Cooking Guide: Cooking Thick Pork Chops Air Fryer Temperature
Want to make the thick pork chops cooked in the air fryer delicious? Then the control of the temperature is quite important. There are a lot of tricks behind it, which cannot be ignored by food lovers.
What is the right temperature to cook thick pork chops in an air fryer?
It is recommended to use 180 degrees. It only takes 15-20 minutes to finish cooking at this temperature. It is suggested to marinate the pork chops first to infuse flavor. Apply a little oil before putting them into the air fryer to make the crust more crispy.
It is best to turn the pork chops over once during the baking process. Turn them over at around 8-10 minutes to ensure even heating on both sides. If the pork chops are quite thick, the baking time can be appropriately extended, but the temperature should not be set too high, otherwise the outside will be burnt while the inside is still raw.
Why are my pork chops tough in the air fryer?
That must be because the temperature is too high or the baking time is too long, resulting in excessive loss of moisture. It is recommended to add a little cooking wine and starch during marinating to lock in the moisture and make the meat more tender.
When choosing pork chops, it is best to pick the part with an appropriate amount of fat. Pure lean meat is easy to become tough. The marinating time is recommended to be more than 4 hours to allow the seasonings to fully penetrate. You can also use a fork to gently poke the meat part several times to help infuse the flavor.
Do you need to wrap pork chops in foil in the air fryer?
It is recommended not to wrap them with foil throughout the process. Wrapping them with foil will affect the effect of the air fryer instead. Just put the marinated pork chops directly into the air fryer, so that the hot air can fully contact the surface of the pork chops to form a golden and crispy taste.
If it is found that the surface has been colored but the inside is not cooked enough, you can cover the surface gently with a small piece of foil and continue baking. This can avoid the surface from becoming charred and make the heat of the pork chops more evenly distributed. This is especially useful when baking thick-cut pork chops.
Is it better to cook pork chops at a higher or lower temperature?
It is more appropriate to fry both sides quickly at a high temperature first and then fry slowly at a medium-low temperature. The high temperature can quickly lock in the meat juice and form a golden crust on the surface, while the medium-low temperature can ensure that the inside is fully cooked through without being too dry.
Specifically, start by frying each side for 1-2 minutes at a temperature of about 200 degrees. After the surface turns slightly colored, adjust the temperature to about 160 degrees. Fry like this for about 4-5 minutes. The pork chop can have a crispy outside and tender inside. It won't become dry and tough due to too high temperature.
Choosing the pork chop with an appropriate thickness is also very crucial. It is recommended to choose one about 1.5 centimeters thick. This thickness is easy to infuse flavor and easy to control the heat. It is too easy to over-fry and become tough if it is too thin, and it is too difficult to cook through if it is too thick.
How to choose a good quality thick pork chop for cooking?
Color and Appearance:
Choose pink pork with an appropriate amount of marbling. The meat color should be uniform and shiny, and the edge fat should be milky white. If there is no peculiar smell and mucus, it is fresh. Such meat has a more tender and juicy taste.
Thickness:
The thickness of about 1.5-2 centimeters is appropriate. If it is too thin, it is easy to fry old. If it is too thick, it is not easy to infuse flavor and is prone to being charred on the outside and raw on the inside. Let the store clerk cut it on the spot when purchasing to ensure freshness.
Meat Quality and Fat:
The high-quality pork chop has firm and elastic meat quality. It should have a rebound feeling when pressed. The fat is evenly distributed. There should be no blood streaks and congestion. The bone-in pork chop is better. The meat around the bone is more chewy and not easy to over-fry.
How to tell when pork chops are cooked in the air fryer?
Time Reference:
When frying a 1.5-centimeter-thick pork chop in an air fryer at 180 degrees, fry each side for 6 to 7 minutes, turn it over in the middle, and it will be almost cooked in a total of 12 to 15 minutes.
Appearance Characteristics:
When the surface of the pork chop turns golden yellow or light brown, the meat juice is clear, and there is no blood flowing out when poked with chopsticks, it is cooked.
Professional Method:
Use a food thermometer to measure the center temperature at the thickest part of the pork chop. It is cooked when it is between 63 and 71 degrees. It is better to control it at around 65 degrees.
Experience Skills:
Press the pork chop gently. If it has elasticity and is not too hard, and the meat color is light pink or grayish white after cutting. If there is still obvious pink color, it needs to be heated continuously.
