Air Fryer Steak: Cooking With The Big Boss

Cooking steak in an air fryer is a quick, easy, and healthy way to prepare a delicious meal. The Big Boss Air Fryer is a popular choice for home cooks looking to achieve crispy, golden results without the added fat and grease of traditional frying methods. With its innovative oil-less technology, large capacity, and user-friendly features, it simplifies mealtime for busy families.

Preparing steak in an air fryer yields a perfectly seared exterior and a juicy, tender interior. This method is also highly customizable, allowing you to choose from various steak cuts, seasonings, and cooking temperatures to suit your preferences.

In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to make mouthwatering steaks using your Big Boss Air Fryer, ensuring perfect results every time.

Choosing the right cut of steak

Thickness

For even cooking and to avoid overcooking, opt for steaks that are at least 1-inch thick. Thicker cuts also give you more time to achieve the perfect grill marks. However, the ideal thickness may vary depending on your personal preference and cooking method.

Marbling

Marbling refers to the white lines of fat running through the steak. While you may think that fat is undesirable, marbling is crucial as it adds tenderness and flavour to your steak. Look for steaks with thin lines of marbling rather than large chunks of fat.

Part of the Cow

The different parts of the cow offer varying levels of tenderness and flavour. Here are some popular options:

• T-bone: Cut from the short loin, closer to the stomach, T-bone steaks contain two types of meat: a tenderloin and a strip steak. They offer a range of flavours and textures and are usually tender and juicy.
• Porterhouse: Similar to T-bone but larger, porterhouse steaks are also cut from the short loin but are closer to the legs, making them slightly less tender. They offer a larger tenderloin portion and are ideal for cast iron skillet cooking.
• Ribeye: Cut from the prime rib area, ribeye steaks have excellent marbling, making them super flavourful and juicy when cooked properly. They can be cooked over intense grill flames without drying out, making them a popular choice for grilling.
• Filet Mignon: Known for its tenderness, filet mignon is cut from the smaller end of the tenderloin. It has a delicate texture and fine marbling, and is best served rare or medium-rare. It is often wrapped in bacon or served with sauces to enhance its mild flavour.
• Top Sirloin: Coming from the rear of the animal, underneath the tenderloin, top sirloin has incredible flavour but is less tender due to the muscularity of the area. It is a more affordable option and is best cooked rare to medium-rare on the grill.
• Strip Steak: Cut from the short loin, strip steak is tender and affordable. It can be cooked in various ways, including grilling, oven-baking, or pan-frying. For grilling, look for a 1.5-inch thick strip steak and season with salt and pepper.

Other Factors

When buying steaks, also consider the USDA grading system, which categorises beef as prime, choice, or select based on marbling and the age of the cow. Prime cuts have the most marbling, followed by choice, and then select. Additionally, the dry-aging process can enhance the depth of flavour and tenderness of the meat, but it is more expensive.

Preparing the steak

Once you have selected your steak, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for around 20-30 minutes. This will help the steak stay tender and juicy when cooked. Before seasoning, you should pat the steak dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Then, rub a small amount of olive oil on both sides of the steak, which will help with browning.

For seasoning, you can keep it simple with just salt and pepper, or you can add other spices and herbs like Italian seasoning, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, or parsley. You can also add a dry rub to enhance the colour and flavour of the steak. For a simple dry rub, mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

After seasoning, preheat your Big Boss Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius. Greasing the air fryer basket with a little oil is also recommended. Once preheated, place the steak in the basket and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping the steak halfway through. The cooking time will depend on the desired doneness of your steak. For a medium-rare steak, cook for 10 minutes, and for a medium steak, cook for 12 minutes.

After cooking, remove the steak from the air fryer and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm and let the juices redistribute, ensuring a juicy and tender steak.

Cooking the steak

The first step to cooking your steak in a Big Boss air fryer is to preheat the appliance. Set your air fryer to 400°F. You may also see this temperature listed as 200°C.

While the air fryer is heating up, you can prepare your steak. For the best results, remove your steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking. This will help your steak stay tender and juicy.

You can also add oil to your steak at this point. Rub a little olive oil on both sides of the steak. This step is optional, but it can add flavour. You can also add other seasonings, like salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or paprika.

Once your steak has reached room temperature and your air fryer has preheated, it's time to cook! Place your steak in the air fryer basket. If you're cooking multiple steaks, make sure they're not overcrowded. Leave some space between them for airflow so they cook evenly. You may need to cook the steaks in batches.

Cook your steak for 10-12 minutes, flipping it halfway through. The thicker the steak, the longer it will take to cook. If you want to know the exact temperature of your steak, use a meat thermometer.

When your steak is done, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm. This will ensure your steak is juicy.

Finally, serve your steak! You can top it with garlic butter or enjoy it as is.

Resting the steak

• Remove the steak from the air fryer: Once your steak has reached the desired internal temperature, use tongs or a spatula to carefully take it out of the air fryer. Avoid piercing the steak with a fork as this can cause the juices to escape.
• Transfer to a clean plate or cutting board: Place the steak on a clean plate or cutting board. You can line it with aluminium foil for easy cleanup, but this is optional.
• Tent loosely with foil: Cover the steak loosely with aluminium foil. This will help keep the steak warm without trapping too much heat, which can overcook the steak.
• Rest time: For a thick steak (around 1-inch thickness), let the steak rest for about 5 to 10 minutes. Thinner steaks may require a shorter resting time, around 3 to 5 minutes.
• Don't skip the resting step: It's important to give your steak time to rest. This allows the meat fibres to relax, resulting in a more tender steak. Skipping this step can lead to a less juicy and less flavourful steak.
• Check the final temperature: If you're unsure about the doneness of your steak, use a meat thermometer to check its final temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and ensure it reaches the desired temperature for your preferred level of doneness.
• Slice and serve: After resting, your steak is ready to be sliced and served. Cut the steak against the grain for maximum tenderness. Enjoy your perfectly cooked air fryer steak!

Remember, the resting step is essential to ensure your steak is juicy and tender. By letting the steak rest, you allow the juices to redistribute and the meat fibres to relax, resulting in a delicious and perfectly cooked steak every time.

Serving suggestions

Now that you've cooked your steak in the air fryer, it's time to think about what to serve it with. Here are some side dish ideas to complement your juicy steak:

• Vegetable sides: Keep it simple with a salad, asparagus, green beans, or roasted vegetables like broccoli or zucchini.
• Starchy sides: Baked potatoes, smashed potatoes, mashed potatoes, French fries, or sweet potatoes are always a good choice.
• Comforting sauces: Try something creamy like alfredo sauce, cheese sauce, or gravy.
• Healthy options: Go for a spinach salad, arugula salad, or roasted butternut squash.
• Air fryer sides: You can even cook your sides in the air fryer! Try broccoli, French fries, or chocolate chip cookies.
• Caesar Salad
• Garlic Butter Green Beans
• Perfect Baked Potato
• Homemade Sweet Potato Fries
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Best Spinach Salad with a Spicy Lemon Salad Dressing
• Lemon Sea Salt Arugula Salad
• Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Oven Roasted Broccoli
• The Best Grilled Zucchini
• Pan-Fried Sweet Plantains
• Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
• Oven Roasted Butternut Squash
• Chilled Spring Veggie Rice Salad
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Garlic Herb Mushrooms
• Instant Pot Green Beans and Potatoes
• Air Fried Sweet Potatoes

Frequently asked questions