Irresistibly tender, moist pork chops make for an award-winning dinner.
In the age of meal prepping, most folks are inspired to cook more pork chops than they can eat in one sitting.
Unfortunately, pork chops seem to be the meat most people have issues with reheating. I can attest that my pork chops would always dry and tough.
However, I have finally figured out how to reheat pork chops and restore them to their former glory.
Contents
How To Store Pork Chops
Whether you are reheating pulled pork, brisket, or pork chops, the key to reheating them is storing them correctly.
Reheating improperly stored pork chops could lead to food poisoning as bacteria can rapidly multiply on food that sits at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
To store your pork chops correctly, place them in a clean, shallow airtight container.
Alternatively, you can also individually wrap each porkchop in plastic wrap of foil tightly, then place the pork chops onto a cookie sheet or in a shallow container.
Place your pork chops at the back of the fridge, which is the coldest region of the fridge, and store them for 3-5 days.
How to Reheat Pork Chops
Like reheating burgers, reheating pork chops is a relatively easy process.
Best of all, you can reheat pork chops on the stove, in the instant pot, air fryer, microwave, or oven.
How to Reheat Pork Chops on the Stove
Reheating pork chops on the stovetop allows you to reap the benefits of reheating them in the oven and microwave.
You can gently reheat your meat in a few short minutes. However, it is less likely that you will dry your pork chops out using this method.
To reheat your pork chops in a skillet, arrange the chops in a large frying pan. Add 2-4 tablespoons of chicken broth to the pork chops.
You can also use water or water and a teaspoon of chicken bouillon. The liquid will keep the pork chops moist.
Cover the pork chops and set them over a medium-low flame.
Cook the pork chops for 3-4 minutes, then turn them over and cook them for an additional 3-4 minutes, adding more chicken broth if necessary.
Once the pork chops have a temperature of 165°F, remove them from the skillet and serve.
How to Reheat Pork Chops Using the Instant Pot
Although it sounds as weird as reheating turkey in a steamer, you can reheat leftover pork chops in an instant pot.
The instant pot is not only an effective way of reheating pork chops, but it can reheat pork chops in as little as 10 minutes.
To reheat your pork chops in an instant pot, place the steamer basket in the bottom of the instant pot.
If your instant pot does not come with a steamer basket, brush a thin layer of oil in the bottom of the instant pot.
Next, arrange the pork chops in the bottom of the instant pot.
Add 2-4 tablespoons of chicken broth or water to the instant pot to moisten the pork chops.
Press the steam or saute setting on the instant pot and cook the pork chops for 5-10 minutes.
Once the pork chops have a temperature of 165°F, remove them from the instant pot, arrange them on a platter and serve.
How to Reheat Pork Chops Using the Air Fryer
The air fryer is just like a small convection oven. Therefore, it can reheat burgers, pork chops, and even crab legs.
Best of all, reheating pork chops in the air fryer will take half the time it takes to reheat them in the oven.
To reheat your pork chops in the air fryer, set it to 275°F and let it run for 5 minutes.
Brush both sides of each leftover pork chop with a tablespoon of oil and place the pork chops in the air fryer’s basket in an even layer.
Cook the leftover pork chops for 4-5 minutes, then turn them over and cook them for an additional 4-5 minutes until they have a temperature of 165°F.
Remove the pork chops from the air fryer, arrange them on a platter and dig in.
How to Reheat Pork Chops in the Microwave
The microwave has garnered a bad reputation of drying out meat.
Therefore the microwave is the least recommended method for reheating pork chops.
However, if you have no time to use one of the other reheating methods, the microwave is your best bet.
Place the leftover pork chops onto a microwave-safe plate in an even layer and cover it with a damp paper towel.
Place the pork chops in the microwave and reheat them on half power in 30-second increments until the pork chops are thoroughly heated and have a temperature of 165°F.
Do not heat the pork chops in 1-2 minute intervals. Heating the pork chops in shorter bursts will prevent the meat from overcooking and drying out.
How to Reheat Pork Chops Using the Oven
The oven is the ideal method of reheating pork chops if you want to maintain their moisture levels.
In addition to this, the oven is a stress-free, effortless way to reheat the pork chops.
To reheat your pork chops, heat the oven to 350°F.
Although it may seem like the pork chops will reheat faster if you heat the oven to 400°F, this will dry your pork chops out.
The goal is to gently reheat the pork chops, not suck the moisture out of them, so set the oven to 350°F.
Place your leftover pork chops in a baking dish and add 2-4 tablespoons of chicken broth or water.
You can also use any drippings that are rendered from the pork chops when they are first cooked.
Cover the leftover pork chops with aluminum foil and bake them for 10-15 minutes until they are thoroughly heated.
Once your pork chops have a temperature of 165°F, remove them from the oven and dig in.
Final Thoughts
Reheating pork chops can be a nightmare. One minute the delicious, moist pork chops you remembered eating last night can be transformed into a tough, dry puck of meat.
Luckily you never have to worry about dry pork chops since you know how to reheat pork chops correctly.
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I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.