you know that these little pieces stay juicy because I freeze them first.
When you air fry a steak, turn the temperature down first, especially if it’s a small cut of meat. The smaller or thinner the steak, the colder it should be. If you have a flat flank steak, freeze it first and put it in the fryer frozen—seasoned, but frozen. If you have a 5-inch, 1.5-inch thick New York strip steak, chilled in the refrigerator or borderline frozen (about 15 minutes in the freezer) works well. The steak will heat up and begin to brown on the outside while the middle is still getting to the right temperature. You’ll buy time and keep the middle juicy.
How to Air Fry a Steak
1. Freeze or refrigerate the steak.
I like to season the steak while it’s still defrosted, then pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes or an hour if I want it firm. Drizzle or pour a thin layer of vegetable oil over the steak. If you haven’t seasoned it ahead of time, you can do so now.
2. Air fry.
Place the steak in a deep fryer set to 400°F on the air fry setting. The time will vary depending on the size and cut of the steak. Small steaks may take as little as three minutes to cook, while a thick steak may take 20 minutes. For larger steaks, try to flip them halfway through the cooking time.
3. Let him rest.
Always check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to gauge doneness according to how you like your steak. (Here’s the one I use .) For reference, a medium-rare steak should be 130°F to 135°F when removed from the heat, as the temperature will continue to rise slightly as it rests. Let it rest for 5 to 15 minutes before handling. I’m making a steak sandwich today, so I like my steak medium or medium rare for that purpose.
Air-fried steaks aren’t for everyone
There are definitely some drawbacks to air-fried steak compared to other popular cooking methods. You won’t get the same gnarly browning you get from a griddle or grill, and there’s no great way to collect the fun (the crispy, delicious bits that stick to the pan) and make pan sauce. But I appreciate how the edges of any outer fat become crispy with a crackling-like quality. You’ll have to ask yourself what your priorities are. If it’s speed, low smoke, and quick and easy cleanup, then I suggest you definitely give the air fryer a try.
Plus, if you’re really missing that crispy brown crust but don’t have a grill, you can still quickly pan-fry for extra color and flavor. This is my go-to method for reverse frying in the air fryer , and it works like a charm — better than the original reverse fry method, I’d say. And when I’m done cooking, the Instant Vortex nonstick basket is easy to clean. No need to get out the Barkeeper’s Friend or scrub the cast iron pan.