Air fryer – Page 2 – Pro Family Chef

While stacking pork chops in an air fryer can be done, there are better and worse ways to do it. In this article, we’ll teach you how to properly do this without messing up in the process. Put simply: yes, you can stack them. But, of course, not like in the picture above. The most practical way to stack pork chops in an air fryer, and the one we’ll be focusing on, is to use a rack. Air fryer racks work by adding more levels, adding more vertical space to the air fryer; they are stackable, which is why they’re perfect for our purposes. Ways to Stack Pork Chops in an Air Fryer Pork chops are, arguably, the most popular pig meat there is. They’re delicious, convenient, and relatively easy to cook. Introduce air fryers into the equation and pork chops become even more convenient, delicious, and are much easier to cook. The one potential problem here is that, to make more than two or three at the same time, we need more space than we normally have in most air fryers. Which is why we need to stack them if we don’t want to spend an eternity just to cook a batch of pork chops. There are two main ways of stacking pork chops: with or without racks. Steps to Consider When Stacking Chops Before we get into it, it’s important to be aware that there are certain steps one has to take into account beforehand- no matter how you’re stacking the chops. First of all, you have to be sure that there isn’t too much liquid on the pork chops. You can drain them by delicately patting them down with paper towels, although this isn’t required in most cases. If you’re using frozen pork chops, this is going to be quite necessary. If, however, you’ve used a marinade of some sort, be careful that not too much of it goes into the air fryer. Second, be aware of the width and thickness of the chops. As much as we want them all to be cooked evenly, sometimes this is somewhat out of our control. This is best solved much earlier, when buying, by being mindful of this and getting pork chops that are all even in size. If you have one that’s particularly thick, you can make small incisions that go halfway into the meat, helping it cook faster. With Racks Air fryer racks are quite straightforward. They are pure stainless steel and usually come in packs, meaning you get at least a three-pack of the same rack- which gives you three levels to play with inside your air fryer. They’re also inexpensive, easy to use, and durable. There are honestly only advantages to using racks, and if you don't want to search for the ones home cooks like the most, here are two with the best reviews on amazon: BEST FOR STACKING Airfryer rack SET of 2 FOOD GRADE HIGH QUALITY MATERIAL: MFTEK air fryer accessories rack is made of food grade 304 stainless steel, which is FDA Approval material, durable and heat resistant, oven safe up to 500-degreesBEST AIRFRYER ACCESSORIES: Double layer rack for more versatile air fryer recipes. Maximize the heating surface of food, use skewers for shish kabob on the top layer and other foods on the grate layer.EASY TO CLEAN: No stick and No rust high quality 304 stainless steel, easy to clean, Each air fryer accessories is dishwasher safe for a quick and hassle free clean up, just simple slip in the dishwasher and get your hands free.DURABLE & FRIENDLY DESIGN: The rack edge is polished to a smooth surface with no rough spot, Protect your hand roundly while washing or holding. Dense parallel line prevents food from falling through.100% COMPATIBLE WITH: XL Power airfryer, Philips, GoWISE USA, Faberware, Cozyna 4.2-6.8QT and up. The Skewer rack size: 7.8*2.75inch, metal rack: 7.8*1.18inch. Buy on Amazon Last update on 2025-03-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API BEST FOR STACKING AND DEHYDRATION Airfryer racks for stacking food 6quart 【Universal Compatibility】 This dehydrator rack is compatible with various Instant Pot Air Fryer Crisp Lid 6 Quart models, including Duo 60, Lux 60, Duo Plus 60, Ultra 60, Viva 60, Nova Plus 60, and Duo Nova 60【High-Quality Material】 Made of food-grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, this dehydrator rack is corrosion-resistant and easy to clean【Efficient Design】With a diameter of 7.9 inches and height of 5.3 inches, this dehydrator rack provides ample space to dry out fruits and meats with greater efficiency【SAFE HANDLING】 Thanks to the roll hemming technology, ensure safe handling with burr-free edges.【DEHYDRATE FOODS】With five stackable layers, dehydrating fruits and meats has never been simpler, preserving their nutrients and allowing you to indulge in healthy snacks such as dried chips and jerky. $26.99 Buy on Amazon Last update on 2025-03-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API While there isn’t a lot of science to using racks, the most important thing to take into account is that we can’t simply use all of the surface area; we need to distribute the pork chops in such a way that air can flow freely through the air fryer. If not, we can expect uneven cooking or overheating of our precious air fryer. The best way that we’ve found to stack them is to leave a small space at the sides and then about one finger between each pork chop. If we stack them exactly the same way on each rack, we’ll be optimizing airflow, which will make a big difference in cooking time. Without Racks We don’t recommend stacking pork chops in an air fryer without racks. This might be okay with other foods (particularly french fries or chicken nuggets) as some foods might leave more space than others, but pork chops simply don’t leave any space for the air to circulate and properly cook them. Beyond creating any serious problems for the air fryer (which could happen), your chops simply won’t properly cook. One side will almost always be raw. Which Types of Air Fryers can you use for Stacking Chops Although there are air fryers that are more spacious than others, we can use any type of air fryer as long as we’ve got a good set of racks at hand. It is recommendable, however, not to use basket air fryers that are smaller than 9 x 9 inches, as the space is just not enough for stacking chops. While there are racks definitely smaller than 9 x 9, it’s usually better to go for a smaller size, as this allows for easier maneuvering and, again, a better airflow. If your basket is 9x9 inches, for example, go for a rack that’s 7x7 inches. The ideal choice would be an air fryer oven. Baskets make it hard for us to get in there and check how the meat is cooking, and the paddle isn’t very helpful either. Air fryer ovens are perfect for cooking meat in general because you can easily check how your food’s coming along. Nobody likes to bite into raw meat! So if you are a family of 4 or more or just don't want to batch cook, the best thing is to use a good quality air fryer like this one, which is loved by many users: BEST LARGE CAPACITY AIR FRYER OVEN FOR LARGE FAMILIES AND STACKING FOOD 26 QT Digital Maxx Air Fryer COOK MEALS FASTER WHILE SAVING ENERGY — Experience ultra-fast cooking performance and prepare full meals in just a fraction of the time! New Powerful Turbo MAXX Technology cooks French fries up to 22% faster, steak up to 37% faster, and chicken up to 27% faster, and saves consumers over 77% in energy than traditional ovensONE APPLIANCE TO REPLACE THE REST — This 10-in-1 meal-making powerhouse can air fry, bake, toast, roast, rotisserie, braise, sear, dehydrate, broil, and warm meals at the touch of a button — giving you everything you need in a single applianceCHOOSE FROM 21 SMART PRESETS — Ready-to-cook meals, at the touch of a button. The intuitive digital interface offers 21 presets for a wide variety of menu options, delivering flawless results every time for deliciously crispy French fries, onion rings, chicken wings, shrimp, steak, wings, vegetables, and much morePREPARE FAMILY-SIZED MEALS — Great for families and multi-person households, the MAXX features an extra-large 26-quart capacity and multiple rack levels which let you cook several different foods at a time, and prepare large, family-sized meals. The MAXX can fit a 14-pound turkey, 12-inch pizza, or up to 9 slices of toast in its cavity. Oven is 17.2 lbsENJOY 9 DO-IT-ALL ACCESSORIES — MAXX-IMIZE your cooking possibilities! A versatile collection of accessories includes an air frying basket, baking tray, air rack, crumb tray, bacon tray, steak tray, rotisserie spit & forks, rack handle, and rotisserie handle. Plus, a bonus cookbook featuring a diverse assortment of easy-to-follow, chef-inspired recipes $234.89 Buy on Amazon Last update on 2025-03-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API What can Happen if you don’t do it Right There are two ways you can potentially mess up your pork chops if you don’t properly stack them. On one hand, you can end up with raw pork chops: this can happen if you stack them one over the other and leave little to no space in between chops. On the other hand, you can also end up with burnt or charred food. This happens whenever there isn’t proper airflow inside the basket, resulting in one side of the basket being significantly hotter than the other. If you don’t leave proper space as we mentioned earlier- that is, on the sides and between pork chops, then the air won’t flow freely. That will ultimately result in your chops being overcooked on one end and borderline raw on another. Conclusion Stacking food in an air fryer can be incredibly convenient and lets you cook more food at once than you would otherwise be able to. Air fryer racks are incredibly inexpensive, durable, and easy to use, making them a must-have in your kitchen.