Indulge in restaurant-quality steak bites at home, crafted to juicy perfection in your air fryer. These bite-sized pieces cook up quickly and deliver a delightful contrast of crisp exterior and tender, flavorful steak within.
Ingredients
- Steak (choose a tender cut like flank steak, skirt steak or sirloin) – 1 pound
- Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
- Salt – to taste
- Black Pepper – to taste
- Garlic powder – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
- Onion powder – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
- Butter – 2 tablespoons
- Parsley (chopped) – 1 tablespoon (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
1. Prep the Steak: Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Cut the steak into bite-sized cubes, about 1 inch each.
2. Season the Steak: In a large bowl, toss the steak cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder (if using) and onion powder (if using). Make sure the steak is evenly coated.
3. Preheat the Air Fryer: Most recipes recommend preheating the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes before adding the steak bites. This ensures a nice sear on the outside.
4. Air Fry the Steak Bites: Add the steak bites to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding, you may need to cook them in batches. Air fry for 4-6 minutes depending on your desired doneness. Here’s a general guideline:
- 4-5 minutes for medium-rare
- 5-6 minutes for medium
For a more accurate gauge, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak bites. Aim for 140°F for medium-rare and 160°F for medium.
5. Make the Garlic Butter (Optional): While the steak bites are cooking, you can prepare a simple garlic butter dip. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic (about 1 clove) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley.
6. Serve: Once the steak bites are cooked through, transfer them to a plate. Serve immediately with the garlic butter dip (if using) and enjoy!
Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. This will prevent the steak bites from cooking evenly and getting crispy.
- If your steak bites are too thick, they may take longer to cook through. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- You can experiment with different seasonings for your steak bites. Try a fajita seasoning blend, Montreal steak seasoning, or Italian seasoning.
- Let the cooked steak bites rest for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.