Air-Fryer Pork Chops

The pork chop has a bad reputation it doesn't deserve. The dry, grey, shoe-leather chop of the 1990s — overcooked under the broiler because trichinosis was still on people's minds — gave the cut a reputation for being boring at best, inedible at worst. The good news: pork guidelines changed in 2011. The new safe internal temperature is 145°F (63°C), which leaves a slight pink centre and a properly juicy texture. The bad news: most people still cook them to 165°F out of habit. Don't be most people.

The air fryer is the natural home of the modern pork chop. Eight minutes at 400°F gets a ½-inch chop to 145°F internal with deep browning on both sides. The dry circulating heat develops a real crust on the surface — no oil splatter, no babysitting the pan. A simple rub of smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper turns into a caramelised pebbled crust on the outside while the inside stays moist.

The photo shows what proper pork chops look like: a stack of thin chops on a white plate, the surfaces visibly seared and crusted with the paprika rub, fanned slightly to show the slight rosy hue at the centre. No fancy plating, no garnish — just pork chops, which is the correct approach. Serve with mashed potatoes, applesauce, or a green salad on the side.