How To Cook Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Gravy
Slow-cooker pork Chops and Gravy are an easy and budget-friendly meal for your family. If you’re looking for a satisfying, nutritious, and delicious dinner, you’ll love this how-to recipe for tender pork chops. It’s perfect for any night of the week.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours and 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Preparation Level: Beginner +
DISCLAIMER: This post is sponsored by the Wisconsin Pork Producers Association. As always, the opinions are honest and are all my own.
Slow Cooker Pork Chops And Gravy Is A Simple Meal To Cook
Slow-cooker pork chops and gravy are one of our favorite meals around here because they are super simple to make. You can add the ingredients to the slow cooker, and it will be ready to eat by the time you get home in the evening.
As kids, my sister and I spent summers in Tennessee on my grandparents’ farm. They had all types of farm animals, including cows, chickens, horses, goats, and pigs. My cousin and I would climb up the backside of the barn, sit, look out over the cotton fields, and watch the pigs running around in the pen right below us.
We’d watch as my grandfather stayed busy feeding and caring for all the animals. As a city girl, I didn’t know what all went into raising the animals.
That was many years ago; times have changed since my grandfather ran his farm. Families are still taking care of pigs, but with new technology and new diets, they’ve discovered new and better ways to feed the pigs. My grandfather would be impressed.
You can read more about the transformation of pig farming at PorkCares.org
At the table, my grandparents always provided some sort of pork, whether it was mouth-watering homemade sausage, seasoned bacon, tender pork chops, or good ole’ country ham. And let me tell you, it was mighty delicious.
So, I am super excited to share my recipe for slow cooker pork chops and gravy with you.
If you love these in the slow cooker, try these baked pork chops and gravy.
Ingredients For Crock Pot Pork Chops
- Thick pork chops
- Condensed cream of chicken soup
- Onion dip mix
- Pork gravy mix
- Chicken broth
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Black pepper
Full printable recipe card with a complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions at the bottom of the post.
An Easy Dinner Recipe To Make With Pork Chops
This meal is a cinch to make. It only took me about five minutes to start dinner, so if you’re in a rush, this is the perfect meal. I picked bone-in pork chops for this recipe because they are so tender and flavorful.
When you’re cooking smothered pork chops in the slow cooker, it’s easy to tell when the meat is done because it falls right off the bone.
When Cooking Other Types Of Pork, How Do You Know When The Meat Is Done?
- Depending on how you’re cooking pork, there’s a tried-and-true way to ensure it’s done. Grab a digital thermometer and make sure the meat reaches a temperature (for fresh cuts) of 145 degrees. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 to 160 degrees, which is the optimal temperature range, let the meat rest for three minutes.
- Be sure to test the thickest part of the meat, and don’t allow the thermometer to touch the bone, or you’ll get an incorrect reading.
- Ground pork should get to a temperature of 160 degrees.
The meat might be a tad pink in the slow cooker, and that’s okay. If it’s falling apart, it’s done.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
Start by adding the cream of chicken soup to a large bowl. You can also do this in the slow cooker to keep from having to do more dishes.
Another great thing about this recipe is its versatility. You can substitute cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese soup, or your favorite flavor.
Next, add the onion dip mix. I didn’t add any salt to the recipe because onion soup dip usually has some. If you’d like more, you can add it anytime.
Now, add the pork gravy mix to the bowl.
Add the chicken broth to the bowl.
Finally, add the pepper to the bowl and mix everything together.
Place pork chops in the bottom of the slow cooker. (Be sure to spray with some nonstick spray first. It will make clean-up easier).
I used four thick cuts of pork because I have two teenage boys who can eat a lot. With this recipe, we actually had plenty for dinner and some leftovers. You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops for the recipe.
Pour the gravy over the pork chops. If you mix the gravy in the slow cooker, just spoon it over the pork chops so they are covered, and the flavors will seep into the pork chops.
Place the lid on top, set the slow cooker to eight hours or the low setting, and let it cook. The cooking time is long, but the meat is incredibly tender every time. Slow cooking is great for tender pork.
After 7-1/2 hours, add the cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir together. While the pork chops cook, they release a lot of liquid, so to thicken the gravy a bit, you’ll need to add corn starch and water.
I used two tablespoons of cornstarch and water, but if you want the gravy even thicker, you’ll need to double it.
Pour the cornstarch into the slow cooker and allow it to cook for about thirty minutes.
Once everything cooks, you can begin to pull the pork off the bone. It will be so tender that it will just fall right off.
You can spoon the bones out of the Crock Pot before serving.
Are you ready to dig in? The creamy gravy has such a rich flavor, and the whole family loves the meal.
Delicious slow cooker pork chops and gravy taste amazing over rice or mashed potatoes.
How To Store The Leftovers
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator if you have leftovers.
Tasty Side Dishes to Go Along With Slow Cooker Pork Chops
Add a side to your Crock Pot meal. Here are a few ideas.
- Green beans
- Crunchy broccoli salad from Julia’s Simply Southern
- Butter beans
- Salad
- Mashed potatoes
Are Pork Chops Better Cooked Slow or Fast?
When it comes to pork chops in the Crock Pot, the slower they cook, the more tender they will be. It breaks down connective tissue and muscle fibers to give you the most tender pork chops.
Why Are My Pork Chops Tough in the Slow Cooker?
Chances are you cooked them a little too long. Seven to eight hours on low temperature is the longest you will want to cook them.
What is the Best Cut of Pork for a Slow Cooker?
Pork chops and pork shoulder are both great cuts for the Crock Pot.
Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 large thick pork chops
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1 ounce packet of onion dip mix
- 0.87 ounce packet of pork gravy mix
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons corn starch
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Add the cream of chicken soup, onion dip, pork gravy mix, pepper, and chicken broth to a bowl, or the slow cooker, and mix together.
- Add the pork chops to the slow cooker.
- Pour the gravy mixture over the pork chops.
- Cover with the slow cooker lid and set the cooker on low heat for eight hours.
- In 7-1/2 hours, mix the cornstarch and water. Add to the slow cooker. Replace cover and cook for half an hour more.
- Remove lid, and use a fork to pull apart pork chops. They should easily fall apart. Remove bones and dispose of them.
- Add pork to mashed potatoes or rice and cover with gravy.
