This Air Fryer New York Strip is tender and delicious with lots of flavor - even without a grill! Best of all it's very easy to make without causing a mess in the kitchen. Topped with an optional chive butter, this whole meal cooks in less than 15 minutes.
If you haven't tried New York strip in the air fryer, you're actually missing out on a very easy recipe that you can use on weeknights. With my timing and temperature recommendations, the steak is cooked perfectly to your liking.
Pair this air fryer NY strip with a simple Butter Lettuce Salad and my Boursin Mashed Potatoes for a delicious meal!
Why Make New York Strip in an Air Fryer?
I love a great grilled steak, but once I had two young kids, my mindset about my old cooking techniques changed. Sometimes you really just want a great steak that's fast and easy, and doesn't require heating up a grill or making a giant splattering mess in a cast iron pan.
Truthfully I was so shocked that my air fryer flank steak turned out so good, I wanted to test it with other types of steak. You'll love this air fryer New York Strip because:
- Easy - Minimal ingredients, easy clean up, and no oiling grill grates or dealing with splatter screens!
- Fast - Ready in just 15 minutes.
- No grill, no problem - If you don't own or have access to a grill, this is a great steak recipe!
This recipe fits a gluten free, dairy free (without the compound butter), low sodium, low histamine, and migraine diet!
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What Air Fryer Is Best?
For recipe testing, I used the Cosori Air Fryer Pro (5 qt) and the Cosori Dual Blaze (6 qt) to try this out in many different ways. You can get a discount on all Cosori products with the code THEDIZZYCOOK20.
If you have a smaller family or own an instant pot, I've made steak with my air fryer lid before and also find it gets a nice sear on the top.
Sometimes with the toaster oven combination air fryers, I find they will not produce the same sear results. In this case, you may want to pre-sear the steaks in a cast iron pan, but I know that defeats the purpose! Just depends on how important to you that caramelization is.
Ingredients
- New York Strip Steak - This is personally my favorite cut of steak. From a tender part of the short loin, it's a great cut for both texture and flavor. It may also be known as strip steak or Kansas City strip steak. USDA prime is typically the best, but USDA choice or grass-fed are also good options. Sometimes I find grass fed is a little bit less marbled with fat, but the butter helps! Steak should be about ¾"-1" thickness. If it's very thick, you can slice them in half.
- Avocado oil - Because of the higher heat level, I like to brush these with avocado oil, but ghee (clarified butter) can also be used.
- Salt - Most of the time salt is an afterthought, but since this recipe is so simple, a good quality kosher salt can make a big difference. A lot of chefs will use Diamond Kosher Salt which has light, hallow flakes. This means it's less salty and more crumbly than other types of kosher salt like Morton's, which is more dense. I love using Diamond for meat seasonings where there's not a lot going on as you can add more seasoning without overpowering the meal.
- Fresh black pepper - Use freshly cracked black pepper instead of pre-ground. This will also add more flavor and a little bit of texture to the steak.
Chive compound butter is optional, but can provide a burst of extra flavor for a special occasion. I use good quality butter like Kerrygold, garlic, fresh chives, and rosemary.
How to Air Fry New York Strip Steak
Step 1: Season the steaks
Although I personally like to pull my steaks out of the fridge about 10-15 minutes before cooking, it's a myth they need to come to room temperature. Pat steaks as dry as possible. Brush the steaks lightly with avocado oil and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. (Pictures 1, 2)
Step 2: Air fry
Preheat the air fryer to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the NY strip to the air fryer basket crisper plate and air fry for about 7 minutes. Flip and cook another 3-5 minutes depending on desired doneness. (Pictures 3, 4)
If your air fryer does not reach 420 degrees Fahrenheit, don't worry! You can cook these at 400 degrees for closer to 8 minutes, then flip and cook another 4-6 minutes.
Air Frying with the Cosori Dual Blaze
Pat the steak dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. Place the steak directly onto the bottom of the air fryer basket without the crisper plate.
I used the "steak" setting but found my NY strip steak (about 1" thickness) was done to a perfect medium at the 8 minute point, even though their instructions said to cook for another 4 minutes.
I found that cooking on the steak function for 6 minutes, adding the compound butter
Step 3: Rest and Slice
If using the compound butter, spread on top of the steaks while warm. Allow them to rest at least minutes before slicing.
Chive Garlic Compound Butter
A compound butter like this chive garlic butter elevates the flavor similar to you would have when searing the NY strip in a cast iron pan and spooning the butter over the meat.
It will store well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3-6 months. I add it to baked bread, eggs, and shellfish dishes.
NY Strip Air Fryer Cooking Times
These were the times I found worked best in testing with my basket air fryer and 1" thick New York strip steak. Remember this may be different for combo air fryers.
- 10 minutes for medium rare - 130-135F internal temperature.
- 11-12 minutes for medium - 140-145F internal temperature.
- 13 minutes for medium well - about 150F internal temperature.
If your steak is larger, you may need more time on both sides. I'd add a minute on each side, checking the internal temperature at the halfway point.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Steak
- Quality cuts - With such a simple recipe, choosing a good cut can make a difference with flavor. But since USDA prime is so good, but expensive, I tend to save that for when I sear or grill steaks, and use grass-fed or choice for my air fryer nights. It's completely up to you and what you're looking for!
- Invest in a good meat thermometer like ThermoWorks for an accurate temperature reading. This will also help to avoid overcooking.
- The steak internal temperature can increase as it rests, so keep that in mind if you're a couple degrees below where you would like the steak to be. This can be anywhere from 3-5 degrees.
Side Dishes
This New York strip steak in the air fryer pairs well with many different side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think you'd be surprised at how well air fryers cook steaks. I was shocked at how perfectly cooked flank steaks were that I started trying other cuts. Not only is it fast with easy clean up, but it's also easier to get your desired internal temperature than a grill.
My best advice is to invest in a good meat thermometer like ThermoWorks, then use the guide in my instructions for your desired internal temperature. Remember that the internal temperature of the steak can increase a couple degrees as you rest the steaks.
Not always! I usually don't add butter to steaks if cooking on the grill. However, I think it works well with air fryer steaks, similar to searing in a cast iron. It provides a boost of flavor.
Air Fryer Recipes
For more recipes like these air fryer NY strip steaks, see these posts. And don't miss my air fryer flank steak.
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Air Fryer New York Strip Steak
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer or Cosori Dual Blaze Air fryer
Ingredients
NY Strip Steaks
- 2 pounds New York Strip Steaks (also called "strip steaks"), about 1" in thickness
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Chive Garlic Butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- ½ cup softened butter
Instructions
For the chive butter:
- Mix together all of the ingredients and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Air fryer strip steak:
- Right before cooking, brush the steak lightly on both sides with avocado oil. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Preheat the air fryer to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Place on the crisper plate and cook in the air fryer 9-10 minutes total for medium-rare, 11-12 minutes total for medium, 13 for medium well.
- Flip halfway through to get a sear on both sides. When you flip the steaks, add a small pat of the chive butter to the top of the steaks. When the steak has finished cooking, spoon any leftover juices over the top of the steak before transferring to a plate to allow it to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing through.
- 10 minutes for medium rare - 130-135F internal temperature. 11-12 minutes for medium - 140-145F internal temperature. 13 minutes for medium well - about 150F internal temperature.
Dual Blaze air fryer instructions:
- Because this air fryer heats on the bottom as well as the top, it creates a great sear for steaks but also cooks quicker! Skip the step that has you oil the steak first and just season on both sides. Place the NY strip steaks directly into the air fryer basket without the crisper plate. Cook on the "steak" function for about 5 minutes before flipping, topping with the butter, and cooking another 3-4 minutes for medium.
Notes
- There is a difference in cooking between air fryer/toaster oven combos and basket air fryers. Simple, basket air fryers will produce the best sear/results.
- I plan for about ½ pound of steak per adult, but sometimes 1 very large strip steak can weigh 2 pounds and be thick! If it's over 2 inches thick, I slice it in half to create about 1" strip steaks.
- If your air fryer doesn't reach 420 degrees F - Just cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit but increase the cooking time by 1 minute, so around 11 minutes for medium rare, 12-13 for medium, and, 13-14 minutes for medium well.
- Butter will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Diamond kosher salt is recommended for steak seasoning. You can season every bit of steak without it being overly salty.
- Nutritional information is calculated for ½ pound of the air fryer steaks without the butter.
Tina Renz says
Could I use basil instead of rosemary? Or would that flavor not meld well?
Alicia says
I think it would be ok if you really love basil! I personally prefer thyme or rosemary with steaks, but I don't think basil would be bad at all. 🙂 You could also just do chives alone too.