Crock Pot Pork Chops
Here to restore pork chops to culinary favor: moist Crock Pot Pork Chops. Forget the rubbery, dry pork chops of your past—these are juicy and tender, exceptionally easy, and blanketed in a luscious BBQ sauce.
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops Recipe
- Actually Delicious Crock Pot Pork Chops. Forget the flavorless hockey puck pork chops you’ve suffered in the past. After perfecting Grilled Pork Chops, Air Fryer Pork Chops, and Stuffed Pork Chops, I’ve tackled how to make crock pot pork chops that don’t feel like a punishment.
- Tender and Juicy. This slow cooker pork chop recipe changes everything—they’re fork tender and will have everyone at your table polishing their plate (as will these Smothered Pork Chops).
- Easy Peasy. Not only are these the best slow cooker pork chops you’ll ever try, they’re also incredibly simple. You only need a handful of ingredients; layer them in the crock pot, turn it on, and your work is finished!
5 Star Review
How to Make Crock Pot Pork Chops
The Ingredients
- Bone-In Pork Chops. You can trim away some of the fat without sacrificing moisture; the bone will help insulate the meat.
- Onions. The onions melt into the sauce and give the tender pork chops extra flavor (like Pork Chops with Apples and my favorite Baked Chicken Thighs). For crock pot pork chops and potatoes, add a few diced Yukon gold potatoes instead of (or along with) the onions.
- Barbecue Sauce. Sauce is one way to keep pork from drying out in a slow cooker. Choose your favorite store bought sauce to keep this meal easy and breezy (no one will ever complain about crock pot pork chops with Sweet Baby Ray’s) or go all out with my favorite homemade Barbecue Sauce, which is ready in 15 minutes and worth the effort.
- Garlic Powder + Onion Powder. Easy ways to season these tender chops.
- Cornstarch. Thickens up the sauce before serving your tender, moist crock pot pork chops. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can thicken the sauce with arrowroot powder.
- Green Onions. An optional garnish that adds a final flourish of color and zip to the finished dish.
TIP!
The Best Cut for Slow Cooking: Thick-Cut, Bone-In Pork Chops
- Part of the reason pork chops often turn out dry and tough is that they are a leaner cut and prone to overcooking. To prevent this look for 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch thick bone-in chops with a good amount of marbling and fat.
- If your store doesn’t carry thick, bone-in pork chops, select THICK boneless chops to ensure they do not dry out. In a crock pot, boneless pork chops cook in about 2 hours on LOW. If your slow cooker runs hot, check even earlier.
- Avoid thin, boneless pork chops, which will be dry, no matter how diligently you check them. The low-and-slow cooking method of the slow cooker demands thick-cut pork chops.
The Directions
- Prepare. Season the pork chops on all sides.
- Layer the Sauce and Onions. Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce in the bottom of a lightly greased crockpot and top with the onions.
- Add the Meat. Place pork chops in the slow cooker.
- Cook. Spread the remaining sauce over the chops, then cover and cook until tender.
- Rest. Let the pork rest so it’s juicy when you cut into it.
- Thicken the Sauce. Add a slurry of cornstarch and water to the slow cooker with the remaining sauce. Whisk, cover, and set to HIGH. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Finish. Serve the chops topped with the thickened sauce and a sprinkle of green onion. ENJOY!
Crock Pot Pork Chop Cooking Times
How long to cook pork chops in the crock pot will vary based on your specific slow cooker, the thickness and fat content of your pork chops, and whether you are using bone-in or boneless chops:
- Bone-In Pork Chops: Cook on LOW for 5 or 6 hours.
- Boneless Pork Chops: Cook on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
For your first batch, I recommend doing it on a day when you are home and can check on the chops more frequently. Unlike fattier cuts of beef or pork (like Crockpot Ribs or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork), you can’t leave pork chops to cook all day.
Consider this recipe a starting point and not concrete law.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Crockpot pork chops may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Very, very gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze pork chops in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
If you’re going to use a homemade barbecue sauce, you can prepare it up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to start the recipe.
Leftover Ideas
Serve leftover crock pot pork chops on buns for a tasty barbecue pork sandwich, over a bed of greens for a BBQ pork salad, as a Pork Quesadilla, or over egg noodles for a hearty meal.
What to Serve with Crock Pot Pork Chops
- Casserole. Broccoli Rice Casserole or Corn Casserole would pair well with these pork chops.
- Potatoes. Crockpot pork chops with potatoes are a classic! Try Oven Roasted Potatoes or Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
- Vegetables. Roasted Green Beans and Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are wonderful with this recipe.
- Mac and Cheese. Pair Instant Pot Mac and Cheese or Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with crock pot pork chops.
- Salad. Arugula Salad or Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad would be ideal for a light, healthy side.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Thaw Frozen Pork Chops. Frozen meat in a slow cooker may linger at an unsafe food temperature for too long during cooking, allowing harmful bacteria to possibly grow. Always thaw your meat completely before adding it to a slow cooker.
- Use Low Heat. You can overcook pork chops in the slow cooker, so it’s important to use LOW heat. Even if you check early, with the way heat is distributed, if you cook the chops on HIGH they are likely to be dry.
- Temper Your Expectations. No matter what, pork chops made in the slow cooker, while still fork tender, will be a little chewy. It’s because unlike Carnitas, which are made with a fattier cut of meat, pork chops are lean. My honest advice: adjust your expectations. As long as you don’t overcook them, these crock pot BBQ pork chops are deliciously tender and easy to cut.
- Know When They’re Done. Dry, tough pork chops are likely over-cooked. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Because the temperature of meat rises as it rests, I recommend removing pork chops from the slow cooker when they reach 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer; cover them with foil, and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The carryover cooking finishes the job, and you will have much juicier results.
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Crock Pot Pork Chops
The BEST crock pot pork chops with BBQ. Tender, slathered in barbecue sauce, and easy to make, try with bone-in or boneless pork chops.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 3 hours hours
Servings 4 –6 servings
Calories 565kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated
Ingredients
- 2 pounds THICK-CUT (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) boneless pork chops or bone-in pork chops* about 4 pork chops (do not use thin-cut boneless chops—just don't)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups barbecue sauce (try my recipe for homemade bbq sauce)
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry
- Chopped green onion optional for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle on both sides of the pork chops.
- Lightly coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the bottom, then scatter the onions over the sauce.
- Add the pork chops, overlapping somewhat as needed.
- Spoon the remaining sauce over the chops so that each has a nice amount on top. Cover and cook on LOW (1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours for boneless chops and 5 to 6 hours on LOW for bone-in chops).**
- Remove the pork to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm while you thicken the sauce.
- Add the slurry to the slow cooker with the remaining sauce.*** Whisk to combine, cover the slow cooker, and set to high. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending upon your slow cooker.
- Serve the pork chops hot, topped with the thickened sauce and a sprinkle of green onion.
Video
Notes
- *INGREDIENT NOTE: Please, please DO NOT use ultra-lean, thin-cut boneless pork chops in this recipe. Even if you check early, the meat will still be dry by the time it reaches a safe internal temperature. Learn from my mistakes and buy thick-cut!
- **COOKING TIP: Your cooking time will vary based on your specific slow cooker, the thickness and fat content of your pork chops, and whether you are using bone-in or boneless chops. For your first batch, I recommend doing it on a day when you are home and can check on the chops more frequently. My thick (1 1/2-inch) boneless chops cooked in just under 2 hours. When in doubt, check the meat early to ensure it stays nice and tender.
- ***THICKEN SAUCE ON STOVETOP: Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan. Whisk in the slurry, and then cook on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. (If your slow cooker insert is stovetop safe, you can remove it from the slow cooker and place it directly on the burner. Do not do this unless you are POSITIVE your insert is stovetop safe or it may crack).
- TO STORE: Refrigerate pork chops in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Very, very gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze pork chops in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 4, using my homemade BBQ sauce recipe | Calories: 565kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Potassium: 967mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 332IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg
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