Description
Tired of smoke alarms, splattering grease, and unevenly cooked steak? Once you try the reverse sear method, there is no going back. Gentle air fryer heat slowly cooks the steak while drying the surface, delivering a splatter-free final sear and perfectly cooked steak every time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 New York strip steaks (about 1.5 inches thick each)
- Coarse sea salt or kosher salt (generous coating, about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 4-6 garlic cloves (peeled)
- Thai-style fish sauce dipping sauce or flaky sea salt for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Season the steak: Pat the steaks completely dry on all sides with paper towels. Season generously all over with the coarse salt, including the side edges. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking or overnight, uncovered, in the fridge.
- Roast low and slow: Place the steaks directly into the air fryer basket in a single layer without preheating. Roast at 225°F until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 105°F to 110°F for medium-rare (or 115°F to 120°F for medium), about 25 to 40 minutes depending on thickness.
- Sear in browned butter: Add the butter and garlic directly to a wide nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the butter starts to melt to thinly coat the bottom of the pan (don’t wait to be fully melted), place the steaks inside. Sear undisturbed for 45 to 60 seconds, then flip. Also sear the fat cap and side edges and make sure to flip those garlic cloves so they don’t burn. The butter will darken as it foams and browns, which is completely fine and adds incredible flavor.
- Rest and slice: Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and pour the browned butter and fried garlic over the top. Let the meat rest for 8 minutes. Slice across the grain into strips and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Target Doneness Guide: Pull the steaks from the air fryer 10°F to 15°F below your desired final doneness, as the hot skillet sear and resting period will bring the temperature up:
Rare: Pull at 100°F to 105°F (Final: 120°F to 125°F)
Medium-Rare: Pull at 105°F to 110°F (Final: 130°F to 135°F)
Medium: Pull at 115°F to 120°F (Final: 140°F to 145°F)
Medium-Well: Pull at 125°F to 130°F (Final: 150°F to 155°F)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Main Dish
- Method: Air Fryer, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Asian, Fusion