Beef · Air fryer

Air Fryer Marinated Steak (Chef Jack Ovens)

Steak in the air fryer the way the gas pan won't quite let you: dry-rubbed and marinated in soy and liquid smoke, seared on a preheated grilling plate at 200°C for 6 minutes flat. Smokier than you'd expect from indoors.

R By Richard · Adapted from Chef Jack Ovens · Published 10 June 2026
❤️ 9.7k source likes
⏱Prep 35 min
🌡Temp 200°C
⏲Air fry 6 min
🍽Serves 1
Perfect Air Fryer Marinated Steak

Source video by Chef Jack Ovens on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

Chef Jack builds a dry rub from oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. The rub presses into both sides of a scotch fillet (works equally for porterhouse, rib eye, New York strip or fillet mignon). A second wet marinade of soy sauce and a few drops of liquid smoke goes into a Ziploc with the steak for 30 minutes in the fridge. The air fryer's grilling plate preheats at 200°C for 5-10 minutes, then the steak goes on for 3 minutes per side. Rest, top with chopped chives, slice.

Ingredients

Steak
  • 1scotch fillet steak
Dry rub
  • dried oregano
  • ground cumin
  • smoked paprika
  • onion powder
  • garlic powder
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Wet marinade
  • soy sauce
  • liquid smoke
Garnish
  • fresh chives, finely chopped (add late)

Method

  1. Mix the dry rub: about 0.5 tsp each of oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

    ~2 min

  2. Press the rub onto both sides of the steak.

    ~1 min

  3. In a Ziploc bag, combine 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce with a few drops of liquid smoke. Add the rubbed steak. Seal, mix to coat, fridge for 30 minutes (up to a few hours is fine).

    ~32 min

  4. Preheat the air fryer with the grilling plate inside at 200°C for 5-10 minutes.

    ~8 min

  5. Place the marinated steak on the hot plate. Cook 3 minutes.

    ~3 min

  6. Flip. Cook another 3 minutes. (Adjust ±1 min per side for thicker steaks or higher doneness.)

    ~3 min

  7. Lift onto a board and rest 3-5 minutes. Scatter chopped chives. Slice across the grain.

    ~5 min

Frequently asked

What is liquid smoke?
Concentrated condensed smoke from burning hardwood; sold in small bottles in supermarkets. A few drops in a marinade gives a charcoal-grilled flavour to anything cooked indoors. Don't pour it in: a few drops is the dosage.
Why soy sauce with a Western rub?
Cook calls it 'East meets West'. Soy brings salt and umami depth that makes the beef flavour louder than salt alone. The Western herb-and-spice rub keeps the steak recognisable; the soy just lifts it.
Does the grilling plate matter?
Yes for the look (sear marks) and a small amount for the texture. If your air fryer doesn't have one, preheat the basket itself; you'll lose the sear lines but still get a good crust.
How do I cook it more well-done?
Add 1-2 minutes per side for medium, 3 per side for medium-well, 4 per side for well-done. Past medium-rare, lower the temperature to 180°C to cook through without burning the marinade sugars.
Extraction notes (transparency): Spice quantities not stated on camera (cook just shakes them in). Recorded as null with the cook's wording. Steak count, weight and thickness not stated. Soy sauce and liquid smoke quantities not stated; about 2-3 tbsp soy and a few drops of liquid smoke is standard.