Beef · Air fryer

Air Fryer Rib Eye Steak with Peppercorn Sauce

Most people reckon steak has no business going anywhere near an air fryer, but Butler's Empire is about to prove them wrong. This rib eye comes out brilliant, served with homemade peppercorn sauce, crispy onion rings, and chips for the full works.

R By Richard · Adapted from butlersempire · Published 10 June 2026
👁 178.3k source views ❤️ 4.2k source likes
⏱Prep 10 min
🌡Temp 200°C
⏲Air fry 12 min
🍽Serves 2
Possibly the Best Air Fryer Steak We've Ever Had

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

A full air fryer steak dinner from Butlers Empire, pairing rib eye steak with frozen chips, battered onion rings, pan-fried chestnut mushrooms and a fresh salad. The star side is a homemade peppercorn sauce built from crushed black peppercorns, double cream, gravy granules, Oxo and a touch of Marmite. The Ninja dual-zone air fryer's sync function lets the chips and steak finish together. Twelve minutes at 200°C delivers a perfect medium rib eye, with an extra two minutes for medium-well.

Ingredients

Main
  • 2 steaksrib eye steaks, seasoned with Maggi seasoning
  • Maggi seasoning
Sides
  • frozen chips
  • battered onion rings (add late)
  • chestnut mushrooms, closed cup
Salad
  • mixed salad leaves, lettuce, rocket
  • tomatoes
  • cucumber
  • onion
  • fresh coriander
  • 1 wholeavocado, ripe, sliced or cubed
Peppercorn Sauce
  • 1 tbspwhole black peppercorns, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar
  • 2 tspgravy granules
  • 0.25 cubeOxo cube
  • 0.5 tspMarmite
  • 150 mldouble cream

Method

  1. Make the peppercorn sauce. Add the whole black peppercorns to a pestle and mortar and grind, leaving some peppercorns visible rather than fully smashed.

    ~2 min

  2. Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and bring to a low heat, do not boil.

    ~2 min

  3. Stir in the crushed peppercorns and gravy granules, keeping the heat low and stirring continuously.

    ~2 min

  4. Take the pan off the boil once thickened, then stir in a quarter of an Oxo cube and half a teaspoon of Marmite. Stir until smooth and dark. Set aside to reheat later.

    ~2 min

  5. Season the rib eye steaks with Maggi seasoning and leave to sit.

    ~1 min

  6. Place the frozen chips in the first drawer of the air fryer. Place the steaks in the second drawer.

    ~1 min

  7. Set the chip drawer to air fry at 200°C for 18 minutes. Set the steak drawer to air fry at 200°C for 12 minutes. Use the sync function so both finish at the same time.

    ~18 min

  8. Meanwhile, cook the chestnut mushrooms in a pan on the hob until tender.

    ~5 min

  9. When the chips have about 8 minutes left, pause, shake the basket and add the battered onion rings on top. Resume cooking.

    ~1 min

  10. Turn the steaks over halfway through their 12 minute cook.

    ~1 min

  11. At the end of the cycle, check the steak. 12 minutes at 200°C gives a medium rib eye. For medium-well, return the steak to the air fryer for a further 2 minutes.

    ~2 min

  12. Assemble the salad with mixed leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, rocket, coriander and sliced avocado.

    ~3 min

  13. Reheat the peppercorn sauce gently, then plate the steak with chips, onion rings, mushrooms and salad. Spoon the sauce over the steak and serve.

    ~2 min

Frequently asked

Can you really cook steak in an air fryer?
Yes. In this recipe a rib eye cooked at 200°C for 12 minutes, turned halfway, came out at a perfect medium. Add 2 minutes for medium-well or take 2 minutes off for rare. Steak thickness will affect timing, so check before serving.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
The source recipe does not preheat. If your model has a preheat function, 2-3 minutes at 200°C will help the steak sear on contact. If not, the times given will still work.
What if I don't have a dual drawer air fryer?
Cook the chips first, then keep them warm while the steak cooks. The steak only needs 12 minutes, so the chips will not cool significantly. Add the onion rings on top of the chips for the last 8 minutes of the chip cook.
Can I swap the Marmite in the peppercorn sauce?
Yes. Bovril works well as a like for like swap and gives a beefier note that pairs nicely with steak. If you have neither, a dash of Worcestershire sauce will add similar depth.
How do I stop the steak drying out?
Do not overcook it. Check at 10 minutes if your steak is thinner than a standard rib eye. Let it rest for 2-3 minutes after cooking so the juices settle before you cut into it.
Extraction notes (transparency): Steak weight/thickness not stated; servings inferred as 2 from 'that'll do the two of us'. Chip and onion ring quantities not specified. Mushroom quantity not specified and they are cooked in a pan on the hob, not the air fryer. Maggi seasoning quantity not stated. Salad ingredients listed but no quantities. Preheat not addressed in source.