Why Reheating Steak In Your Air Fryer Is A Mistake

When you have leftover steak (or leftover anything), a quick option for reheating is the air fryer. Due to their small baskets, they heat up quickly and cook food fast. However, this convenient appliance can leave steak dry and tough, a disappointing result for meat that was juicy and tender the day before. How air fryers work and the nature of steak cuts can help you understand why you may want to sacrifice efficiency for better quality leftovers.

The air fryer operates with a heating mechanism and a powerful fan that blows hot air rapidly around a cooking chamber. As the name suggests, the result is fried-food levels of crispiness. This works wonders for french fries and chicken tenders that demand a crispy exterior. However, it can be detrimental to steak. One of the common mistakes people make when reheating steak is using too high a heat, which strips away moisture. When coupled with the intense fan, it's best to pass on the air fryer.

The type of steak you're reheating also plays a role in how well it holds up in the air fryer. Many types of steak are on the lean side, including eye of round, bottom and top rounds, and sirloin. That low percentage of fat doesn't offer much protection from drying out in the air fryer. In fact, the air fryer's drip tray will catch drippings from the meat as it cooks, leaving it with even less fat content than before. Fatty pork chops and dishes that benefit from a crisp exterior such as meatballs are among the best types of meat to cook in the air fryer. Not surprisingly, the best cut of steak to cook in the air fryer is the fattier ribeye.

If you're short on time and require the quick-cooking capability of the air fryer, be sure to reintroduce some fat to the steak by adding melted butter. Pair it with a sauce to help counteract dryness. However, the preferred reheating method is the oven. Set the temperature at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit and heat slowly.