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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer Beef Recipes

    Air Fryer Steak Bites with Cowboy Butter

    Published: Mar 31, 2022 Modified: Nov 23, 2022 by Isabel Laessig

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    You are going to love our easy Air Fryer Steak Bites with Cowboy Butter. Perfectly tender and so flavorful, these juicy morsels cook in 15 minutes or less and make an amazing appetizer, lunch, or dinner.

    Paired with decadent cowboy butter sauce, this is a keto-friendly, inexpensive, and easy air fryer steak recipe you'll want to make over and over again.

    air fryer steak bites on a plate with a bowl of cowboy butter
    Jump to:
    • Best Air Fryer Steak Bites
    • Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce Ingredients
    • How to Air Fry Steak Bites
    • Air Fryer Steak Bites FAQs
    • Steak Temperature Chart
    • Air Fryer Steak Recipe Tips
    • Tools
    • Best Air Fryer Recipes
    • Best Steak Sauces
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Best Air Fryer Steak Bites

    We are in love with air frying steak is one of our favorite ways to cook it, and we're no strangers to cooking steak in the air fryer. I love a good filet mignon air fryer recipe - the air fryer is just amazing for steaks!

    By far, these air fryer steak bites are our favorite. They're like our Garlic Steak Bites but even easier to make. Just a few simple ingredients and they're ready in 15 minutes or less! The best part about steak bites in the air fryer is how crispy they are on the outside and so tender on the inside.

    Dipping a steak bite into cowboy butter on a fork

    Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce Ingredients

    Cowboy butter sauce is the most incredible compound butter recipe. It's loaded with flavor from a blend of sauces and seasonings. Our cowboy butter recipe uses:

    • Butter
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Dijon mustard
    • Lemon juice and zest
    • Garlic powder
    • Salt and pepper
    • Red pepper flakes
    • and parsley.

    It is a perfect match for our juicy Air Fryer Steak Bites. Cowboy butter sauce brings out the best in this dish!

    Cubed steak on a cutting board next to cowboy butter in a bowl

    How to Air Fry Steak Bites

    1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.Combine all cowboy butter ingredients in a bowl and mix well.Mixing cowboy butter in a bowl with a whisk
    2. Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Cut into ½-inch cubes, then add to a bowl with cowboy butter. Mix well, then remove from the bowl using a slotted spoon or tongs. steak combined with cowboy butter in a bowl
    3. Cover the air fryer tray with aluminum foil, then spray with cooking spray. Spread steak on the tray in an even layer. Don't overcrowd the trays.Steak bites with cowboy butter on air fryer trays.
    4. Air fry at 400°F for 10-15 minutes depending on your desired degree of doneness (approximately 10 minutes).Placing air fryer steak bites into the air fryer on trays
    5. Place the cowboy butter back into a pan and bring to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
    6. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with reserved cowboy butter sauce. Enjoy!Dipping a steak bite into cowboy butter on a fork

    Air Fryer Steak Bites FAQs

    What cut of steak is best for steak bites?

    Sirloin, Ribeye, Tri-tip, and London Broil
    The best part about this easy recipe is that you can use any cut of steak you'd like to make it. That means that not only is it completely delicious, but it also fits any budget. I have tried London Broil in the Air Fryer and it is not only delicious but air frying tenderizes the beef making it an amazing eating experience. London Broil bites are amazing!

    How do you cut beef in cubes?

    Pat steaks dry with a paper towel. Trim any excess fat from your steak.
    Cut into strips ½-inch wide and as evenly as possible.*
    Rotate, then cut into bite-size ½-inch cubes.

    Dripping cowboy butter sauce from a spoon into a bowl

    Steak Temperature Chart

    Follow this chart and our Steak Temperature Chart to find your ideal degree of doneness!

    chart showing slices of beef with temperatures - 125 for rare, 135 for medium-rare, 145 for medium, 150 for medium-well, 160 for well-done

    Air Fryer Steak Recipe Tips

    • When combining your air fryer steak bites with the cowboy butter, remove them from the bowl with a slotted spoon or tongs so they aren't too wet.
    • Leave some cowboy butter to the side for dipping.
    • Preheat your air fryer before cooking the steak bites.
    • Cook in batches if you have to - don't overcrowd your air fryer!
    • Place the cowboy butter back into a pan and bring to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

    Tools

    • Tongs or slotted spoon
    • Air fryer oven
    • Mixing bowls
    • Aluminum foil
    • Cooking spray (do not use pam in your air fryer! Use an olive oil spray!)
    • Meat thermometer
    Air fryer steak bites on a plate with a bowl of cowboy butter

    Best Air Fryer Recipes

    • Air Fryer Burger
    • Air Fryer Meatballs
    • Air Fryer Steak
    • Milanesa Steak
    • Air Fryer Prime Rib
    • Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

    Best Steak Sauces

    • Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Red Wine Sauce
    • Steak Diane Recipe
    • Chimichurri Sauce
    • Truffle Butter Recipe
    • Au Jus Sauce

    Check out my Best Steak Dinner Ideas, plus try more of the best beef cuts according to your needs and budget by following my guide on the Best Cuts of Beef and our Popular Beef Dishes!

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    📋 Recipe

    Up close air fryer steak bites with a bowl of cowboy butter
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    4.91 from 22 votes

    Air Fryer Steak Bites with Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce

    Tender, juicy Air Fryer Steak Bites with Cowboy Butter sauce are an easy and quick appetizer, lunch, or dinner. Ready in 15 minutes or less and so flavorful!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Appetizer or main
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: air fryer recipes, air fryer steak bites, cowboy butter
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 299kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • Air fryer

    Ingredients

    Steak

    • 1 lb. steak sirloin, ribeye, tri-tip, or London Broil
    • cooking spray

    Cowboy Butter Sauce

    • 1 stick salted butter melted
    • 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
    • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
    • ½ tsp. garlic powder
    • ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
    • ½ tsp. sea salt
    • ½ tsp. black pepper
    • ½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
    • ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 Tbsp. parsley freshly chopped

    Instructions

    • Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
      Combine all cowboy butter ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
      Mixing cowboy butter in a bowl with a whisk
    • Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Cut into ½-inch cubes, then add to a bowl with cowboy butter. Mix well, then remove from the bowl using a slotted spoon or tongs.
      Note: Reserve some cowboy butter sauce for dipping!
      steak combined with cowboy butter in a bowl
    • Cover air fryer tray with aluminum foil, then spray with cooking spray. Spread steak on the tray in an even layer. Don't overcrowd the trays.
      Steak bites with cowboy butter on air fryer trays.
    • Air fry at 400°F for 10-15 minutes depending on your desired degree of doneness (we cooked ours 10 minutes).
      Placing air fryer steak bites into the air fryer on trays
    • Place the cowboy butter back into a pan and bring to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
    • Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with reserved cowboy butter sauce. Enjoy!
      Dipping a steak bite into cowboy butter on a fork

    Video

    Notes

    • When combining your air fryer steak bites with the cowboy butter, remove them from the bowl with a slotted spoon or tongs so they aren't too wet.
    • Leave some cowboy butter to the side for dipping.
    • Preheat your air fryer before cooking the steak bites.
    • Cook in batches if you have to - don't overcrowd your air fryer!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2mg

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    « Best Cuts of Beef (Free Printable)
    Grilled Beef Kabobs »

    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and makes regular television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stefan Steiner says

      April 08, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds great! I’ll have to try this soon. Just remember, reserve some of the cowboy butter sauce for dipping later before you put the raw pieces in the sauce.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        April 08, 2021 at 6:20 pm

        Definitely! You want to have leftovers of that sauce to dip with - it's amazing! Enjoy, Stefan!

        Reply
    2. Tee says

      August 23, 2021 at 11:44 am

      How long to cook it for medium rare?

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        September 02, 2021 at 12:43 pm

        Hi Tee! I recommend pulling the bites out at 12 minutes and using a meat thermometer to check the doneness. We have a guide here: https://bestbeefrecipes.com/degrees-of-doneness/

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. W Protheroe says

      August 27, 2021 at 7:15 pm

      5 stars
      Very good recipe. I tried it yesterday and it was perfect, even with a lesser cut of steak. The only change I made was that I use the full butter sauce to let the steak marinate in for 2 hours. I made a second marinade without the lemon for dipping. Everybody loved it and as a addition I made mini potatoes with it. I only had a 2.6 quart air fryer and I could put up to 1 lb steak cubed in, but needed to make sure to move the pieces around after 10 minutes with a total cooking time of 15 minutes.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        August 30, 2021 at 10:47 am

        That sounds awesome! Thank you so much for your comment!

        Reply
    4. ANN SWANSON says

      December 24, 2021 at 11:16 pm

      5 stars
      LOVE this recipe! I marinated the steak bites in the 'Cowboy Sauce'! I do NOT have an air fryer so instead I put them in a frying pan. After a bit, I drained off most of the liquid and 'fried them up' making sure they were still medium rare....they were to die for! EXCELLENT flavor!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        December 27, 2021 at 2:38 pm

        That's amazing, Ann! We're so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the tips on making them in a frying pan!

        Reply

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