Yes, you should flip steak once in the air fryer halfway through its cooking time, just like you would when cooking in the oven or searing. This allows the steak to cook evenly and sear on both sides.
Flip foods over halfway through the cooking time. Just as you would if you were cooking on a grill or in a skillet, you need to turn foods over so that they brown evenly. Open the air fryer as often as you like to check for doneness.
Give it a shake (or a flip)
To help food crisp, always turn, rotate or shake the contents in the air-fryer basket—just like flipping french fries, fish fillets or chicken tenders halfway through cooking in a traditional oven).
Place the steaks in the air fryer (you may have to do one at a time). Set the temperature to 200°C/400°F and cook for 7-9 minutes for medium rare, 10-13 minutes for medium or 14-15 minutes for well-done. Make sure to flip the steak over at the half way point.
Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 400 degrees F. Season the steak on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Place the steak in the center of the air fryer basket and cook until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 minutes for medium and 14 minutes for medium-well.
Just make sure to salt the steaks right before cooking as the salt will start to draw out moisture and that will prevent any sort of browning you may get in an air fryer.
While steaks traditionally get their crisp exterior being seared on a grill or pan, steaks made in the air fryer achieve the same results through the circulation of hot air. This is a particularly helpful method of cooking if your grill is finicky, your stove heats unevenly, or you're just a newbie at cooking steaks.
Thin steaks are prone to overcooking quickly and becoming chewy. To enjoy the best flavor and texture, allow the steaks to come to room temperature at least 30 minutes before cooking them in the air fryer. Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket and leave some space between steaks for airflow to cook evenly.
As with all dry-heat cooker methods (grilling, broiling, pan frying and oven roasting), tender beef cuts perform best in the air fryer. Those cuts include Top Sirloin, KC Strip, Ribeye, Tenderloin and Tri Tip.
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.
But the reality is that flipping a steak repeatedly during cooking—as often as every 30 seconds or so—will produce a crust that is just as good (provided you start with meat with a good, dry surface, as you always should), give you a more evenly cooked interior, and cook in about 30% less time to boot!
An air fryer works similar to that of a convection oven and moves the air around the food instead of the heat just being from the bottom of the oven. With all that air movement, the food starts to lose moisture, which takes away the delicious flavors you love in fried food.
Is It Safe to Use Aluminum Foil in the Air Fryer? It is absolutely safe to use aluminum foil in your air fryer. In fact, it can make cooking with the air fryer easier.
When taking a recipe from oven to air fryer, the general rule is to reduce the temperature by 20ºC – 30ºC, and cook for 20% less time.
The downside
Air-frying also produces high temperatures at a very rapid rate, thus making it extremely easy to burn food. And charred food may be carcinogenic. In addition, Cucuzza adds, because most devices cook 1 to 3 pounds of food at a time, it can be challenging to air-fry meals for a large family.
It is safe to cook raw meat in the air fryer if it is fully defrosted, seasoned, and monitored. Some fully cooked foods, including chicken tenders or fries, can be placed frozen in the air fryer. However, with raw meat, it's recommended to thoroughly defrost to allow more even cooking and a tasty final product.
Air Fryer is a Healthier Option
Air fryers require little or no oil, which makes them a healthier option compared to traditional frying methods. Using an air fryer to cook your steak reduces fat and calories without sacrificing flavor. But that's not all air frying has to offer.
Once ready to cook, place each steak in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400*F for 10 minutes. Carefully rotate the steaks and cook for 5-10 minutes on the opposite side until your desired doneness. Once done, place 2 sheets of foil out and place a steak in each one.
Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. Simply place the meat in between pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound it prior to cooking. If you don't have a meat mallet, you can also use a heavy kitchen tool such as a skillet, saucepan or rolling pin.
Air frying is a best-kept secret for preparing tender, juicy steaks with a nice sear and crust. Ribeye and New York strip steak tastes great when prepared in an air fryer, but many other cuts such as tri-tip, flank steak, and top round also work well.
The Chef's Way of Cooking A Steak
Just let it go. Once your steak is on your pan, let it sear and simmer down. It is very tempting to constantly check it and/or flip it – but don't. This is how a nice dark char is formed, and this is the correct pathway to your chef's steak.
Hot and Fast: Anytime you are planning to use a thinner meat cut like skirt steak, chuck, or flank or even thin sirloin, rump steaks etc., cooking it fast on high heat will yield the best results. With a thin cut, any slow cooking method will overcook the meat and leave it with a chewy, rubbery texture.