Air Fryer Medium-Rare Beef Steak
A juicy beef steak cooked quickly in the air fryer, perfect for a fast and tasty dinner.
Steps
- 1
Season the steak well on both sides with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- 2
Place the steak in the air fryer basket and cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes for medium-rare. Adjust time between 8 and 12 minutes depending on thickness.
- 3
Flip the steak halfway through cooking for even doneness.
- 4
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before serving to retain juices.
Shopping list
200-250g (7-9 oz) beef steak (1 inch thick), salt, black pepper, olive oil
Recipe story
The medium-rare beef steak has its origins in English cuisine, where beef has been a staple since the Middle Ages. The technique of cooking meat at high temperatures to seal in juices was perfected in American restaurants in the 20th century. The modern air fryer brings this method into a quick and accessible version.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Olive oil
Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.
