Make these Slow Cooker Pork Chops a part of your weekly dinner plan. They’re foolproof, flavorful, and covered in gravy. Cooking tender and juicy pork chops has never been easier!
Pork chops are an inexpensive cut of meat with million-dollar potential. Cook them on the grill, make your own Shake N’ Bake, and never forget the gravy. There’s plenty you can do with pork chops!
This Slow Cooker Pork Chops recipe is a no-brainer for family dinners and busy weeknights. The process is almost entirely hands-off, yet you still end up with tender and juicy chops that are smothered in pan gravy.
It’s a similar recipe to my Instant Pot Pork Chops but cooked low and slow for that melt-in-your-mouth result. Each chop is begging to be served with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and extra gravy. Yum!
🛒 Shopping for the best pork chops
The best pork chops begin with the best cut of meat of course. While you’re out shopping, choose the blade, shoulder, sirloin, and tenderloin chops over loin chops. These cuts are best suited for slow cooking.
Both boneless and bone-in will work (just remember: bone-in = more flavor and tender results). As for the look, the chops should be bright pink with some visible marbling. Avoid pork with any discolorations or dark-colored bones.
📋 Ingredients needed
- Pork chops – Of course! Choose boneless or bone-in chops that are ¾ to 1-inch thick.
- Brown sugar – This is the base of the dry rub. It adds sweetness and lightly caramelizes the outside of the chops, lending a subtle crunch.
- Paprika – This dry rub is similar to a classic dry barbecue rub. Paprika will bring smokiness to every bite and give the pork chops that irresistible “fresh off the grill” flavor and color.
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Onion powder
- Chicken broth – Slow cooking the chops in broth seals in the natural juices and flavors, and prevents the meat from drying out as it cooks.
- Cornstarch – Mixed with water to help the gravy thicken.
- Water
- Fresh parsley – For garnish.
🌟 How to cook pork chops in a slow cooker
Whisk the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, and onion powder together in a small bowl to make the dry rub.
Pat the pork chops dry and rub the dry rub over all sides. Next, transfer the pork chops to your slow cooker along with the chicken broth.
Cover with a lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
Once cooked, remove the chops and transfer them to a plate to rest.
Scoop a few cups of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat on the stove.
Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch and water (or broth) together to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the saucepan and whisk until the mixture thickens into a gravy.
Plate each chop over a bed of mashed potatoes. Spoon some gravy over top or serve it on the side, then garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
✔️ Tips and tricks
- You don’t have to brown the pork chops before placing them in the crockpot, but it’s a worthwhile extra step for an overall enriched flavor. For tips on pan-searing pork chops, check out my recipe for Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce.
- I recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer to avoid overcooking the pork chops. You’ll know they’re done cooking and safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Always let pork chops rest after taking them off of the heat. Once they reach 140ºF (they’ll continue to cook as they rest, eventually reaching that 145ºF sweet spot), transfer them to a plate and tent them loosely with foil as you prepare the gravy.
- Be sure to mix the cornstarch with cool water or broth before pouring it into the gravy. Powdered cornstarch will clump if it’s added directly to the hot liquid.
👩🍳 Customize it
Easily adapt this flexible pork chops recipe with different seasonings and sauces:
- Spices: Feel free to switch up the dry rub with other seasoning blends like dry ranch seasoning, Italian seasoning, a dry BBQ rub, or Cajun seasoning.
- Gravy and sauces: Instead of gravy, pair your juicy pork chops with any of the outstanding options listed in this roundup of pork chop sauces.
ℹ️ FAQs
No. Frozen pork chops will take much longer to reach a safe cooking temperature than thawed meat. That extra cooking time can result in tough, chewy meat. If your pork chops are frozen, thaw them in the fridge the night before cooking.
Both high and low work very well! No matter the temperature, the heat in the slow cooker will melt the fat to produce juicy pieces of meat.
Let the chops cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the gravy in a separate container.
Reheat the leftovers in a skillet over medium heat until the gravy is smooth and creamy and the chops are warmed through. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth to help thin it out.
🍴 Serving suggestions
These irresistible pork chops are perfectly paired with simple starchy sides and veggies. Make it a million-dollar meal with any of the sides below or use these 45+ best sides for pork chops instead.
- Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Fluffy Rice
- Risotto
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Broccoli
- Sauteed Spinach
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
🍷 Wine pairings for pork chops
Pork chops have a mild, neutral flavor that pairs with both reds and whites:
- The bright acidity in Pinot Noir and Rose is very complimentary.
- Chardonnay is also an excellent match for the slightly fatty pork.
For more ideas, check out these 7 Wine Pairings with Pork Chops.
More slow cooker dinner recipes
- Carnitas Street Tacos
- Bolognese Sauce
- Salsa Chicken
- Goulash
- Butter Chicken
- Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage
- More → 37+ Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
More pork recipes
- Pork Medallions with Mojo Sauce
- Instant Pot Pork Chops & Gravy
- Traeger Pork Chops
- Shake and Bake Pork Chops
- Sous Vide Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- More → 35+ Easy Boneless Pork Chop Recipes
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Slow Cooker Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops (boneless or bone-in, 1-inch thick)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Water (or extra chicken stock)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper and onion powder.
- Rub the pork chops with the spice blend and place them in the slow cooker with the chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Pork chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145-degrees.
- Remove the pork chops from the slow cooker and set aside on a plate.
- Using a ladle, remove about 2 cups of the cooking liquids from the slow cooker. Add them to a small saucepan.
- Add the cornstarch and water (or stock) to a small mason jar and shake to combine. Or, you can whisk them together in a bowl.
- Heat the cooking liquids on the stove over medium high heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly until the gravy has thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve pork chops with gravy on the side. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Equipment
Nutrition
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Very interesting! I can say I have never thought to make pork chops in a slow cooker! I really can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m very picky about chops – they’re typically so overcooked, but I can see how this method would create a juicy chop.
I hope you love it Mimi!
I made this recipe last night and unfortunately it fell flat. I had my pork chops in for 6 hours, but they turned out a bit dry and it didn’t feel like the flavor really stuck from the seasoning. The gravy helped a bit, but may have needed a better slurry as it didn’t thicken to where I wanted. Going to try again another time as I usually love your recipes.