Air Fryer Steak Coming Out A Burnt Mess? You Probably Broke This Simple Rule

Air fryers have made meal times so easy. There's less waiting around, less mess. You simply toss food in a basket, hit a button, and dinner is on the table in no time. But there are some things you need to keep in mind, especially when it comes to expensive meats like steak. One is that certain marinades don't work well in the air fryer. In fact, they could transform the steak into a completely burnt mess if you're not careful.

Recipe developer Claudia Syanny at Butter Joy Kitchen recently spoke to Tasting Table about cooking steak in the airfryer and she was quick to point out that sugary marinades should be avoided at the start of cooking. This is because the high heat and airflow can cause the sugar to caramelize too quickly, resulting in unwelcome charring. 

The sticky residue will also leave a stubborn mess for you to clean up and could cause the air fryer basket to fill with smoke. For the same reason, Syanny doesn't recommend using butter or any fat with a lower smoke point at the start of the cooking process. Grapeseed or avocado oil are great options as they have a high smoke point, or go for a light olive oil. 

If you do want to use a sweet sauce, Syanny recommends taking the steak out of the airfryer halfway through cooking and adding it then. The worst culprits are things like honey, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, and sweet chili. Maple syrup has a lot of sugar too, and it probably goes with saying that a marinade with brown sugar added to it is a no-go at the start of cooking. Whether it's a three-ingredient garlic butter or a tenderizing steak marinade, the safest bet is actually to apply it using a brush after the steaks have been removed from the airfryer.

You could cut down on the sugar too or try cooking the steaks at a lower temperature to start. Another expert, chef Thomas Odermatt of Butcher's Bone Broth has a more unusual solution. He suggests wrapping air fryer steaks to create a protective barrier. He told Tasting Table, "I recommend wrapping the steak in corn husk or cabbage leaves, and cooking it at a high heat, such as 400 degrees, for 10 to 14 minutes, depending on the size."

Whatever you do, just remember to pat your steaks dry before cooking them and don't overcrowd the basket. You'll also want to flip them halfway through and the sugary marinade rule applies to any meats, like chicken, lamb, and pork, too, so be wary the next time you plan to air fry any marinated meat.