Name: Exactly How To Reheat Pork Chops
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 8 min
Ingredients: 1 portion pork chops; 1 portion stock; 1 knob butter

Table of Contents

Pork chops are my go-to dinner.

But sometimes, life gets busy, and it’s nice to be able to take some ready-made pork chops out of the fridge and reheat them.

To find out the best way to do this, I tested five different reheating methods to see which ones would result in tender, juicy, flavorful pork chops.

I also give some tips on how to best store and freeze your leftover pork chops.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer:

The best way to reheat pork chops is in a skillet. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer and add 1-2 tablespoons of stock or water per pork chop, plus some butter. Reheat the pork chops over medium-low heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and reheat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until piping hot.

A note on my experiment

I cooked up six chops (ate one) and then tried five different methods to reheat the leftovers.

I tested:

On the stove (best method)
In the oven (also a great method)
In an air fryer (a bit drying)
In a steamer (really moist results)
In the microwave (not great, but not terrible)

The stove, the oven, and the steamer were my favorite options.

They resulted in juicy, tender meat.

The air fryer and the microwave worked okay, but the air fryer was a bit drying, and the microwave left the meat a little chewy.

Note: the reheating times listed below are suggested ranges.

How long it will take your leftover pork chops to reheat depends on the thickness of each chop – thinner chops will reheat in less time than thicker chops.

Related: How To Reheat Pork Belly

Reheating pork chops on the stove

To reheat pork chops on the stove, arrange pork chops in a single layer in a skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons of stock or water per pork chop, plus some butter. Heat over medium-low heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and heat the pork chops for 3-4 minutes on each side or until piping hot.

How to reheat pork chops on the stove:

In a large skillet, arrange your pork chops in a single layer.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of liquid (stock or water) per pork chop and some butter.
Heat over medium-low.
Cover the skillet with a lid and heat for 3-4 minutes. The lid traps the steam and helps keep the meat moist.
Flip the pork chops and cook for 3-4 minutes more.
Repeat until heated through.

Keep an eye on the liquid in the pan. You don’t want it to run dry.

Add a few more tablespoons if you think the pork chops need it.

If you don’t have a lid to match your skillet, you can fashion one out of foil.

Top tip: if your pork chops are really dry, an alternative method is to thinly slice them and completely cover the slices with stock, broth, or some type of sauce or gravy while heating them.

This will help reintroduce moisture to the meat and add additional flavor.

My verdict

This stovetop method gave me the best results.

I used stock instead of water, and the flavor of the stock and butter transferred nicely to the meat as it heated, keeping it moist and tasty.

Reheating pork chops in the microwave

To reheat pork chops in the microwave, place one pork chop on a microwave-safe plate. Cover the plate with a damp paper towel. Heat on 50% power for 60-seconds and then continue to heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

How to reheat pork chops in the microwave:

Place one pork chop on a microwave-safe plate.
Cover the meat with a damp paper towel.
Heat at 50% power for 1 minute and then heat the pork chop in 30-second intervals, checking for doneness regularly.
Continue until heated through.

The damp paper towel creates steam in the microwave, which helps prevent the meat from drying out.

Using a lower power level gives you greater control over the temperature of your meat, so it’s less likely you’ll overcook the pork chop.

My verdict

The microwave was not my favorite method, though it wasn’t terrible by any means.

The meat was slightly chewier than with the other methods, but it still tasted good.

This microwave is quick and convenient and works great for an on-the-go lunch or a late-night dinner for one.

Reheating pork chops in the oven

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In an oven-safe baking dish, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or cooking stock per pork chop. Place pork chops, along with any sauce you have in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 15 to 30 minutes, flipping the pork chops halfway through.

The timings will vary here depending on what type of oven you’re using and how big your pork chops are.

I recommend checking them regularly

How to reheat pork chops in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Add 1-2 tablespoons of water or stock per pork chop to an oven-safe baking dish.
Place your pork chops and any sauce in the baking dish.
Wrap the pork chops tightly with foil.
Bake for 15-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until hot.

You can adjust the amount of liquid you add to the baking dish. If you want to add more to make sure the meat stays juicy, you can.

If you don’t have much sauce, you can wrap the pork chops completely in foil and then you don’t have to worry about flipping them over at the halfway mark.

My verdict

I liked this method almost as much as the stove.

The meat reheated well and retained most of its moisture.

It was also a relatively hands-off option, other than when I flipped the chops over at the halfway mark. I also liked that I could reheat multiple pork chops this way.

Reheating pork chops in an air fryer

Set the air fryer temperature to 300ºF (150ºC). Rub the surface of the pork chop with a light coating of oil before placing it in the air fryer basket. You can also use butter or any leftover marinade you have. Heat the pork chops for 4-5 minutes.

If your pork chop is already quite dry, I recommend going a step further to protect it and wrapping it in foil before placing it in the air fryer.

How to reheat pork chops in an air fryer:

Set the air fryer temperature to 300ºF (150ºC).
Rub the surface of the pork chop with some fat (oil, butter, or a marinade). Or sprinkle it with some stock and wrap it in foil.
Place the pork chops in the air fryer.
Heat for 4-5 minutes or until piping hot.

The air fryer is a harsh machine and can dry out the surface of meat very quickly if you’re not careful.

Covering the surface of the meat in moisture (e.g oil) or wrapping it in foil helps avoid this, but you’ll still want to check on the meat often to make sure it’s not overheating.

Keep the pork chops to a single layer in the fryer basket.

My verdict

Pork is a delicate cut of meat and prone to drying out. For this reason, I would tend to avoid the air fryer.

But if you’re in a real hurry and take the necessary precautions, you can get a nice-tasting pork chop.

Reheating pork chops in a steamer

Set up your steamer and bring some stock or water to a boil in the bottom section. Place pork chops in the steamer basket and cover tightly with the lid. Steam for four to five minutes, flipping the pork chop halfway through heating.

How to reheat pork chops in a steamer:

Set up your steamer.
Bring some stock or water to a boil.
Place pork chops in the steamer basket and cover them with a lid.
Steam for 4-5 minutes until heated through. Flip the pork chops at the halfway mark.

While water works fine, using stock instead infuses the pork chops with additional flavor.

If you don’t have any stock you can make a simple poaching liquid with some lemon and herbs.

My verdict

This method was quick and resulted in moist pork chops.

The only issue is if your pork chops have any sauce on them – this will drip off in the steamer meaning you’ll lose most of the flavor.

How to store pork chops

Store pork chops in the fridge in airtight containers or wrapped tightly in foil. If you have any leftover sauce, you can store this in the same airtight container as the pork. You can keep the pork chops in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Food safety recommendations say to refrigerate or freeze leftover meat (including pork chops) within two hours.

The longer food is left out, the greater the risk of bacterial growth that could make you sick. You should discard any pork chops that have been left out longer than two hours.

Can you freeze pork chops?

You can absolutely freeze pork chops for longer-term storage. Cooked pork chops can be kept frozen for four to five months if properly prepared for freezing. They can be stored longer than that, but the overall quality will decline the longer they are frozen.

How to freeze pork chops:

Cool pork chops to room temperature.
If you have any sauce or marinade, rub this over the pork chops before wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. You can also vacuum seal them.
Alternatively, if you have a lot of sauce, place pork chops in a freezer-safe airtight container and completely cover them with the sauce before freezing.
Freeze for up to 4-5 months for best quality.

Smothering the pork chops in sauce helps to lock in moisture, plus you’ll have a bit of sauce when you reheat them in the future.

Wrap and freeze pork chops individually.

This allows for even freezing and even thawing when the time comes to reheat them.

Using a double layer of wrapping protects the meat against freezer burn, which doesn’t render the pork unsafe to eat but will affect its taste.

How to thaw and reheat frozen pork chops

Always thaw your pork chops before reheating them. Frozen meat doesn’t reheat well because the outside will heat much faster than the inside. You’ll have an overcooked exterior and a cold interior.

Thaw frozen leftover pork chops in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven, skillet, or microwave.

Summary

The best way to reheat pork chops is in a skillet. Reheat over medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes, turning once. Other pork chop reheating methods include the oven, microwave, air fryer, and steamer.