Start off by making the marinade and sauce. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes in a measuring cup. Then pour half of this mixture into a small saucepan and reserve the other half for the marinade.
In the saucepan, add 3/4 cups of room temperature water and take out a few tablespoons and combine them with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Once that’s mixed, pour it back into the sauce. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Now cut up 1 1/2 lb of steak meat (like ribeye or New York strip). Do NOT use pot roasting meat like chuck or the steak bites will be too tough. You want the steak bites to be about 1-2 inches thick.
Now place the meat in a ziplock bag along with the reserved marinade and let it marinate in the fridge for about 3 hours or overnight.
Then preheat your air fryer to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit and cook the steak bites on the basket for about 8 minutes.
Serve the thickened sauce over the steak bites along with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
Tips for best flavor
Don't overcrowd- Make sure there is enough room so that each steak bite gets thoroughly cooked and has a chance to develop a slight crust.
Marinate for optimal flavor- Don't forget the marinade because it adds so much flavor, not just to the outside of the steak, but inside, too.
Use the right cut of meat- To avoid chewy or tough steak bites, make sure you choose a cut of steak that is tender. Some marbling also ensures juiciness. Ribeye and NY strip steak work best here.