Home > Info Guides > Secret Chef Hack: Make Your Steak Taste Fresh with This Air Fryer Trick!

Secret Chef Hack: Make Your Steak Taste Fresh with This Air Fryer Trick!

While many people believe that reheating your steak destroys it, eating it cold is worse.

When heating your steak, aim at letting the heat go through without losing the juiciness and tenderness.

But how do you achieve that? It all depends on the heating appliance you’re using. In this case, we’ll focus on how to reheat steak in an air fryer.

How to Reheat Steak in Air Fryer

To reheat your steak, make sure the air fryer basket can fit your steak without folding it. Then follow these instructions:

delish air fryer steak

Step 1. Determine the Steaks’ Degree of Doneness

According to the USDA, steaks should be roasted up to 145°F and rested for about three minutes to reach their doneness.

At this level, the steak is medium-rare, and reheating turns it into a medium steak. A medium-cooked steak is juicy and tender, and you should enjoy every bit of it.

A rare steak reheats well without risking overcooking it. If your steak is medium, you can still reheat it to achieve a well-done steak.

However, if the steak is already well done, you should avoid heating it as it overcooks to give you a rubbery texture and an unpleasant experience.

Step 2. Bring the Steak to Room Temperature

Before you throw your steak into the hot air fryer, bring it to room temperature. This prevents it from becoming tougher.

Therefore, after you remove it from the fridge, leave it somewhere it can attain room temperature.

Step 3. Preheat the Air Fryer

Once the steak reaches room temperature, preheat your air fryer before you put it in the basket. Preheating turns the steak crispy quickly.

Some air fryers have a preheat button while other models don’t.

If your air fryer is one of those, then you need to do it manually, in which case you need to follow the following steps:

  1. Set the temperature that you need to preheat your steak.
  2. Click the ‘ON’ button and let the air fryer heat for three to five minutes. If you have a small air fryer, preheat it for three minutes, but if you have a large one, let it preheat for five minutes.

Step 4. Place the Steak in the Basket

Once the air fry gets hot, take out the basket and place your steak inside.

If the steak is large, cut it into two instead of folding it. Then place the basket back in the fry immediately to start preheating.

Step 5. Bake (How Long to Reheat Steak in Air Fryer)

After preheating your steak, you may be asking how long to reheat steak air fryer.

You only need to reheat your steak for two minutes at 350°F. Since the air fryer is already preheated, two minutes are enough to get your meat warm.

Step 6. Give It a Rest

After two minutes, turn off the air fryer and let the steak rest for one minute in the fryer.

During this one minute, the residual heat will penetrate the steak if it hasn’t heated.

Then remove your steak from the fryer and let it rest on a plate for about five minutes before serving.

Benefits of Reheating Steak in an Air Fryer

An air fryer is an excellent appliance for reheating leftovers and especially steaks.

steak food

The process has many benefits, which include:

  • It requires very little oil for spaying purposes
  • It’s easy and quick
  • The steak retains its flavor and juiciness
  • It gets a sizzling and crispy texture
  • By reheating steak in an air fryer, you avoid wasting leftovers since you enjoy it just as you did when you freshly cooked it.
  • The air fryer give your steak a perfect balance of softness and crispiness

Air fried steak is healthier than frying in oil as it cuts calories by up to 80% and has less oil.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using an Air Fryer to Reheat Steak

A sizzling and juicy steak is a few minutes away, but only if you avoid the following mistakes when reheating your steak using an air fryer.

steak bites and cripsy

The Fryer Not Getting Enough Air

Regardless of the size of your air fryer, it needs enough space to reheat your steak evenly.

The space allows the air to flow constantly, moving the hot air around your steak, and giving it crispiness.

Not Preheating the Air Fryer

Your air fryer needs to be hot before you put in the steak so that the meat can start heating immediately after you shut the door.

Using too Much Oil or No Oil

Using too much oil on the steak results in poorly reheated meat, so is not using oil.

Before you reheat a steak in the air fryer, spread a little amount of oil to make the steak crispier and brown.

Not Cleaning Your Air Fryer

You need to clean your air fryer in between using it to avoid food contamination. Make it a habit to clean your air fryer after cooking or reheating every meal.

The cleaning process is easy as all you need is hot water and dish soap. Soak the fryer basket in the water until the baked food is easy to come off.

Not Checking the Food’s Temperature

Each type of food has its specific cooking or reheating temperatures. Always make sure you set the right temperature and time when you put your steak to reheat.

Practicing sanitary precautions when using an air fryer is as essential as when using any other cooking method.

Overcrowding the Fryer Basket

A large chunk of steak takes up a lot of space in the basket, leaving no room for the hot air to flow and reheat your steak.

If you intend to reheat a large piece of steak, you can cut it into pieces and reheat it in batches. The air fryer heats stuff quickly, and you’ll be done in no time.

Final Thoughts

It’s no secret that when you reheat steak in air fryer, you get crispy and tasty meat in a matter of minutes.

Moreso, the steak loses most of the calories you would expect from deep-frying without compromising the taste.

All you need to do is follow the steps above and avoid the common air frying mistakes to get the texture and flavor you wish for your steak.

Further Reading

I’m Jennifer Schlette, a Registered Dietitian and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. I love cooking, reading, and my kids! Here you’ll find the healthiest recipes & substitutions for your cooking. Enjoy, and be well, friends!

Leave a Comment