Relatively new as a piece of home cooking technology, the air fryer is nonetheless a great way to cook a steak. Even a bone-in cut like a T-bone steak turns out flavorful, juicy, and perfectly done when treated the right way in one of these appliances. The circulation of hot air sears the outside and evenly cooks the meat near the bone along with the rest of the cut. Get great results without starting the grill with these tips for cooking a T-bone steak in an air fryer.
What is a T-Bone Steak?
The T-bone steak is a thick cut of bone-in beef that comes from the short loin on a cow. This larger cut combines both the smaller filet mignon on one side of the T-shaped bone and the New York strip on the other. You get tender and mouth-melting meat mixed with a beefier flavor from the strip side of the cut. It’s one of the most popular bone-in cuts of steak. It’s closely related to the Porterhouse steak cut, but slightly smaller thanks to more aggressive trimming, usually on the filet side of the bone.
T-Bone Steak Grades
Since all T-bone steaks are cut the same, the real difference lies in the grade of meat. Steaks and other cuts of beef are graded by the USDA for the quality of the meat. This means the tenderness, amount of fat mixed into the meat or “marbling”, and the age of the cattle used for producing the meat.
Prime
Only well-marbled meat from young cattle can be graded as prime. This is the kind of steak you’ll find in a high-class restaurant, and usually with a corresponding price tag. Yet USDA Prime steaks are often not too much more expensive per pound than Choice when raw. It makes sense to invest in a Prime cut for a big anniversary or other major celebration since it has the best flavor and tenderness.
Choice
When enjoying an everyday steak dinner and using an appliance like an air fryer for quick results, USDA Choice T-bone steaks are more than good enough. The Choice grade of beef is still better than USDA Prime, with good marbling and plenty of flavor.
Wagyu
Wagyu is technically the collective name of the four breeds of Japanese beef cattle, much like Angus is a breed of American cattle. Wagyu literally translates to “Japanese cow”. However, Wagyu beef has become synonymous with highly marbled, extra-tender meat. It can be imported from Japan or raised in the US with the right breed of imported cattle. It’s worth sampling whenever you can find (and afford) it, but a high-end Wagyu T-bone probably deserves space on the grill or in the pan rather than in the air fryer.
T-Bone Air Fryer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 T-bone steak, around 1-inch thick
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions
1. Let the steak come to room temperature before cooking. Brush the T-bone steak down with the olive oil on both sides, then sprinkle on salt and pepper as desired.
2. Place the steak in the air fryer. Turn the air fryer on and cook at 400 degrees with full air circulation.
3. Use a meat thermometer to check the steak regularly, starting at the 4-minute mark. Thinner steaks can reach medium rare within 4 to 5 minutes. Thicker steaks will take longer, but they can go from too rare to done in under a minute, so check often.
4. Let the steak rest under a cover of aluminum foil for 2 to 3 minutes before eating.
T-Bone Steak Info
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 3.5 ounces/100 grams
Calories: 219
Total Fat: 12 grams
Cholesterol: 80 mg
Saturated Fat: 4.7 grams
Carbohydrates: 0 grams
Protein: 27.3 grams
Find out more about the nutritional value of the T-bone steak.
Doneness Temperatures
Rare: 125 degrees F
Medium Rare: 135 degrees F
Medium: 145 degrees F
Medium Well: 155 degrees F
Well Done: 160 degrees F
It’s recommended to keep the T-bone steak cut at medium and above to enjoy the most tender texture.
Conclusion
With the ease of cooking a great steak in the air fryer in mere minutes, it’s easy to make any weeknight a steak dinner night. Surprise your family with the delicious T-bones they thought they had to visit a restaurant to enjoy.
Air Frying Steak FAQs
Air Fryer T-Bone Steak
Ingredients
- 1 t-bone steak, around 1 inch thick
- 1 tsp olive oil
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Let the steak come to room temperature before cooking. Brush the T-bone steak down with the olive oil on both sides, then sprinkle on salt and pepper as desired
- Place the steak in the air fryer. Turn the air fryer on and cook at 400 degrees with full air circulation
- Use a meat thermometer to check the steak regularly, starting at the 4-minute mark. Thinner steaks can reach medium rare within 4 to 5 minutes. Thicker steaks will take longer, but they can go from too rare to done in under a minute, so check often
- Let the steak rest under a cover of aluminum foil for 2 to 3 minutes before eating