How to Reheat Pork Chops in Microwave

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

Left with a delicious chunk of pork chop from yesterdays dinner and searching for the best way to reheat it in the microwave? Juicy and tender pork chops will only be delicious when reheated property.

An electric oven can be the best option for reheating pork chops, but if you are short of time then switch to use a microwave for this purpose.

How do you reheat pork chops in microwave? Place the pork chops on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp of paper towel. Microwave for 2 minute at 50% power until the internal temperature reaches the 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius.

Flip and rotate the pork chop at 30 second intervals. Check for doneness at each interval to avoid overheating the meat which may result in tough and dry texture.

With microwave method, meat can get overheated pretty quickly. In order to prevent from overheating, check the pork frequently with a thermometer to evaluate the doneness.

In this write-up, we are going to discuss the best way to reheat pork chop in microwave and how to store them properly for the next meal prep. Read on for answers to frequently asked questions so that you achieve juicy and tender reheated pork chops to add to your healthy diet.

Can you reheat pork chop in the microwave?

Yes, you can reheat pork chop in a microwave. Microwave is safe and quick option to reheat the meat in a crunch.

The microwave heats up the food quickly, so the heat is capable of killing any harmful bacteria to prevent from food poisoning. Proper storage and reheating to an internal temperature of 74°C or 165°F is important to reduce the risk.

But, while using a microwave for reheating pork chop you must ensure that only 50% of power or reheat setting is used instead of full power. When you reheat pork chop at full power, then the meat will become leathery and dry due to loss of moisture, even if it is reheated very quickly.

The toughen and dried meat is hard to recover even with damp of paper towel.

Also, educing the power of microwave can help prevent the pork chop from exploding due to heat rapidly generating steam that gets trapped under the surface. Extremely rare, but still possible.

Is it safe to reheat pork chop in the microwave?

Yes, it is safe to reheat pork chop in the microwave if done properly. If the meat has bones in the center, the meat reheats very slowly near the bone, microwave low and slow to reach the proper internal temperature.

Reheating pork chop can be safe in a microwave if it is reheated at no more than 50% of the power. The meat will dry out if reheated at a higher power level.

The pork chop should be placed on a microwave-safe plate and nuked on the reheat setting until its internal temperature reaches up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius.

How long do you reheat pork chop in the microwave?

In general, it take about two minutes to reheat a pork chop in the microwave. This time may increase or decrease depending upon the type of your microwave or the number of pork chops.

For best result, no matter the amount of meat, reheat for 30 seconds at a time to avoid from overheating. Flip and rotate the pork chops after each interval until the proper internal temperature is reached.

To reheat pork chop in a microwave, adjust microwave to 50% of the power, and nuke for 30 seconds to reheat the pork chop. After 30 seconds, check whether it has been warmed from all sides or not.

Repeat the process of reheating and checking every 30 seconds until the whole lot is reheated evenly to the required temperature.

As total, pork chop should not microwaved more than 3 minutes. Afterward, the carryover heat can start overcooking the meat and change the texture to toughen and unrecoverable.

How do you know when pork chop is reheated in the microwave?

When reheating in the microwave, the surface of the meat will be extremely hot, there will be steam rising from the meat and there will be an aroma of cook pork in the air. The best way to check the doneness of a reheated pork chop is by using a thermometer to verify that the internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C.

The best way is to use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the pork chop to measure if it reached 165 degree Fahrenheit. This point is safe temperature to consume leftovers with minimal risk to harmful bacteria.

Finding out the doneness of pork chop when reheated in the microwave is important. Consuming cold or uneven heated meat can cause stomach ache or other food borne illness related issues.

While reheating pork chop in a microwave at 50% power, check with you fingers after every 30 seconds on each side. It should be checked regularly at short intervals to avoid overheating of the pork chops.

There are trick to figure out the perfect temperature for pork chop to be consumed. For the most accuracy and best results, always use a properly calibrated meat thermometer.

How to store cooked pork chop

Cooked pork chop can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer depending upon how long you want to extend its shelf life. With proper storage technique, you can easily revive the texture and juiciness of the meat next time it is served.

If you want to increase the shelf life of cooked pork chops for 3-4 days, then you can store it safely and effectively in a fridge. Always let it cool down to room temperature to remove any excess steam or water molecule before placing in the fridge.

Refrigerate the cooked pork chops in a shallow airtight container, or wrap them in heavy-duty plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

However, if you want to extend the life of cooked pork chops up to 3-4 months, then store them in a freezer. Wrap the cooked pork chop in a heavy-duty freezer bag or use airtight containers with a locking lid while storing it in a freezer.

The quality of the frozen cooked pork chops remains the best for 2-3 months. If the temperature in the freezer constantly remains at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, then you can safely keep cooked pork chops indefinitely.

When reheating cooked frozen pork chop, defrost pork chops in the microwave to remove any ice particles and avoid from creating puddles of water when microwave reheating.

Tips to reheat pork chop in the microwave

Nutritious and filling meals involve a nice chunk of roasted pork chop. If you have leftovers to add to your salad or lunch menu, use a microwave to reheat pork chop with the simple press of a button.

It is quite easy and simple method, however without precaution the meat can turn dry and tough when easily overheated.

Follow these tips to reheat pork chops properly to prevent the meat from becoming leathery and dry. Instead retain the juice and flavor so you can enjoy your leftovers all the time.

Take a microwave-safe plate to put a layer of previously cooked pork chops.
Use a damp paper towel to cover the pork chops on the plate.
Put the plate of pork chops into the microwave to heat it for nearly 30 second increments on 50% power setting.
After 30 seconds, briefly touch the pork chops with your fingers to check their temperature to avoid its overheating on the center and edges.
Flip the pork chop over and continue the process of checking and reheating every 30 seconds until the edges and center are reheated properly.
The plate should be removed from the microwave once it reaches a required temperature at its thickest part.

Always use a meat thermometer to get the correct temperature for best result.

Here is another way to use the microwave to reheat pork chop with added moisture.

Place cooked pork chops on a microwave-safe plate and pour a few teaspoons of water on top. For alternative, use meat broth or olive oil of your choice.
Now start reheating pork chops at an interval of 30 seconds
Check the warmness at the center as well as all sides of the chops.
When the pork chop is hot from all sides and the center reaches the proper temperature, then you should remove it from the microwave to serve hot.

With this method, you can easily retain moisture inside of the meat while heating.

Best way to reheat pork chop in the microwave

The use of a microwave for reheating pork chops is preferable when in a hurry, and also to avoid dealing with a massive pile of dirty dishes to clean afterward cooking. In addition, it is easy to manage the meat from overcooking by adjusting the power level and cooking time.

Follow few additional tips discussed here under to save your cooking and meal prepping time.

Place a layer of pork chops to be reheated on a microwave-safe plate.
Cover all the pieces of pork chops with a damp paper towel.
Set the microwave at 50% power to reheat the pork chops in the microwave.
Heat the pork chops for 30 seconds at a time to avoid overcooking.
After 30 seconds, check the pork chops if they are evenly heated or not.
Flip and rotate the chops, and repeat the process of checking and reheating pork chops every 30 seconds until the internal temperature reaches up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius.

When reheating pork chop, it is quite easy to turn juicy meat into rubbery and tough meat. Overheated meat is hard to chew and also difficult to enjoy.

Maintain the texture when reheating pork chop in the microwave properly. Keep the temperature and timing in check so that the meat does not overcook.