Air Fryer Roast Pork Loin

How to make pork crackling. Achieving crispy crackling on a pork joint is simple with an air fryer. Check out that CRACKLING!  

Also, find out how long you should cook a pork joint to achieve tasty, juicy meat every time.

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Just to clarify, I wasn’t sent the Ninja Speedi or paid for this post - I bought the pork myself. Also, Boultons Butchers had no idea I was writing this or that I’d mention them - just saying!

I used my Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 Rapid Cooker on the Steam Air Fry setting. You would think using the steam wouldn't produce crispy cracking, but it does! 😉

You will still get amazing results using just the air fry setting!

Using the steam air fry setting really delivers tender, juicy pork, and it works just as well for roast chicken, too.

Let's talk about crackling!

I have noticed some people out there (in the world of Google recipe searches) some people are a bit confused. You will only get crispy crackling if the skin (or rind) is still on your pork. 😉

The 'crackling' refers to the skin, not the layer of fat beneath it. Unfortunately, most supermarkets remove the skin, leaving only the fatty portion behind.

We're fortunate to have an excellent butcher nearby called Boultons Butchers in Madeley, so I decided to purchase my pork loin from them.

How long to cook a pork loin joint in an air fryer

The cooking time for air-frying pork loin depends on the size and weight of the cut. Be sure to monitor it and check periodically. The internal temperature should be at least 63°C or 145°F, as it will keep cooking as it rests.

These are the new recommendations as of 2024, both here in the UK and, I believe, in the US as well.

If you're curious about cooking pork loin in the oven, be sure to take a look at my post.

My pork loin joint was 1.3kg and took 70 minutes to cook at 180°C, though I increased the temperature to 200°C for the final 10 minutes.

Here's a guide to approximate cooking times:

• 900g for 50 minutes

• 1.2kg for 60 minutes

• 1.5kg for 75 minutes

Why you will love this recipe

• Minimal ingredients - Pork loin, sea salt and rapeseed oil

• Prep is also minimal - Happy days!

• It's tasty

• Crispy crackling is guaranteed without fuss

• Quicker, therefore cheaper than using a regular oven 

• Perfect for all occasions, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Sunday dinner, or a midweek meal.

Top tip!

Always cook by temperature, not time, as it's the only reliable and safe way to ensure your food is thoroughly cooked. An instant-read digital kitchen probe thermometer is essential for this.

Equipment

• An air fryer 😃

• An instant-read digital probe thermometer - you can get them for as little as £6

• A good, sharp knife is essential; you can ask your butcher to do this for you.

• Kitchen foil - for resting the joint after cooking

Remove the pork from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, as it needs to be at room temperature.

Pat it dry with kitchen paper. 

Keep the string intact and gently score the skin with a sharp knife, taking care not to slice into the meat.

Rub it all over with a little oil and sea salt, making sure to get some salt into the score marks.

Cooking in the Ninja Speedi (regular air fryer instructions) in the recipe card below.

Put the cook and crispy tray in the bottom position and add enough cold water to come just underneath the tray (not over it).

Place the pork on the tray and move the smart switch to RAPID COOKER and STEAM AIR FRY (steam crisp on US models).

Set the time to 70 minutes (or longer if your joint is larger than 1.3kg) and set the temperature to 180°C or 350°F.

Close the lid to begin preheating the machine. Make sure not to open the lid during this process, as it will reset and restart the preheating cycle. Plus, the cook timing will be off .😨

Once it starts cooking and counting down, you can open the lid to check on your food.

Check the doneness of your pork joint by using a digital probe thermometer. 

If it's nearly done but the crackling isn't quite right, increase the temperature to 200°C or 400°F for the final 5-10 minutes.

Once cooked, take it out of the Speedi and carefully remove the crackling with a sharp knife - this step is crucial to prevent the crackling from becoming soft.

Wrap the joint in kitchen foil and leave it to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

I am horrified that I forgot to take a picture of it, once carved 😱 

So, you'll just have to trust me when I say it was tender and deliciously juicy. 

Perfectly cooked and never dry, the steam air fry setting on the Ninja truly works wonders.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

air fryer roast pork loin, time to cook pork joint in an air fryer, Ninja Speedi roast pork joint,

main, dinner

International

Yield: 4-6

Author: Jan Bennett

Air Fryer Roast Pork Loin

I cooked this in the Ninja Speedi on the Steam Air Fry setting. (Steam Crisp on the US model) setting but you can just use the air fryer setting.

Prep time: 2 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 12 M

Ingredients

• 1.3kg pork loin - skin scored all over (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• rapeseed (vegetable) oil
• sea salt

Instructions

1. Remove the pork joint from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, as it needs to be at room temperature.
2. Dry it thoroughly with kitchen paper. Keep the string in place, and use a sharp knife to score the skin, taking care not to cut through the string or into the meat.
3. Rub it all over with a little oil and sea salt, making sure to get some salt into the score marks.

Cooking in the Ninja Speedi

1. Put the cook and crispy tray in the bottom position and add enough cold water to come just underneath the tray (not over it).
2. Place the pork on the tray and move the smart switch to RAPID COOKER and STEAM AIR FRY (steam crisp on US models).
3. Set the time to 70 minutes (or longer if your joint is more than 1.3kg) and set the temperature to 180°C (350°F).
4. Close the lid to allow the machine to preheat. Don't open it during preheating, as this will reset the process. Once cooking begins and the countdown starts, you can open the lid to check your food.
5. After 40 minutes, you'll probably need to add a bit more water to the bottom of the cooking pot. The instruction book doesn't mention this, but trust me, the water will have evaporated by then.
6. Use a digital probe thermometer to check that your pork joint is cooked thoroughly. The internal temperature should reach at least 63°C (145°F), as it will continue to cook while resting. If it's nearly cooked but the crackling isn't quite right, increase the temperature to 200°C (400°F) for the final 5-10 minutes.
7. After it's cooked, take it out of the Speedi and use a sharp knife to carefully remove the crackling, setting it aside to keep it crispy. Wrap the joint in kitchen foil and let it rest for at least 25 minutes before slicing.

Cooking in a regular air fryer

1. Place the pork loin in the air fryer basket, making sure there's enough space above it so it doesn't come into contact with the heating element.
2. Set the time to 70 minutes (or longer if your joint is more than 1.3kg) and set the temperature to 180°C (350°F).
3. Use a digital probe thermometer to check that your pork joint is cooked thoroughly. The internal temperature should reach at least 63°C (145°F), as it will continue to cook while resting. If it’s nearly cooked but the crackling isn’t to your liking, increase the temperature to 200°C (400°F) for the final 5-10 minutes.
4. After cooking, take it out of the air fryer and use a sharp knife to gently remove the crackling, setting it aside to keep it crispy. Wrap the joint in kitchen foil and let it rest for at least 25 minutes before slicing.

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