Cooking outdoors! Celebrate the sunshine and treat yourself to an al fresco feast - Pork Chops, Tuna Pasta with garlic and parmesan dressed salad

Celebrate the sunshine and treat yourself to an al fresco feast 

Since the heatwave I have been cooking outside.. I hate the house being hot so I prefer to cook outside, plus I really enjoy it.. it brings back happy memories of camping.

I have a BBQ and a Camping stove but I also take out my Air fryer and counter top oven out too if I need to. I thought I would share what I have been doing and what I used as I always get messages on Facebook for recipes and people asking what I have used. I have set up a "TikTok Finds" section in my Amazon store so you can find everything nice and easy. You can find it here:  https://amzn.to/3RMlUro

** As an Amazon Associate i may receive a small referral commission should you buy something through my UK Amazon Store front. (if you would like to see what i have used and where to get it you can find the links where there is blue on the page) ** Please note that there is no charge to the customer for this.

Using your air fryer outdoors can be a great way to enjoy your favourite air fried foods without heating up your kitchen. Here are some tips for using your air fryer outside:

1. Check Electrical Outlets and Wires: Ensure you have a secure and safe electrical connection and no flammable objects nearby. 
2. Place on a Flat, Heat-Resistant Surface: Set up a shaded area and place the air fryer on an even, flat surface. Avoid wooden or plastic tables that might melt due to heat. 
3. Carry with Care: Opt for a lightweight, portable air fryer for outdoor cooking. Make sure the appliance is thoroughly cooled before you try and move it 
4. Don’t Leave It Unattended: Always stay near the air fryer while it’s in use.
5. Keep It Dry: While outdoor use is generally safe, avoid getting your air fryer wet

This little video above was my Air fried pork chops

Pork Chops, Tuna Pasta with garlic and parmesan dressed salad

The pork chops were cooked in the air fryer - I have a Cosori and a Ninja you can find the details on amazon here:

Cosori - https://amzn.to/4czM3BA check out the price.. at the point of posting this - 14:42 on 26th June 2024 it is on a special price so make sure not to miss it.

Ninja (the one in the video) - https://amzn.to/3L0lTMz

I love both of them, they both have a different way of cooking - the cosori has an open basket where the ninja is sold like a baking tin.

If you are new to using an air fryer you might want to check out this awesome recipe book available on Amazon. Don't take my word for it.. it's a best seller see for yourself. You can find it here: https://amzn.to/4bf8n2o there are so many yummy recipes to try! I am working my way through them.

When cooking meat I always use a meat thermometer this is the one I use you can find it on amazon here: 

https://amzn.to/4cntAZu

We do a lot of BBQ's and you need to know where you are with meat... especially chicken. You can put your mind at rest knowing everything is at a safe temperature to eat and it saves over cooking and spoiling your food

I use this temperature guide from the  FoodSafety.Gov website and have a copy printed handy to use when I need it. You can find the guide sheet here:

https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures

you can download the pdf off and print a copy for yourself. I used to use this in Canada as it has both F and C on it so it is super helpful. 

Recipes:

The pork chop recipe is from the book - https://amzn.to/4bf8n2o 

** My top tip is if you are leaving the rind on the pork chop rub the rind with a tiny amount of oil and sprinkle salt on it, it will give you a really nice crispy crackling.

Always pick chops on the bone they just have more flavour.. you can always cut the bone off when you serve it.

The cold tuna pasta - is cooked penne pasta and canned tuna mixed with a homemade dressing of mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, a small squirt of ketchup, a pinch of smoked paprika and a pink of cayenne pepper. Obviously it depends on how much you make. This is really popular in our house as it makes a great little quick lunch with some salad leaves added and is perfect to make up into a packed lunch for when you are on the go!

I used a bag of pasta, 2 tins of tuna (in spring water - we don't like the brine or oil taste of the alternatives) 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tbsp of sriracha and ketchup and a generous pinch of both the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper for a spicy hit (if you don't want the extra heat feel free to drop the cayenne pepper but you need the paprika for the smoky flavour)

The pasta is cooked to al dente so it still has a little bite. I used a colander to empty the pasta out of the pan and filled the pan with iced cold water so it instantly cools the pasta. I leave the pasta in the colander for 10 mins just to drain any excess liquid off the pasta before adding the tuna and dressing.

I cooked the pasta outside on a camping stove - https://amzn.to/4cj4x9H 

Top tip - put everything in a large tub a ware container ** make sure the lid is on securely and give it a vigorous shake to combine everything. You can store this in the fridge and take out what you need when you need it

As always season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mixed Salad - The garlic and parmesan dressing I used for the mixed salad

2 tbsp of sour cream, 2 tbsp of mayonnaise, salt, pepper, 30g of parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and 1 large fresh garlic clove added to my little spice grinder.. you can find this on amazon here: https://amzn.to/4eSDVOL

I use one cup for coffee beans and the other one I use for spices and dressings. This has been a game changer for not only my coffee making but I make all of my sauces, salad dressings, dips and spice pastes.. it also makes a cracking guacamole!!

  

I have really enjoyed doing this little post if you would like me to do more please let me know on the social media platform that you found the link (Facebook, twitter, insta, TikTok etc..)

you can find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/opulencebydesign