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Tender and juicy, these Crock Pot smothered pork chops are truly the best slow cooker pork chops ever! Cooked in a sweet and zesty sauce, topped with onions and fresh herbs, the thick-cut pork chops are a family-friendly dinner for busy nights!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love these Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- The Best Pork Chops for the Slow Cooker
- How to Keep Pork Chops Moist and Tender in the Crock Pot
- Ingredients
- How to Make Smothered Pork Chops in the Crock Pot
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Crock Pot Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
- Crock Pot Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
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, and this garlic and rosemary pork chop brine, too!
Why You’ll Love these Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- Easy. You can’t beat the ease of a Crock Pot dinner — especially when it involves succulent smothered pork chops. This recipe comes together with about 15 minutes of prep, eliminating any last-minute mealtime stress.
- Sweet and Tangy Sauce. Unlike other smothered pork chop recipes that include a rich cream sauce, this recipe features a sweet and zesty bbq-like sauce that’s a delicious change of pace.
- Budget-Friendly. This simple meal doesn’t have a long, unusual ingredient list. Instead, it takes advantage of an affordable cut of meat and other pantry staples to create a less-expensive, yet incredibly flavorful dinner.
The Best Pork Chops for the Slow Cooker
Pork chops are a loin cut perpendicularly to the spine of the pig and usually containing a rib or part of a vertebra. There are four main types of pork chops: shoulder chops, rib chops, loin chops, and boneless chops. The shoulder chops (also called blade chops) are made of dark-colored meat that has a lot of fat and connective tissues, and some blade bone. This cut has a lot of flavor, but it also contains a lot of tough gristle, so the meat does best when it’s tenderized or braised in slow, moist heat. Shoulder chops (or blade chops) are well suited for the slow cooker.
You can use either bone-in or boneless pork chops for this recipe. The best pork chops for slow cooking are thick-cut chops with nice marbling throughout. You want a chop with plenty of fat on it to keep the meat moist during the slow cooking process. As mentioned above, look for a blade chop, shoulder chop, or sirloin chop if possible.
How to Keep Pork Chops Moist and Tender in the Crock Pot
There are a handful of important tips to help you avoid the dreaded tough pork chops in the Crock Pot:
- Use thick-cut bone-in pork chops, which have a longer cooking time and therefore sear nicely and develop a flavorful crust without becoming overdone or dry on the inside when transferred to the slow cooker. Thinner, leaner pork chops will cook quickly and dry out much faster than thick-cut, marbled, bone-in chops.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for these crock pot smothered pork chops. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Pork chops: use thick-cut pork chops or blade chops for the best results in the slow cooker.
- Olive oil: to sear the chops in a skillet. Canola oil or vegetable oil will also work fine.
- Ketchup: the sweet base of the sauce.
- Chicken broth: to thin the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce: gives the dish a salty, umami flavor.
- Brown sugar: for sweetness.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Chili powder and ground mustard: for zesty, zippy flavor.
- Onion: for savory flavor and a hint of sweetness. Any variety is fine — yellow onion, white onion, sweet onion, or even red onion.
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:
- Season the chops.
- Brown the pork chops in a skillet.
- Whisk together the sauce.
- Transfer the chops, sauce, and onion to a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2-4 hours or on HIGH for 1-2 hours, until the pork chops are done.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the smothered pork chops with any of these easy sides:
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Corn Sticks
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon, or Drop Biscuits
- Party Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Baked Potato Wedges, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Easy Potato Salad, or Skin-On Mashed Red Potatoes
- Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Jiffy Corn Casserole
- Cheese Grits or Pimento Cheese Grits Casserole
- Charleston Red Rice or Rice Pilaf
- Cornbread Stuffing or Sausage Stuffing
- Hush Puppies
- Hoe Cakes
- Buttered Egg Noodles
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
- Fried Okra or Okra and Tomatoes
- Broccoli and Cheese, Easy Broccoli Casserole, or Broccoli and Rice Casserole
- Creamed Peas
- Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole or Southern Squash Casserole
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze cooked pork chops in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Place the tender pork 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
- 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 (especially when smothered in onions and sauce)!
- If you like fall-apart-tender pork chops (almost like the texture of pulled pork), you’ll need to cook them longer — at least 4-6 hours on LOW or 2-3 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, such as 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.
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
- Use thick-cut pork chops with plenty of fat on them to keep the meat moist and tender. Lean, thin pork chops are more likely to become dry or tough if slightly overcooked in the Crock Pot.
- Slice the onions thinly so that they’re tender by the time the pork chops are done.
- Depending on the size of your skillet and the size of your pork chops, you may need to brown the chops in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Don’t Overcook the Pork Chops. Remember that every Crock Pot cooks at a slightly different temperature, so you need to keep an eye on your dish the first time you make it. You know that the pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. That’s why I love my meat thermometer — I can quickly check the meat and know when it’s cooked perfectly every time! This will likely happen faster than you expect (my chops are always done in 1-2 hours on HIGH).
- 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.
More Crock Pot Pork Chop Recipes to Try
Crock Pot Pork Chops with Bacon and Onion
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Vegetables and Gravy
6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops
6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Crock Pot Smothered Pork Chops
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
0 minutes
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes
Tender and juicy, you'll love the sweet and savory sauce on these 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
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground mustard
- 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 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), and then transfer to slow cooker.
- Pour sauce over the pork chops and add onion on top. 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
-
- Use thick-cut pork chops with plenty of fat on them to keep the meat moist and tender. Lean, thin pork chops are more likely to become dry or tough if slightly overcooked in the Crock Pot.
-
- Slice the onions thinly so that they’re tender by the time the pork chops are done.
-
- Depending on the size of your skillet and the size of your pork chops, you may need to brown the chops in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
-
- Don’t Overcook the Pork Chops. Remember that every Crock Pot cooks at a slightly different temperature, so you need to keep an eye on your dish the first time you make it. You know that the pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. That’s why I love my meat thermometer — I can quickly check the meat and know when it’s cooked perfectly every time! This will likely happen faster than you expect (my chops are always done in 1-2 hours on HIGH).
- If you like fall-apart-tender pork chops (almost like the texture of pulled pork), you’ll need to cook them longer — at least 4-6 hours on LOW or 2-3 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.
-
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pork chops with sauceCalories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 52gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 1129mgPotassium: 1137mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 7.8mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1.9mg
I’ve been searching for a new way to Jazz up pork chops and this recipe looks perfect! Love how it’s done in the slow cooker, too. It might be September 1st but it’s still absolutely boiling here!
Hi, Nicola! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope that you get to try this version…they are so good!
I’ve never been a huge pork chop fan, but these look incredible! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
Hi Blair,
We are going to love your Slow Cooker Saucy Pork Chops, they look delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this awesome post with Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a fantastic weekend!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Thanks, Miz Helen! I hope that you have a chance to give them a try. They are awesome! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! Can I add mushrooms?
Absolutely! Mushrooms would work perfectly in this dish.
Just put these in, sooo excited about a meal for a change. I elimated a process you might like to try next time.
After pouring off what little grease was left in the skillet after browning the chops. I then added your sauce ingredients stirring in the browned bits of pork left in the pan, finishing just as you would without another item to wash…guess you can tell I really don’t like to do the dishes, even though I do! Thanks again for sharing.
Let me start by saying that I do a LOT of cooking,and I am very particular about food.I made these, even though I was skeptical at first. I NEVER buy pork chops, because they are always tough or dry or both. These were delicious. I couldn’t believe how tender they were. I will definitely be trying some of your other recipes.
Awesome! Thanks for that kind note, Marilyn!
Making these now… the sauce seems just right.. not too sweet, just right.
Awesome! Enjoy, and thank you, Mary!
I made this today OH how awesome, Tender and taste so good! Thank you for sharing.
That’s great, Sandy! Thank you!
These pork chops were delicious!! Very tender and flavorful!. I will be passing this recipe along to my family! And will definitely make them again!
Thanks, Bernadette!
If I use only two thick cut pork chops in the crock pot do I reduce the time from 4 hours to 2 hours and do I reduce the ingredients to half
Hi, Jackie! In general, the pork chops should still take about the same amount of time to cook. You might decrease the time by 30 minutes (on high) or an hour (on low), just to account for the fact that the slow cooker isn’t as full, but otherwise it shouldn’t be a huge difference.
You can cut the sauce ingredients in half to make less of the sauce. Feel free to use a whole onion if you like a lot of onion, or just use half if you don’t want as much. Either is fine! Enjoy!
Love the recipe, but hate all the ads.
Almost done making these bad boys! Tasted the sauce before I put the crock pot on and it was AMAZING. Can’t wait until I have these with some mashed potatoes and veggies. ???????? Made the recipe for my in-laws that are over our new place!
Awesome! I hope that everyone enjoys them, Jackie! 🙂
I made this tonight for dinner and it was so good. The pork chops were so tender and we loved the sauce. I did the recipe using the oven version (doubled the sauce) and served with sticky white rice and roasted veggies. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you so much for sharing
Wonderful! Thanks so much for letting me know, Kelly!
Excellent recipe. I used half a large red onion and cooked the chops on the stove top. Tender and delicious.
That’s wonderful, Sandra! Thank you!
So yummy and simple to make. The chops melted in your mouth. My only regret was not making more!
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks, Stephanie!
If I don’t have chicken broth/beef broth or ground mustard can I skip those or what can I do to substitute
Hi, Dakota! You can skip the ground mustard, or add a dollop of regular mustard if you like that flavor. For the liquid, you’ll want to replace the broth with something else. I haven’t tested another option, but I would try either white wine or something like apple cider (just omit the brown sugar if you’re using a sweet liquid). Hope that helps!
Sounds like a great recipe, can the recipe be doubled or even better, can 6 chops be used instead of4?
Absolutely! Six chops should work perfectly, Heidi! 🙂
I am thinking about preparing this recipe for my husband. I have only one pork chop but it is very large and thick. Would that work with this recipe? Should I halve the sauce or make a full recipe so he has lots of sauce to spoon over his potatoes/noodles?
Hi, Charlene! That should work fine. As far as the sauce goes, it’s totally a matter of preference. You can cut the ingredients or half, or you can just make the full recipe and have plenty of extra sauce! 🙂
These chops look so good. The only change I made was to use pork country ribs instead of pork chops. I just put it in the crock pot. I’ll message later with results. So excited!
Wonderful! I hope that you enjoy the meal, Caroline! 🙂
What if I dont have thick porkchops? Will they dry out??
Hey, Allison! Thick chops with a lot of fat/marbling are best for slow cooking, but you can still use the thinner chops. I just recommend cooking on LOW for only 2-3 hours. You want them cooked through, but if they continue cooking for too long, they do get dry. Just keep an eye on them. 🙂
So yummy and easy to make! This is a go to meal for us!
Awesome! Thanks, Carrie!
Thank you for such a well written recipe that gives me options for cooking and times for different thicknesses of chops. Simple, delicious ingredients.
Thanks, Linda! I’m so glad that you found it helpful!
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!