Steak at 380°F in an air fryer cooks in about 8–12 minutes, flipping once, then resting 5 minutes before slicing.
If you’ve landed here, you want a straight timing answer that still turns out a steak you’d gladly cook again. Air fryers run hot and move air fast, so minutes matter. The good news is that 380°F is a sweet spot for steak: it browns well, keeps the inside tender, and doesn’t burn as easily as the top end temps many people try first.
Use the timing ranges below, check internal temp near the end, and you’ll stop guessing. After that, the rest of the article is all the small details that fix the usual steak problems: pale surfaces, chewy bites, gray centers, and juices on the cutting board.
Time chart at 380°F by thickness and doneness
| Steak and thickness | Pull temp target | Total cook time at 380°F |
|---|---|---|
| Sirloin, 1/2 in | 125–130°F (rare) | 6–8 min |
| Ribeye, 3/4 in | 130–135°F (medium-rare) | 8–10 min |
| New York strip, 1 in | 135–140°F (medium-rare to medium) | 10–12 min |
| Ribeye, 1 1/4 in | 140–145°F (medium) | 12–14 min |
| Strip, 1 1/2 in | 145–150°F (medium-well) | 14–17 min |
| Filet mignon, 1 1/2 in | 135–140°F (medium-rare to medium) | 13–16 min |
| Frozen steak, 1 in | 135–145°F (medium-rare to medium) | 14–18 min |
| Flank/skirt style, thin | 130–140°F (rare to medium) | 5–7 min |
These ranges assume one steak in the basket with space around it. If you crowd the basket, add time and expect lighter browning. If you cook two steaks, plan on a couple extra minutes and a mid-cook swap of positions.
Why 380°F works so well for air fryer steak
At 380°F, you get steady browning without turning the outside leathery before the center hits your target. Air fryers blast hot air right at the food, so the outer layer dries and browns quickly. Pushing to 400°F can still work, yet it narrows the window between “great crust” and “dry edge.”
380°F also plays nicer with thick steaks. It gives the inside a bit more time to warm up while the outside keeps taking color. That balance is what most people are chasing when they say they want “a steakhouse result” from an air fryer.
What changes the cook time at 380°F
Thickness beats weight every time
A 10-ounce steak can cook fast if it’s thin and wide. A smaller steak can take longer if it’s tall. When you’re using an air fryer, thickness is the dial that matters most.
Starting temp of the steak
Cold steak from the fridge takes longer than steak that’s sat out briefly. You don’t need a long counter rest. Even 10–15 minutes while you season and preheat can tighten your timing.
Your air fryer model and basket style
Some air fryers run a bit hot. Some run a bit cool. Basket air fryers usually brown better than oven-style units at the same setting because the air speed is higher. Treat the first cook as your calibration run and write down what worked.
How many steaks you cook at once
One steak gets the full blast of airflow. Two steaks block airflow. You can still cook two, but leave a gap between them, flip both, and swap their positions halfway through.
How Long To Cook Steak In Air Fryer At 380 step by step
This method is built for repeatable timing, clean browning, and a center that matches your doneness goal. It also fits weeknight cooking, where you want a plan you can run on autopilot.
Step 1: Preheat and prep
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3–5 minutes.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Dry surfaces brown better.
- Lightly oil the steak, not the basket. Use a thin coat so it doesn’t smoke.
- Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic powder or smoked paprika if you like.
Step 2: Cook and flip once
- Place the steak in the basket with space around it.
- Cook half the time from the table range.
- Flip with tongs. If you’re adding butter, do it after the flip so it doesn’t burn early.
- Cook the rest of the time, then start checking internal temp.
Step 3: Temp check the right way
Use an instant-read thermometer and probe the thickest part from the side. Try not to touch bone or the basket. Start checking 2 minutes before the low end of the time range, then check again in short intervals.
Step 4: Rest, then slice
Rest the steak 5 minutes on a plate. This helps the juices stay in the meat when you slice. Cut against the grain, especially for sirloin and flank-style cuts.
Doneness targets you can trust
Air fryer timing gets you close. Internal temperature gets you right. That’s why thermometer cooking feels calmer: you’re not guessing when the steak is ready.
If you want a food safety baseline for whole cuts of beef, the government guidance for steaks and roasts is 145°F with a rest time. You can read it directly on the Safe Minimum Internal Temperature chart.
Doneness is also about texture. Rare and medium-rare stay more tender. Medium has a firmer bite. Medium-well goes drier fast in a compact appliance like an air fryer, so use a thermometer and pull earlier than you think.
Common pull temps for steak
- Rare: pull at 120–125°F
- Medium-rare: pull at 130–135°F
- Medium: pull at 140–145°F
- Medium-well: pull at 150–155°F
- Well-done: pull at 160°F+
Pull temps matter because carryover heat keeps cooking the steak during the rest. On thick steaks, the internal temp can climb a few degrees after you take it out.
If you like reading the USDA wording for safe temps on a USDA site, this is the matching reference: FSIS safe temperature chart.
Seasoning and fat choices that cook well at 380°F
You don’t need a long ingredient list. Steak tastes great with a short seasoning set, and air fryers can scorch sugar fast, so skip sweet rubs at this temp.
Fast seasoning set
- Salt + black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
Oil helps browning. Avocado oil and refined olive oil handle heat well. If you prefer butter, add it late or brush it on during the rest.
Cut-by-cut timing notes that fix common mix-ups
Ribeye
Ribeye has more fat, so it stays tender at medium. At 380°F, a 1-inch ribeye often lands in the 10–12 minute range. Check early if it’s thin.
New York strip
Strip browns nicely and slices clean. It can chew if you overcook it. Aim for medium-rare to medium, pull at 130–145°F, and rest before slicing.
Sirloin
Sirloin is leaner, so it rewards careful timing. Keep it closer to medium-rare if you want a softer bite. Slice against the grain.
Filet mignon
Filet is thick and lean with a tender texture. It benefits from a quick preheat, a single flip, and a thermometer check before the final minutes are done.
Flank and skirt style cuts
These are thin and cook fast. At 380°F, they can go from tender to tight in a blink. Cook briefly, rest, and slice thin against the grain.
How to cook frozen steak at 380°F without drying it out
Frozen steak can work well in an air fryer because the outside browns while the inside thaws and cooks. The trick is to avoid heavy seasoning too early, since salt won’t stick well to ice and can slide off.
- Preheat to 380°F.
- Cook frozen steak for 6 minutes, then flip.
- Cook 4 minutes more, then season both sides.
- Continue cooking in 2-minute blocks until you hit your pull temp.
- Rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Expect 14–18 minutes total for a 1-inch frozen steak, with your thermometer deciding the finish.
Table of fixes when steak turns out wrong
| What happened | Likely reason | Fix for next time |
|---|---|---|
| Pale surface | Steak was damp or basket was crowded | Pat dry, cook one steak, add a thin oil coat |
| Dry edge, gray center | Cooked too long before checking temp | Start temp checks 2 minutes early, pull sooner |
| Chewy bites | Overcooked lean cut or sliced with the grain | Pull at lower temp, rest, slice against grain |
| Burnt seasoning | Sugary rub or too much pepper on a hot spot | Skip sugar, use simple seasoning, rotate basket position |
| Smoke in the kitchen | Too much oil or fat dripped onto a hot plate | Use a thin oil coat, clean fryer, add a drip liner if allowed |
| Outside browned, inside underdone | Steak was thick and started cold | Cook at 380°F, add 2-minute blocks, check temp from the side |
| Outside soft after resting | Steam trapped under the steak | Rest on a rack, not a flat plate |
Resting and slicing rules that change the final bite
Resting sounds optional until you skip it and see the plate flood with juices. Five minutes is enough for most air fryer steaks. Thick cuts can rest a touch longer. If you want the surface to stay crisp, rest on a small rack so air can move around the steak.
Slicing is the other make-or-break step. Look for the grain lines and cut across them. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes each bite easier to chew.
Quick timing notes for common steak nights
One-inch steak, medium-rare
Plan on 10–12 minutes total at 380°F, flip once, then pull at 130–135°F and rest. If your steak is thin for its label, start checking at minute 8.
Thick steak, medium
At 1 1/2 inches, cook time often lands around 14–17 minutes. Flip once and check temp in short blocks near the end. Pull at 140–145°F, rest, then slice.
Two steaks at once
Add 2–4 minutes total, leave a gap between steaks, and swap their positions after the flip. One side of many baskets runs hotter. The swap evens it out.
Mini checklist you can save for next time
- Preheat to 380°F for 3–5 minutes.
- Pat steak dry, then oil lightly.
- Season simply.
- Cook using the time chart, flip once.
- Start temp checks 2 minutes early.
- Pull at your target temp, rest 5 minutes.
- Slice against the grain.
If you came here asking “how long to cook steak in air fryer at 380”, your best repeatable move is pairing the time chart with a thermometer check near the end. Do that twice and you’ll have your own dialed-in timing for your exact air fryer.