The Ideal Method For Air Frying Pork Chops To Perfection

The air fryer has become one of the most popular cooking tools in recent years due to its ability to quickly cook various foods, from roasted veggies to perfectly crispy pork chops. Tasting Table recipe developer Joe Dillard's air fryer parmesan-crusted boneless pork chops create the ideal cheesy, crispy outer crust with a succulent pork chop center, all by using the air fryer. Dillard notes that to successfully make this recipe, you must preheat the air fryer. If you didn't know, you can preheat your air fryer by running the device for a short time at the desired temperature with no food in it. After running your air fryer with no food, you can add whatever you're cooking. Preheating your air fryer guarantees an equal cooking time for your meat and crust. 

Dillard's recipe calls for the pork chops to be cooked for six minutes on one side to start, then the meat will be flipped over and cooked for an additional three to five minutes. Dillard notes that "air fryers can cook differently based on brand and size," so it's important to test the temperature of your meat with a thermometer before serving. Dillard says the pork chops should have an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit for a well-done cook, but according to the National Pork Board the minimum temperature pork chops should be is 145 degrees Fahrenheit for a medium rare cook. 

The great part about Dillard's recipe is that you can use the air fryer to reheat your leftovers as well. Dillard says the pork chops are good in the fridge for three days after cooking. When you're ready to reheat your food, you can start the process the same way you did to cook the pork chops and preheat your air fryer. When reheating your leftovers make sure they are in an even flat layer in the basket. This allows for evenly distributed cooking and crisping. Overcrowding your basket can lead to uneven cook times and soggy crusts.

Start by air-frying your leftover pork chops for three to five minutes to start. You can add more time to reach your desired level of crispiness and temperature. While your pork chop is reheating, be ready to flip it halfway through the reheating time, like you would during cooking. This allows both sides to get crispy. It's also important for your meat to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees again for safe consumption.