How to Make the Perfect Air Fryer Steak

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I eat a steak every day, it’s my multivitamin. An Appl…er STEAK a day keeps the doctor away? It could be steak bites, ribeye steak, sirloin steak, filet mignon, or a strip steak, it’s all delicious to me. But isn’t that expensive? I’ll break down the reasons why I eat a steak every day, how much it costs me (compared to other meals) too. You don’t need to eat a ribeye or a filet mignon, there are cheaper options.

BTW eating beef is healthy, regardless of whatever bad information you’ve been exposed to. To learn more about all of the benefits of eating beef, read this: Beef Benefits (Why is Beef Healthy?)

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Moving on to the cost of eating a steak every day and why:

Eat a Steak Every Day

Enjoy life and get what you need by cooking steak and sorry – for this concept you don’t get a baked potato or french fries. Okay… maybe you do.

True joy comes from a medium rare steak… and even better if it’s a rib eye steak. You know what I mean… the perfectly cooked steak. Mmmm… we’re getting to that, promise.

The only regular supplement I take is an electrolyte blend (Sodium, Magnesium, and Potassium). Proper electrolyte balance makes me happy, it makes a real difference. I’m a fan of salt and it doesn’t have to be kosher salt, Redmond Real Salt (out of Utah) is my go to.

For the steak a day concept… It’s easy, I love the taste and texture of properly prepared steak. And with all of the popularity of air fryer recipes, this fits and fits with just the right amount of doneness. Ie: medium rare.

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Air Fryer Steak Method

Drying the Steak

We’re going to start off with prepping the steak for the air fryer. One important aspect to getting the steak just right is to ensure that it’s dry. We do have a recipe for baking a frozen steak but you’ll get the best results from a thawed and dried steak.

Why do you dry the steak?

A dry steak cooked at a high heat changes the protein flavor profile (even better with a 1500 degree burner). I’ll pat the steak dry to encourage a better “Maillard reaction”. This process also makes for a really great leftover steak if you can avoid eating the entire juicy steak in one sitting (I know I don’t).

What is the Maillard reaction?

A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars gives browned food its distinctive flavor. I believe this process is encouraged when the exterior of the steak is as dry as I can make it. All broken down, this chemical reaction really improves the flavor.

Prepping the Steak with Salt

In addition to the heat’s chemical reaction and the exterior “dryness” of the steak, the salt helps to add an even more robust flavor. With salt, you’ll perfectly enhance flavor while also adding a “crust” to the exterior of the steak. Use your fingers to push that salt in to the steak, make it stick.

Plate Prep & Air Frying the Steak

I love butter and I love steak, here’s how I prep my plate after I put the steak in the air fryer. Note: You can create your own garlic herb butter, use olive oil (before you put the steak in – I don’t) or cut it up in to air fryer steak bites (and you don’t need an air fryer basket either). Lots of prep options to change things up and add variety.

Putting the steak in the Air Fryer

I use a thermometer probe to ensure I don’t overcook my steak in the air fryer toaster oven.

I stop the air fryer when the internal temp of the steak gets to 120 degrees, this is medium rare and exactly the way I want my steak. Note: the temp will continue to rise inside the steak (that’s expected and okay). The heat from the Toaster Oven Air Fryer stops when it hits 120 degrees.

Air Fryer Steak Settings

I set the air fryer on broil at 450 degrees which (depending on the steak) takes about 12 minutes.

Once I take the steak out of the air fryer, I let it sit for 5 minutes on top of the butter.

Then it’s game on… look at that perfect steak!

Cost of Eating a Steak Every Day

As of the initial date of this post, my daily steak is from Costco: it’s $6.99 per pound Beef Loin Top Sirloin (STK NBLS Cap Off Prime) and = about $6-$10 for the meal.

UPDATE (7 October 2021) – Steak prices have risen and I’m currently seeing prices fluctuate between $9.99 and $12.99 per pound for the Beef Loin Top Sirloin from Costco. All food prices have been rising recently (unfortunately, especially beef).

2-3 times a week I like to upgrade and purchase a ribeye which is more expensive and that’s okay. In the end, I’m not shelling out $$$ for supplements, I’m eating food that fills me up and provides me with all of the benefits listed above. Real food wins!

With all consideration, you really do get more for less when it comes to steak.

Devices I’m Using

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