Just like Grandma made! These Crock Pot smothered pork chops simmer in a sweet and zesty sauce with tender onions for the ultimate Southern comfort meal.
If you’re looking for even more pork chop recipes, be sure to try these pan fried pork chops, these 15-minute grilled pork chops, these cream of mushroom pork chops, and this garlic and rosemary pork chop brine, too!
A Smothered Pork Chops Crock Pot Recipe for Busy Nights
Your family will love these easy Crock Pot smothered pork chops, which come together with just 15 minutes of prep and simple pantry staples. Instead of a heavy cream sauce, the pork simmers in a sweet and zesty barbecue-like sauce for a flavorful, budget-friendly twist.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- The Best Pork Chops for the Slow Cooker: Use thick-cut pork chops with good marbling and plenty of fat, such as shoulder, blade, or sirloin chops, which stay tender and juicy during the long cooking time. Bone-in or boneless chops will both work; although, the bone-in chops typically require a little bit longer.
- Need a shortcut? You can skip the step of browning the pork chops in the skillet and just place them directly into the slow cooker. They won’t have the same color and texture on the exterior, but they will still be good!
- Slice the onions thinly so that they’re tender by the time the pork chops are done.
- Don’t overcook the meat. Pork chops have a tendency to dry out or become tough if they’re cooked for too long, so they might not need as much time in the Crock Pot as you think! My pork chops are typically cooked through, tender, and juicy after just 1-2 hours on HIGH.
Made this recipe with 7 boneless pork chops. I wanted leftovers! I browned the chops, doubled the sauce and into the slow cooker they went. I added mushrooms because I had to use some up. Delicious!! I’ll be making this again!
– Judy
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops in the Crock Pot
These country smothered pork chops come together with a few simple steps, and then the Crock Pot does the work! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Whisk together the sauce, and then set it aside.
- Brown the seasoned pork chops in a skillet. Depending on the size of your skillet and the size of your pork chops, you may need to brown them in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Place the onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. Arrange the browned chops on top, and then pour the sauce over all.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2-4 hours or on HIGH for 1-2 hours. Use a meat thermometer to know exactly when your pork chops are done. The total cooking time will vary depending on a number of different factors, so the instant read thermometer is always the best way to know when the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140°F – 145°F.
- Give the gravy mixture and onions a good stir. Let the chops rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This gives the juices time to redistribute in the meat, rather than spilling out onto the plate. Garnish the finished dish with a splash of apple cider vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, or chives for a colorful, flavorful touch.
Serving Suggestions
Smothered Crock Pot pork chops are delicious alongside creamy garlic mashed potatoes (perfect for soaking up the sauce), egg noodles, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, a skillet of our favorite Southern cornbread recipe, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, Southern-style green beans, Southern collard greens, lima beans and ham, coleslaw, fried apples, creamy baked mac and cheese, cucumber tomato onion salad, or a garden salad dressed in this easy homemade buttermilk dressing. Then, finish with a pear crisp for something sweet.
Fantastic recipe! We made this with thick pork sirloin chops and were blown away by how tasty it was…We are going to definitely add this one to our routine. Thank you for sharing
– Elizabeth
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Crock Pot Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 large thick-cut pork chops (boneless or bone-in are both fine) (I used boneless pork chops that were about 8 ounces each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup chicken broth (or sub with chicken stock)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning the pork
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground mustard
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- Optional garnish: squeeze of fresh lemon juice, chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together ketchup, broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, chili powder, and ground mustard. Set aside.
- Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of the pork chops liberally with salt and ground black pepper. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the pork chops to the skillet. Sear both sides of chops over high heat (about 3-5 minutes per side).
- Place the very thinly sliced onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. Arrange the browned chops on top. Pour the sauce over all. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F, about 1-2 hours on HIGH or 2-4 hours on LOW.
- Serve pork chops smothered in onions and sauce, and garnished with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze cooked pork chops in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Place the chops and sauce in a dish and cover with foil. Warm in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or just until heated through.
Recipe Variations
- If you like fall-apart-tender pork chops (almost like the texture of pulled pork), you’ll need to cook them longer. Try 6-8 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH. Just make sure that you’re using pork chops with plenty of fat, or they will dry out and become tough over the longer cooking time.
- Use any blend of seasonings on the pork chops, rather than just salt and pepper. For instance, try seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s brand), Cajun or Creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, or make it spicy with cayenne pepper.
- Add other veggies to the crockpot. Good options include sliced mushrooms, green beans, or carrots.
- Scale the recipe to cook as many chops as you need. If serving more than 4 pork chops, you’ll likely need to double the amount of sauce that you make as well.
More Crock Pot Pork Chop Recipes
Crock Pot Pork Chops with Bacon and Onion
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops
6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops
6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Originally published in August, 2014, this post was updated in July, 2025.
Do the pork chops HAVE to be seared?
No, they don’t. It adds color and some flavor, and may help “lock” in some juices, but you can definitely just put them right into the slow cooker without that extra step. 🙂
Made this recipe with 7 boneless pork chops. I wanted leftovers! I browned the chops, doubled the sauce and into the slow cooker they went. I added mushrooms because I had to use some up. Delicious!! I’ll be making this again!
So glad to hear that, Judy! Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave a note. 🙂
Fantastic recipe! We made this with thick pork sirloin chops and were blown away by how tasty it was. Reheated the leftover and the sauce was terrific over the rice. My husband took extra each night and was very pleased as well. We are going to definitely add this one to our routine. Thank you for sharing this
Thank you, Elizabeth! I’m so glad that you both enjoyed the meal, and that you could take advantage of the leftovers as well.
I have made these pork chops several times.There is only 2 of us so i cook only 3 thick chops.Together we will eat only one and a half pork chops. I then shread the remaining chops for sandwiches. Great recipe.Thank you.
Thanks, Suzanne!
These chops came out great. I seared them and sauteed the onions for a few minutes before adding them to the crockpot. My chops were extra thick. Cooked them on low for 8 hours. Will definitely make these again and try adding some green pepper and maybe kidney beans to the sauce.
Sounds perfect, Maureen. Thank you!