I thought air fryer steak was a bad idea until I tried a reverse sear method

For a long time, I was sure a steak needed a cast iron pan or a grill. I tried a basic air fryer steak recipe last month and it was dry and tough. Then I saw a video where someone cooked a 1.5 inch ribeye at 250 degrees for 20 minutes in the air fryer, then seared it in a hot pan for 60 seconds. I tried it with a thermometer and pulled it at 125 degrees. It was the most even medium-rare I've ever made at home. The air fryer acted like a mini oven for gentle cooking. Has anyone else had good luck with this two-step process for thicker cuts?

2 comments

2 Comments

ruby_lane1d ago

Wait... you pulled it at 125 degrees? That's basically still mooing. I can't even imagine eating a steak that rare, it must have been cold in the middle. I get nervous taking mine past 135 for medium rare.

andrew_kelly1d ago

Interesting method, pulling at 125 before the sear makes sense for a final medium-rare. @ruby_lane, do you find your steaks end up more medium-well if you're pulling at 135? That final temp seems high for the target doneness, since the carryover heat during the sear will add another 5-10 degrees easily. What kind of thermometer are you using to check?