Cooking a steak in a toaster oven sounds rather unconventional. But to tell you the truth, you might not want to do it any other way once you get the hang of it.
A toaster oven gives you a tender, juicy, and evenly toasted steak within minutes. You just need to be careful with the timings and temperature especially if you’re seriously committed to your steak doneness preferences.
Anyway, let’s find out how to cook a perfect steak in a toaster oven in a few simple steps.
5 Simple Steps To Cook Steak in A Toaster Oven
We’ll start from the very basics all the way to the final step of cooking a steak in a toaster oven. Here’s how to make a mouth-watering steak from scratch:
Step 1: Choose a Steak Cut
The good news is you can cook all types of steak cuts in the toaster oven. So first off, choose your desired steak cut.
- Filet Mignon – appreciated by every steak connoisseur for its fine tenderness.
- T-Bone – the most flavoursome cut and requires minimal seasoning.
- Bone-in Strip – exceptionally juicy due to the intact bone.
- Bone-in Rib Eye – yet another cut with an intact bone in the meat making it juicy with a burst of flavors.
With that said, you can have any steak cut of your choice. However, a pro tip is to choose thick, meaty pieces that can take in maximum heat produced in the small toaster oven, and hence, eliminate the risk of a burnt exterior.
Step 2: Prepare the Steak
- Start by washing the meat pieces thoroughly.
- Let the meat come to room temperature for best cooking results.
- Next, you’ll need olive/cooking oil, salt, and pepper for seasoning.
- Brush the oil on each side of the steak.
- Proceed by sprinkling salt and pepper on both sides of the steak pieces. Rub around for an even distribution of flavours.
- Let it sit for an hour.
Note: You can use any seasoning of your choice. However, each marinade has a different effect on the meat and can alter the cooking times. Therefore, we recommend you start with the most basic seasoning.
Step 3: Set the Oven
Before you set the oven, make sure to set the tray for your steak first.
You can skip the following steps and place the steak directly on to the tray. However, for an exceedingly juicier and tender steak, here’s what you need to do:
- Get your hands on aluminum foil.
- Line your baking tray with the foil.
- Next, make a bowl out of the foil for your steak to sit in.
- The aluminum bowl is the star of the recipe for it catches all the meat juices and keeps it from drying.
The result makes the extra effort so worth it.
- Next, preheat the toaster oven to 450F. Alternatively, look for a broiler setting on your oven and switch it on.
Step 4: Toss the Steak in the Oven
Now comes the final part. While the oven is set for preheating, set the baking tray.
- Butter the aluminum foil bowl you made earlier.
- Brush each side of the steak with butter for enhanced flavors.
- Put the seasoned steak pieces in the foil bowl.
- Put the bowl on the baking tray.
- Slide the tray into your toaster oven.
- Let it cook for 6 to 10 minutes depending on your cooking preference.
Step 5: Ready to Eat
- After the set time, turn off the oven and take the baking tray out of the toaster oven.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes for the flavors to settle down.
- Finally, your steak is ready to eat.
How Long do You Cook Steak in Toaster Oven?
The cooking time of a steak in a toaster oven depends primarily on your preferences. Since we all have different preferences for steak doneness levels, we cannot suggest an exact cooking time.
However, the cooking time typically ranges between 6 to 12 minutes. Medium-rare steaks are done within 7 to 8 minutes. Likewise, for medium-well, let it cook for 10 minutes.
For a perfect steak of your choice, it is best to monitor the meat temperature using a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the steak piece and look for the following readings:
- 140°F for Rare
- 149°F for Medium-rare
- 153°F for Medium
- 158°F for Medium-well
- 166°F for Well-done
As you measure the temperature, also note the time your preferred steak type takes to cook. This way you can skip the hassle of temperature reading for the next time.
Here’s a table showing the approximate cooking times for steak in a toaster oven at various temperatures:
| Temperature (°F) | Cooking Time for Rare (Minutes) | Cooking Time for Medium-rare (Minutes) | Cooking Time for Medium (Minutes) | Cooking Time for Medium-well (Minutes) | Cooking Time for Well-done (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140 | 25-30 | 30-35 | 35-40 | 40-45 | 50-55 |
| 149 | 20-25 | 25-30 | 30-35 | 35-40 | 45-50 |
| 153 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-30 | 30-35 | 40-45 |
| 158 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-30 | 35-40 |
| 166 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 30-35 |
Read More: How To Toast Bread In Toaster Oven? – A Beginner’s Guide!
Can You Actually Cook Steak in A Toaster?
Yes, you can actually cook steak in a toaster oven. It’s quite similar to cooking it in a conventional oven except the fact, a toaster oven takes less time to cook the steak.
However, since a toaster oven is small, it can produce excessive amount of heat and put your steak at risk of burning. So you need to be careful with the timing and temperature of the toaster.
How do You Cook a New York Strip in A Toaster Oven?
A New York strip cut makes immensely tender steak with intense, beefy flavors. You can cook it just like any other steak cut.
Season the meat lightly. Then, butter it and put in the baking tray. Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F until it reaches the right temperature. Next, put the tray in the oven. Let it cook for 7 to 9 minutes or as per your preference.
How do You Cook a Medium-Rare Steak in Toaster Oven?
Cooking instructions are quite the same for each type of steak. It’s the timing and temperature that varies.
To cook a medium-rare steak in a toaster oven:
- Preheat the toaster oven to 375°F or set it to the broil function until it reaches the right temperature.
- Once done, cook the steak for around 6 to 7 minutes in the toaster oven.
- For a perfect medium-rare steak, insert the meat thermometer in the steak.
- For a medium-rare steak, the temperature should be around 149°F.
- Once it reaches that temperature, remove the steak from the toaster and let it sit for 5 minutes before you eat.
Can I Put Foil in A Toaster Oven?
Yes, foil is a great way to retain the moisture and flavor of the meat. However, you need to be careful as you put it in a toaster oven.
Although it is very much safe to put foil in a toaster oven, make sure it does not touch any heating elements otherwise there can be a risk of fire.
Other than that, keeping the steak in the foil post cooking helps to settle down the flavors evenly across the meat.
Conclusion
A toaster oven is good choice not only for steaks but a lot of other food cooked in a traditional oven. Cooking steak in a toaster oven is a pretty straightforward process.
However, right timing and temperature is the key to a perfectly cooked steak. You’ll probably get it correct via trial and error. But once you get past the learning stage, you’ll prefer the toaster oven over the grill.
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