Kitchen Tips: Reheat Pork Chops In Air Fryer

Want to restore juicy, delicious leftover pork chops? Your air fryer can help. Check out this perfect reheating method.

What’s the best way to reheat pork chops in an air fryer?

I would handle it in these three steps:

Pretreat the surface

For refrigerated pork chops, first gently wipe the surface with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to get rid of the refrigerator smell. For those with breadcrumbs, spray 3 times of oil on each side using a spray bottle. For plain pork chops, you can smear a layer of yogurt to prevent them from becoming dry and tough.

Stepped temperature control

Preheat the air fryer to 160°C (320°F) first. Place the pork chops vertically in the air fryer basket (with the thickness side facing up) and heat for 4 minutes. After flipping them over, adjust the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and heat for another 3 minutes. Finally, air-fry at 200°C (392°F) for 1 minute to make the outer layer firm up. For thicker pork chops (more than 2 centimeters), wrap the bone part with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent it from getting burnt.

Let it rest and then check

Don't take it out immediately after turning off the heat. Let it sit for 1 minute using the residual heat. Gently press the thickest part of the meat with the side of a fork. If clear meat juice comes out, it means it is thoroughly heated. If you notice any pink color, cut it into thin slices and reheat at 160°C (320°F) for 2 minutes. For pork chops with sauce, it is recommended to heat them separately and then pour the sauce over the heated meat.

Should I brush oil on pork chops before reheating?

A small amount of oil should be brushed, which can lock in the moisture and help make the surface crispy.

If it's a plain pan-fried pork chop: Gently brush a thin layer of oil on both sides (the meat is drier after refrigeration).

For a breaded deep-fried pork chop: Only brush the raised parts on the surface and avoid brushing the sunken parts (to prevent oil dripping and smoking).

For a grilled pork chop with sauce already on it: Use an oil spray instead of brushing to avoid damaging the sauce layer.

I would use a silicone brush to dip in a little high-temperature-resistant oil and apply about half a teaspoon on each side of the pork chop. For pork chops with a fat edge, I would place the fatty part facing up to let it be moistened by its own fat and no additional oil brushing is needed.

How to prevent pork chops from drying out when reheating?

Don't heat the refrigerated pork chops directly after taking them out. First, use kitchen paper to blot the moisture on the surface, then gently pat a layer of cornstarch on both sides (so thin that it's almost invisible). This can form a moisture-locking layer.

Key points during the heating stage:

Preheat the air fryer to 365°F (about 185°C), which is 15°F lower than usual.

Place the pork chops on the air fryer basket lined with moist baking paper (spray a little water on the paper) and heat for 3 minutes.

Quickly flip the chops over, cover with a piece of aluminum foil, and continue heating for 2 minutes.

For pork chops with bones, place the bone side facing up and the fatty part facing down to be moistened by their own fat. If they are seasoned pork chops, you can brush a little of the previous marinating liquid after flipping. Don't cut the chops immediately after heating. Let them rest for 2 minutes to allow the meat juices to redistribute.

Should I wrap pork chops in foil when reheating?

You don't need to wrap the whole pork chop, but you should use aluminum foil locally under certain circumstances. It is mainly adjusted according to the part and state of the pork chop:

Here are three recommended usages:

For pork chops with bones: Only wrap the tips of the bones to prevent them from getting charred.

For thick-cut pork chops (more than 2 cm): Cover with aluminum foil for the first 2 minutes of heating and then remove it in the later stage.

For pork chops with an already-crispy crust: Don't use aluminum foil throughout the process and spray oil once halfway through.

Should I preheat the air fryer before reheating pork chops?

When preheating the air fryer, you need to consider the characteristics of the pork chops. Different situations require different handling methods:

Handling of thick pork chops:

Bone-in pork chops thicker than 1.5 cm must be preheated. First, let the air fryer run empty for 3 minutes until it reaches 160 degrees. This can quickly seal the surface and retain the meat juices. Thin-cut pork chops can skip the preheating step and it is more suitable to start heating directly in a cold pot.

Key points for crispy pork chops:

Deep-fried pork chops with breadcrumbs need to be preheated to 180 degrees, which can make the soggy outer layer crispy again. However, for ordinary marinated pork chops, starting in a cold pot is actually better, as it is closer to the effect of the initial roasting.

Techniques for pork chops with sauce:

First, preheat the air fryer to 150 degrees. After turning off the heat, put in the pork chops and let the residual heat soften the surface sauce. Then adjust the temperature to 170 degrees and continue heating. This can prevent the sauce from caramelizing too early.

How to know when reheated pork chops are done?

Use a meat thermometer to insert into the thickest part of the pork chop. Stop heating immediately when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), even if the preset time hasn't ended. It is recommended to start taking the temperature in the last minute.

You can also use a fork to part the muscle fibers at the thickest part. Well-heated meat will show a uniform off-white color. If there is still an obvious pink color in the middle, it needs to be heated further. Note that for bone-in pork chops, pay special attention to checking the meat quality near the bone.