Pork chops are a North American staple for a good reason; if only they didn’t take so long to make! However, thanks to a handy air fryer, they can be cooked not only super quickly, but made perfectly every time as well!
Looking for new recipes to help you with that New Year’s diet, here is everything you need to know about Pork Chop Calories and Nutrition! Also, don’t forget to make your own Pork Chop Seasoning for this recipe!
Air Fryer Pork Chops
Pork chops are one of those things that everyone salivates over, probably thanks to a long-running tradition of the inevitable pork chop night.
However, cooking perfect pork chops can be a real challenge – either they are overcooked and rubbery, or under cooked and potentially even dangerous.
Instead of needing to fret and worry over the precise right temperatures in the oven and careful temperature control, why not try reaching for your handy air fryer to not only speed up the process but streamline it as well?
Where Should You Get Your Pork Chops From?
When purchasing meat, there is always the debate as to whether you should buy it from the grocery store or an actual butcher.
On the one hand, your local grocery store has a huge advantage that you are probably already there to buy other things and so there is no need to go out of your way just for one ingredient, but on the other hand, sometimes the quality just isn’t there.
For butchers, so long as you are going to go for a good one, and ideally one where the butcher knows you, you can usually be assured of good quality.
The big issue with a butcher, of course, is price.
No matter how much the quality might be better from a butcher’s, the price is almost always going to be better when you pick up your meat from the grocery store.
However, when it comes to this recipe, leaning towards the nicer quality, slightly more expensive pork chops are definitely going to be worth it.
With pork chops, the quality of the meat really influences its tenderness and its flavor, so this is definitely a dish that is worth splurging a little on.
How To Tell When Your Pork Chops Are Cooked Without An Instant-Read Thermometer
When cooking pork chops, you want to make sure that they reach a minimum internal temperate of 145°. This is imperative with pork because of the higher-than-usual risks of food born illnesses that are found in pork.
If you have an instant-read thermometer, you can easily check whether or not your pork chops are done and if not, you can put them back into the air fryer for a few minutes.
However, if you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, it is a little more tricky to tell if your pork chops have reached a safe temperature.
Don’t let this put you off trying this recipe though, as there are other ways to determine whether pork chops are cooked.
The best method is to just gently press the top of one of the pork chops – it should feel bouncy, but not spongy. You want there to be a little resistance to the meat, and for it to almost spring back into place once you remove your finger.
While you don’t want to overcook your pork chops, if you are unsure, it is always better to cook for one or two minutes over than it is to under cook your meat and risk making someone ill.
Vegetable Side Dishes To Serve With Your Air Fryer Pork Chops
Not sure what to serve alongside your pork chops? Instead of just eating the meat and nothing else, why not try some of these healthy sides?
- Green Beans
Green beans are a classic side dish and are perfect if you want a no-fuss veggie side to pair with your pork.
There are several ways that you could cook green beans: for example, you could boil them, roast them, or even use your air fryer while the pork chops rest – plus, they would pick up all of those tasty leftover flavors as well!
- Mashed Potato
Mashed potatoes are a little bit of an indulgent side dish, especially if you make them right; tons of butter for a creamy texture, loads of cream for richness, and maybe even a bit of cheese if no one is looking.
However, everyone needs to treat themselves occasionally, so don’t feel guilty.
- Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini isn’t a super popular vegetable these days, but simply grilled or thrown in an air fryer, zucchini can be a great, simple, and light vegetable that pairs beautifully with your pork chops.
- Creamed Spinach
This steakhouse classic, creamed spinach is a good way to sneak more veggies into your diet while still enjoying a creamy and delicious side dish.
So long as you don’t pay attention to the calories that go into the “creamed” part of this recipe, this can be a surprisingly good way to add a little bit of extra greens into your diet.
Looking for more delicious Air Fryer recipes? Try these out:
Happy Cooking
Love,
Karlynn
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Air Fryer Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 Bone in pork chops (1½ – 2 inches thick)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons Pork chop seasoning
- 1½ Tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400° if needed.
- Pat dry the pork chops completely with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, mix together the pork chop seasoning and the brown sugar.
- Coat the pork chops with the olive oil on all sides, rubbing it all over.
- Sprinkle the pork chops with the seasoning blend and rub the mix well into the pork chops using all of the seasoning mix.
- Cook the pork chops in your air fryer at 400° for 6 minutes, then flip the pork chops over and continue to cook for another 6-7 minutes. The pork chops are cooked when a minimum internal temperature of 145° is reached.
- Remove from the air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes covered, then serve.
- Garnish with sprigs of parsley on the plates.
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