This air fryer ribeye steak is a quick and easy way to make perfect steak every time.
There's no limit to the amazing foods you can make in your air fryer. If you didn't agree with me before, I think this delicious ribeye will make you a believer.
How do I cook steak in the air fryer?
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My favorite method is a something I've done in the oven, but found much quicker completed in the air fryer...a technique called reverse searing.
This essentially means baking your steak until it has reached the desired internal temperature (remember--color is not an accurate indicator of internal temperature), then quickly searing the steak to finish it off.
Make sure you have a meat thermometer to keep track of the doneness of your steak. There are some models, like the one I used, that allow you to monitor the internal temperature while it's still cooking.
According to how you like your steak cooked, the temperatures are:
Rare - 120°-130°F (49°-54°C)
Medium Rare - 130°-140°F (54°-60°C)
Medium - 140°-150°F (60°-66°C)
Well Done - 160°-170°F (71°-77°C)
Steak thickness and your air fryer affect cooking time. The doneness ranges above describe preferences; the USDA minimum for whole beef steaks is 145°F (63°C), followed by a three-minute rest. Check the center after the final sear. For a vegetable side, try air fryer jicama fries. After cooking, let the appliance cool and follow the basket cleaning guide to remove collected grease.
Add four tablespoons of butter and any additional seasonings to a cast iron skillet. Get it as hot as you can stand it (you will probably want to turn on the vent above your stove if you have one) and add your steak for a quick sear of 30 seconds on each side.
The result? Perfection.
Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
This air fryer ribeye steak is a quick and easy way to make perfect steak every time.
Ingredients
- 1 ribeye steak
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- Generously season the ribeye and place into the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 400°F (205°C) and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Flip steak halfway through cook-time for even cooking. Use a meat thermometer to determine when the steak has reached your preferred doneness. Remove steak from air fryer basket when done.
- In a medium skillet over high heat, add butter and any additional seasonings. Quickly sear both sides of the steak until crisp and browned. Remove from heat and allow steak to rest.
- Serve steak added with butter on top!
Notes
Use a meat thermometer to check the center. The USDA minimum for whole beef steaks is 145°F (63°C), followed by a rest of at least 3 minutes. Check after the final sear; the doneness ranges in the article describe preferences and include temperatures below that minimum. Steak thickness and your appliance affect cooking time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Serving Size: 1 SteakAmount Per Serving: Calories: 640Total Fat: 62gCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 22g
Susan
Wednesday 9th of November 2022
I was a little nervous using an air fryer on an expensive 2-inch thick Piedmontese ribeye. I usually finish steaks in a very hot oven but my wall oven just went out. I prefer to underestimate cooking times on steak so they don’t overcook. Using a probe thermometer, the steak reached a 140 internal temp in 10 minutes in the air fryer. I seared without butter in a cast iron skillet then put butter and smoked sea salt on top and let rest in a covered baking dish for 10-15 minutes. Ended up with a beautiful, rosy pink, medium-rare steak. I like the thicker cuts because they are less likely to dry out. I served the sliced steak over mashed turnips. It was so very, very good and I didn’t need to heat my oven. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Bob
Friday 29th of March 2024
@Susan, at 140F you were already past medium rare even before carryover cooking. Pleased to hear you enjoyed it though.
Chris
Wednesday 28th of July 2021
The one correction I would add, is mention that you should remove the steak before it reaches the desired end temperature.
For medium rare, 115° is a good temp for medium rare before the sear, so maybe pull it out 10-15° before the desired product at each stage?
Maybe use a little less butter so you're not poaching the steaks in it, too. You want a really nice sear on that thing.
Gary A Wertman, Jr
Tuesday 18th of May 2021
Interesting - I just bought a ninja xl and was wondering if I could use it instead of the oven for reverse sear. Are you using the fryer setting or roast? Also, have you tried lower temps (275 for instance) as the originally reverse sear recipes suggest?