Chef notes

Steak can feel like an intimidating cut of beef to cook, especially with so many theories about the best approach and technique. Grilling steaks is an excellent example of an often-used but very finicky approach. When you're using such varying heat sources, it's going to yield unpredictable results. Searing steaks in a pan on the stove usually sets off your smoke alarm before your steak has even started to reach its proper temperature.

That’s where the air fryer comes in. This popular appliance takes all the guesswork out of the process and will give you a mouthwateringly tender steak that is edge-to-edge medium rare. Ribeye steak is a fantastic beef cut with the perfect amount of marbling, making it super flavorful. The fat content and thickness of the steak make it a great candidate for air frying.

To get the most flavor from the steaks, season them generously with kosher salt a few hours before cooking to dry brine the steak. Patting the steaks dry after the salting process makes it easier for a bit of a crust to form while they cook in the air fryer. After flipping the steaks halfway through the cooking process, add a pat of butter on top of each steak to build even more flavor. Once they’re cooked, let the steaks rest under a foil tent to lock in the juices before slicing.

Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.

Technique Tip: If you want to get more of a crust on the outside of the steaks, reduce the air frying time from 14 minutes to 10 minutes, then sear both sides on a ripping hot cast iron. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

2 (16-ounce) boneless ribeye steaks, at least 1-inch thick
kosher salt, to taste
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

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Preparation

Arrange a wire rack on a sheet pan. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and place them on the prepared wire rack. Generously season the steaks with kosher salt on all sides.

Place the salted steaks in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 2 or up to 12 hours.

One hour before cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 F. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, rub with olive oil, and season with black pepper. Place the seasoned steaks in the air fryer basket, leaving room in between each steak.

To get a medium rare steak, cook for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through. After flipping the steaks, immediately place one tablespoon of butter on each steak.

Remove the steaks from the air fryer basket, place on a wire rack-lined sheet pan and tent with aluminum foil. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.