How To Get Juicy And Tender Pork Chops In Your Air Fryer

The words "air fryer" and "juicy" don't always go together. One of the disadvantages of air fryers is that their fast-moving hot air can dry out foods that don't naturally contain much fat, like many cuts of pork. Luckily, there's a simple fix. Recipe developer Milena Manolova has created a honey mustard pork chop recipe that works perfectly in an air fryer. The easy way to keep them juicy and tender: Marinate them in the honey mustard seasoning mixture before cooking them.

Manolova's marinade includes honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and seasonings, with one ingredient being key. Research has shown that marinating meat in a honey-based marinade actually keeps it juicier, preventing it from drying out and making it less tough when it's done cooking. When you've combined the marinade base with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and thyme, place your pork chops in a bag with the marinade for at least two hours or overnight.

The resulting pork chops, once air fried, will form a picture-perfect browned crust on the outside. That's in part thanks to the honey in the marinade, too, which will lightly caramelize during cooking. As far as texture, keep an eye on the cooking time and internal temperature of the pork chops to help prevent them from overcooking. "I was skeptical in the beginning but impressed at the end," said Manolova.

If you want to experiment with more ways to keep pork chops and other lean cuts tender and juicy in the air fryer, try a dry brine. Coat your pork in salt and let it rest before cooking. The salt will draw out water to the surface of the pork chop, which then gets reabsorbed back into the meat, assisting in crust formation, while leaving the interior moist. You can also add other seasonings, like brown sugar, paprika, and other spices. This technique will work best for thick-cut pork chops.

When it comes to the air fryer itself, temperature control is essential. Keep an eye on the internal temperature of the pork (using a meat thermometer) to prevent overcooking. Internally, the pork should be cooked to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you reach around 160 degrees, the proteins in the pork start to tighten, becoming tougher and pushing moisture out of the meat.

The air fryer itself provides an advantage in temperature control, too. You can cook these pork chops in the oven, but some ovens have pronounced hot and cold spots, resulting in meat cooking unevenly. Air fryers, on the other hand, have a smaller space and are more efficient at circulating hot air, meaning the food is more evenly heated. Not only will that result in a more predictable cooking time, but it'll also mean there's less chance of one part being overcooked while another is undercooked.