The Air Fryer Is A Game Changer For Mastering Reverse Seared Steak

Nothing beats a tender and juicy steak with a crisp and flavorful crust. Yet, how many at-home chefs regularly achieve perfectly cooked meat every time steak is on the menu? Depending on several factors like the size of your steak, method of preparation, and cooking time, producing a perfectly charred, evenly cooked steak is often considered a challenging feat. However, by learning how to reverse sear steak with the help of your air fryer, you're one step closer to enjoying steak hassle-free. If you love meat but don't know how to reverse sear steak, this two-step method typically requires cooking beef in a low-tempered oven followed by searing portions in a hot skillet. However, who's to say you can't bypass the oven and use your air fryer to take care of this first crucial step?

Since its inception in 2010, the air fryer has quickly become the trendy appliance of choice and for good reason. With the use of high heat through a convection fan, you can cook everyday fare in a shortened amount of time, imparting a crispy exterior to foods. The best part about using your air fryer to cook steak is that this handy appliance preheats in flash. To reverse-sear steak in your air fryer, all you need are a couple of thick steaks, your desired seasoning, and a preheated air fryer set to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

A reliable alternative to grilling steak, cooking steak in both an air fryer and hot skillet will give your meat delicious flavor and texture. Yet, before you forge ahead with this new method, there are a few factors to consider. While standard air fryers tend to preheat quite fast, they also cook food faster. Using a trusty meat thermometer will ensure you don't overcook your steak in the first step.

Depending on the size of your steak, cook meat in a 250-degree air fryer for 12 minutes to start, flipping half-way through. While the size of your steak ultimately determines how long you'll need to cook your meat, air fryers usually knock off a portion of the recommended time for oven-based recipes. This means you'll have a perfectly cooked steak in a shortened amount of time.

Before searing the meat for one minute on each side, make sure the internal temp of your steak has reached 115 degrees. However, if a significant crust is what you're after, remove steak from your air fryer at 100 degrees and sear longer to achieve increased browning. Just make sure to give your pan enough time to heat before searing. Now that you know how to attain delicious reverse seared steak with the help of your air fryer, is this method actually superior to the oven-based method?

Even though air fryers are sufficient at preheating and tend to cook food in less time, this alternative reverse-searing method is pretty similar to using a conventional oven. Reverse-seared steak is a multi-step process that requires the use of more than one kitchen appliance. While an air fryer reduces the initial cooking time of your steak, searing is still necessary and takes mindful preparation. Moreover, if you're making this dish for a crowd, the size of your air fryer might be an issue.

The biggest downside to cooking with an air fryer has to be the size of the internal heating basket. This can lead you to serving both hot and cold fully cooked steaks. Air fryers are most efficient when hot air can easily circulate and evenly cook food. If you overfill this appliance, you indirectly hinder food from adequately browning and potentially alter suggested cooking times. To combat this issue, consider investing in stackable air fryer racks. Most three-tiered racks easily fit into any size air fryer and can be purchased at major retailers like Walmart or Amazon.

Still, the space between these convenient metal racks is limited and a key component to making delicious reverse-seared steak in your air fryer is using thicker cuts of meat for supreme tenderness. Whichever way you decide to reverse-sear your next batch of steak, a good amount of trial and error is necessary to streamline this unique cooking technique.