For a small sirloin steak in an air fryer, cook about 8–12 minutes at 400°F, flipping once, depending on thickness and preferred doneness.
A small sirloin steak in an air fryer cooks fast, so timing matters more than fancy technique. Get the minutes right and you keep a tender center with a browned surface.
This guide gives clear time ranges, basic setup steps, and simple checks so you know when to pull the steak for your preferred doneness.
When people search how long to cook small sirloin steak in an air fryer, they want a straight answer. You will see that answer first, then extra detail for more control.
How Long To Cook Small Sirloin Steak In An Air Fryer? Basics
For a typical small sirloin steak about 0.75–1 inch thick, a good starting point is 8–12 minutes at 400°F in a preheated air fryer basket. That range assumes the steak starts close to room temperature and you flip it once halfway through cooking.
Within that 8–12 minute window, the exact time depends on how you like your steak and how powerful your air fryer runs. Smaller basket models often cook slightly faster than large oven style units, so the low end of the range suits compact machines.
Food safety matters as much as flavor. Government guidance for whole beef steaks recommends at least 145°F internal temperature with a short rest before serving, which lines up with about medium doneness for a small sirloin steak.
| Doneness | Cook Time At 400°F (0.75–1 Inch) | Target Internal Temp* |
|---|---|---|
| Rare (cool red center) | 6–8 minutes | 125°F |
| Medium-rare (warm red center) | 8–10 minutes | 130–135°F |
| Medium (pink center) | 10–12 minutes | 140–145°F |
| Medium-well (slight pink) | 12–14 minutes | 150–155°F |
| Well-done (no pink) | 14–15 minutes | 160°F |
| Thin steak 1/2 inch, medium-rare | 6–7 minutes | 130–135°F |
| USDA minimum for whole beef steaks | About 10–12 minutes | 145°F plus 3 minute rest |
Times in the chart are estimates for small sirloin steaks cooked in a single layer. Always check the actual temperature with a meat thermometer instead of trusting minutes alone.
Writing down your preferred time and temperature the first few times you cook sirloin in your own air fryer builds a small personal chart that matches your exact steak thickness and machine for reliable results.
Small Sirloin Steak Air Fryer Cook Time Guide
Before you set a timer, it helps to define what counts as a small sirloin steak for air frying. Most home cooks use the term for steaks in the 6–8 ounce range that sit under an inch thick at the thickest point.
Cuts that fall into this range cook quickly, pick up a nice crust in the air fryer basket, and stay easy to portion for one or two people. If your steak is much thicker than an inch, the times from the earlier table still help, but you will need a few extra minutes.
Step-By-Step Method For A Small Sirloin Steak
1. Take the steak out of the fridge 20–30 minutes early and pat it dry so the surface browns instead of steaming.
2. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and any dry seasoning you like, then brush on a light coat of oil.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for about 5 minutes so the basket is hot before the steak goes in.
4. Place the steak in a single layer in the basket, set a timer for 6 minutes, then flip the steak once.
5. Cook for another 2–6 minutes, checking early if you like rare and later if you want medium-well or well-done.
6. Move the steak to a warm plate and rest it for 3–5 minutes so juices settle before you slice.
Checking Doneness With A Thermometer
An instant read thermometer takes guesswork out of small sirloin steak cook time. Insert the tip into the thickest part of the steak from the side so the probe runs through the center, not touching fat or bone.
For most people, medium-rare to medium gives sirloin a tender bite with plenty of juice. That usually means pulling the steak from the air fryer at 130–145°F and letting carryover heat finish the cooking during the rest.
If you prefer a steak that leans closer to the government safe minimum, aim for the higher end of that range. For anyone who enjoys a red center, stop nearer the lower end and accept a slightly lower internal temperature.
Factors That Change Sirloin Steak Air Fryer Time
Two steaks can share the same weight and still cook at different speeds in an air fryer. A few basic factors explain those differences.
Steak Size And Thickness
Thickness matters more than weight. A wider steak that stays under an inch thick cooks faster than a narrow steak that stands tall like a cube.
If your small sirloin steak sits closer to half an inch thick, expect it to land near the short end of the cook time range. Steaks around 1.25 inches or more usually need extra minutes and more frequent temperature checks.
Starting Temperature Of The Meat
A steak that starts cold from the fridge needs more time to reach the same internal temperature as one that sat on the counter for a short spell.
If you skip the counter rest, plan on leaning toward the upper end of the time range while still using a thermometer as your final guide.
Air Fryer Size And Power
Compact drawer style air fryers send concentrated heat around a small basket. Larger oven style units spread that heat over more space, which often means a slightly longer cook time for the same steak.
If recipes written for basket models give you underdone results in an oven style air fryer, add 2–3 minutes and test again. On the flip side, if your machine runs hot or browns the steak quickly, shorten the second half of the cook by a minute or two.
Basket Crowding And Airflow
Air fryers rely on steady airflow, so crowded baskets slow cooking and produce uneven browning. Two small sirloin steaks can share a basket if they sit in a single layer with small gaps between them.
If you try to feed more people and overlap steaks, the top surfaces brown poorly and the centers often lag behind. In that case cook in batches so each steak sees plenty of moving hot air.
Doneness Preference
A steak pulled at rare or medium-rare spends less time in the air fryer than one taken to medium-well or well-done. The same small sirloin steak might sit in the basket 8 minutes for a pink center or 14 minutes for a firm brown center.
Think about how you plan to serve the steak. Slices for salads or tacos often taste better on the medium side so the pieces hold together, while a steak eaten on its own can stay closer to medium-rare.
Adjusting Time For Frozen Or Marinated Sirloin
Sometimes the small sirloin you want to air fry is still icy in the center or has soaked overnight in a wet marinade.
Cooking A Small Sirloin Steak From Frozen
Air fryers can handle frozen steak, though total time goes up. Set the air fryer to 380–390°F and cook a frozen steak for 6–8 minutes to thaw and start cooking, then season and finish at 400°F for another 8–10 minutes.
Check temperature during the second stage so you do not overshoot your preferred doneness, since the center warms more slowly.
Cooking Marinated Small Sirloin Steak
Wet marinades add flavor but can slow browning in an air fryer, so blot most of the liquid from the surface and add a thin coat of oil.
Because excess moisture steams instead of browning, marinated steaks often need 1–2 extra minutes. Let the thermometer decide when the steak is ready.
Food Safety And Resting Time For Air Fried Sirloin
Air fryers brown food fast, which sometimes tempts people to pull steak early. Guidance such as the FSIS Air Fryers and Food Safety page treats an air fryer just like an oven or grill and recommends using internal temperature instead of surface color.
Food safety agencies list 145°F with a short rest as the safe minimum internal temperature for whole beef steaks. That matches the numbers in the public safe minimum internal temperature chart and gives a target that balances tenderness with safety for most small sirloin steaks.
Resting lets temperature climb a few degrees and gives juices time to settle. Pulling at 140–145°F for medium steak, then resting at least 3 minutes, usually lands near the 145°F guideline.
Always place steak on a clean plate or board after cooking and keep raw meat juices away from cooked slices. Use separate tongs for raw and cooked meat or wash utensils before they touch finished food.
Sample Timing Adjustments For Small Sirloin Steaks
Once you understand the baseline numbers, you can adjust small sirloin steak air fryer cook time for common real world situations. The following table gives quick ranges that pair starting conditions with a simple time plan.
| Situation | Temperature And Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small 5–6 oz steak, about 1/2 inch | 400°F for 6–8 minutes | Check at 6 minutes |
| Standard 6–8 oz steak, 0.75–1 inch | 400°F for 8–12 minutes | Flip once |
| Thicker 8–10 oz steak, 1.25 inches | 400°F for 10–14 minutes | Check center, add time |
| Frozen small sirloin steak | 380–390°F then 400°F | Two-stage cook |
| Two small steaks in one basket | 400°F for 9–13 minutes | Leave space between steaks |
| Well-done preference | 400°F for 14–15 minutes | Aim for 160°F internal |
These ranges do not replace your thermometer. They simply narrow the window so you know when to start checking the center of the steak.
Quick Cook Time Checklist For Small Sirloin Steak
If you like a simple reference, keep a short list next to the air fryer so you never have to wonder how long to cook small sirloin steak in an air fryer during a busy weeknight.
1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and let the small sirloin steak sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you season it.
2. Place the steak in a single layer and cook for 6 minutes, then flip.
3. Cook for 2–6 more minutes depending on doneness, starting closer to 2 minutes for rare and closer to 6 minutes for well-done.
4. Check the internal temperature at the thickest point and aim for 130–145°F for medium-rare to medium or at least 145°F if you want to follow common food safety charts.
5. Rest the steak for at least 3–5 minutes before slicing so juices settle and temperature evens out from edge to center.
Follow those five steps and you will repeat the same tender results any time you air fry a small sirloin steak, even if the exact cut or brand of air fryer changes.