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Air Fryer Steak Bites Recipe – quick and easy to make, juicy, flavorful and delicious.

Air fryer steak bites in a speckled bowl

I love steak, but at times making steak bites seems much easier and foolproof and my kids love these. You could either make them on the stove top (Steak Bites Recipe) or in the air fryer.

It takes about the same time to cook, but steak bites cooked in the Air Fryer happen to be more crispy on the outside and juicier on the inside. If you are a steak lover and own an Air Fryer, check this recipe out.

How to make steak bites in the Air Fryer?

Best type of steak to use in this recipe?

So what is the best cut of steak to use for steak bites? You’d think lower grade steaks are good for air frying, but I do prefer some good quality steak, to make sure it is tender, flavorful and tasty with minimum seasoning.

I personally find Ribeye, Sirloin or Denver Steaks a good choice for steak bite recipes. They are relatively tender, easy to find and with an acceptable price (depending on where you get them from).

Seasoning – just salt and freshly ground black pepper is fine, but you can add your favorite steak seasoning, if you’d like to.

How long to cook steak bites in the Air Fryer for at 400 F (200 C)?

It depends on the type of steak, size of the pieces and type of air fryer used. It also depends on your personal preference for doneness. Some Air Fryers tend to cook meat faster than others. It depends on the size of the basket and how powerful the air fryer is.

I cooked these for 8-9 minutes at 400 F to an internal temperature of 155 F. They were dark and well cooked on the outside and juicy and pink on the inside.

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

You can prepare your own garlic butter by melting butter and adding some pressed garlic or garlic powder, then toss the cooked steak into it.

Recipe Tips

Bring steak to room temperature by leaving it on the kitchen counter for 30-40 minutes before ready to cook.
Cut the steak into pieces that are the same size. Cut off any fat and veins and discard them. These will make the bites fatty or extra chewy and unpleasant.

Preheat the Air fryer at 400 F (200 C) for 5 minutes to ensure proper and even cooking.
Cooking time for these steak bites varies greatly, depending on the cut of beef steak used, the size of the bites and of course what kind of air fryer you are using (and what size it is). Start checking for doneness after 8 minutes of cooking, You can also use a probe thermometer, to check the temperature of the meat. it is 150 F for medium, but if the outside is not perfectly crispy, you can cook these for a few minutes longer.
Seasoning – it is not as much for the kind of seasoning used, but when to use it. With this recipe, you can even cook the steak without any salt and pepper, just tossed in some oil and add the salt and pepper right after cooking. Adding garlic and onion powder, chili powder, paprika, smoked paprika or oregano will add some amazing flavors to the meat. You can also use store bought steak seasoning, that you add right before cooking.
What is the right time to salt steak? There are 3 options, when it comes to adding salt to steak. They are 1) Right before cooking, 2) After cooking and 3) 1 hour before cooking. Why you shouldn’t salt the steak at any time? If you salt your steak and let the meat absorb the salt for less than 10 minutes, the salt starts to pull out juices from the meat through the process of osmosis but doesn’t have time to reabsorb them. This will cause your steak to lose moisture and you’ll have trouble achieving that perfectly crispy, desired crust. This is why the best time to salt steak if between 40 and 60 minutes before cooking. It is also fine to salt steak right before cooking (this way the meal does not have time to absorb the salt) or after.

What to serve these steak bites with?

These taste great on their own, or just drizzled with garlic butter on top. To make the garlic butter, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan on the stove top. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper and a pressed garlic clove (or garlic powder). For some extra heat, you can also add chili flakes. Toss the steak bites in the garlic butter. This way you end up with Garlic Butter Air Fryer Steak Bites.

You can serve these with Air Fryer Seasoned Fries, Air Fryer Vegetables or Air Fryer Mushrooms. They also go well with salads, mashed potatoes or corn.

You can also make a Blue cheese dipping sauce, Chipotle Mayo, Au Jus or Chimichurri.

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