Forget the rubbery, dry pork chops of your past. Here to restore pork chops to a level of culinary favor: moist Crock Pot Pork Chops. They’re juicy and tender, exceptionally easy, and blanketed in a luscious BBQ sauce
An Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Pork Chops Recipe
Forget the hockey puck pork chops you’ve suffered in the past.
After perfecting Grilled Pork Chops, Air Fryer Pork Chops, and Stuffed Pork Chops, I have another recipe for tender, saucy chops.
Today, we’re talking about how to make crock pot pork chops.
We’ve all been there: dry pork chops are a meal we’ve all suffered through at least once.
It’s not easy to feign enjoyment when your chops require that you grind your knife across the tough, lackluster meat to score a bite.
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).
5 Star Review
“This was amazing! Pork chops were moist, and the bbq sauce added great taste…..even as a gravy for mashed potatoes. Easy. I’ll be making this a lot!”
— Cindy —
The Best Cut of Pork Chops for Slow Cooking
Part of the reason pork chops often turn out dry and tough is that they are a leaner cut and thus easily prone to overcooking.
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.
To cook them low and slow, choosing the right type of pork chops for the job is imperative.
Best Option: Thick-cut, Bone-In Pork Chops
- Look for 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch thick bone-in chops with a good amount of marbling and fat for maximum tenderness.
- To make this a healthy crock pot pork chops recipe, you may trim away some of the fat without sacrificing moisture. The bone will help insulate the meat.
- If your store doesn’t carry thick, bone-in pork chops, you can prepare boneless pork chops in a crock pot. Just make sure you 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
- By the time thin-cut pork chops are finished cooking in the crock pot, they 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.
- If you’d like to use thin-cut boneless pork chops, you are better off cooking them on the stovetop and topping them with BBQ sauce at the end.
How to Make Crock Pot Pork Chops
For a from-scratch, fork-tender easy crock pot pork chops recipe without mushroom soup, look no further.
Here’s how to prepare the best slow cooker pork chops you’ll ever try!
The Ingredients
- Pork Chops. If you’re looking for another lean, healthy, and flavorful protein to serve, look no further than pork chops. As mentioned before, THICK pork chops are key to making the best-ever crock pot pork chops.
- Onions. I loved making these crock pot pork chops with 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).
- Barbecue Sauce. Sauce is one way to keep pork from drying out in a slow cooker. Since this recipe has so few ingredients (like Crockpot BBQ Chicken), every one of them matters, especially the BBQ sauce. 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.
- Green Onions. An optional garnish that adds a final flourish of color and zip to the finished dish.
The Directions
- Season the pork chops on all sides.
- Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce in the bottom of a lightly greased crockpot and top with the onions.
- Place pork chops in the slow cooker.
- Spread the remaining sauce over the chops, then cover and cook until tender and juicy.
- Let the pork rest.
- 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.
- Serve the chops topped with the thickened sauce and a sprinkle of green onion. ENJOY!
TIP!
To thicken the sauce faster, pour the bbq mixture into a medium saucepan or large skillet and thicken it on the stovetop.
- Whisk in the slurry, then cook on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens.
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 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.
Consider this recipe a starting point and not concrete law.
Knowing When Crock Pot Pork Chops are Done
- The FDA says that pork chops should be cooked to 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; 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 (I use this same tip with my Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and Crockpot Pork Roast).
- An instant-read thermometer is a serious help when cooking any kind of meat or seafood. It’s the best way to know when your food is ready and safe to serve.
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.
- Gravy. Try Mushroom Gravy; or for a pork chops recipe with gravy, check out Smothered Pork Chops.
- 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.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Programmable Slow Cooker. My all-time favorite slow cooker with a programmable timer.
- Chef’s Knife. For slicing onions evenly and thinly.
- Cutting Board. This extra-large cutting board is perfect for all your kitchen prep needs.
Crock Pot Pork Chops
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
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
No. Do not put frozen meat of any kind in a slow cooker. Since crock pots cook low and slow, frozen meat will take longer to cook than meat that is fully thawed. This fact is less about timing than it is about food safety. 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.
I’ve never tried making this pork chop recipe in the oven, so it would be an experiment. That said, I have a lot of other great baked pork chop recipes. Check out Honey Garlic Pork Chops and Breaded Pork Chops.
For tender, juicy chops, cooking on LOW heat is best for pork. 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.
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 (usually pork shoulder), 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, easy to cut, and a great option for an easy, filling meal.
However, if your slow cooked pork is dry and tough, it is likely because it is overcooked. Pork chops do not get more tender the longer you cook them in a crock pot. Make sure to remove the chops when they reach the proper internal temperature.
More Easy Pork Recipes
Incorporate more pork into your weekly menu with these other tasty pork recipes:
Potatoes didn’t get done. Barbecue sauce was overwhelming; ruined whole dish. Would not serve again. Nobody liked it. I was embarrassed.
I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Dee. The method and timing has worked well for myself (and others) but I know how frustrating it can be to try a new recipe and not have it work out, so I really wish you would’ve enjoyed it!
What a delicious way to make pork chops. I used boneless 1.5 inch thick and cooked on high for 2.5 hours. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes with the sauce on top. I well definitely make this again.
Hi Joni! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
just to clarify you cooked on high for 2 1/2 hours or low?
I’m glad I tried this recipe. It was okay, though I think it could be better & I will actually make again. The fact that it was dry was my fault. I used very thick pork chops, cooked on low & tested this after 1 hour. At that point the thermometer was reading about 130 degrees. I should have closely watched the crockpot and most likely turned it off after about 10 more minutes, but I continued to let it cook another hour while I worked on side dishes. Not a smart move on my part. Next time, I will keep a lot closer eye on the cooking pork chops & make sure I stop the cooking process much sooner, as in when they are just done & hopefully a bit pink. Though this dish doesn’t say you need to brown the chops beforehand, I would recommend it. I didn’t & the colour of the meat was rather pale looking. I used Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce & it had a bit of a kick to it. The sauce thickened on its own without having to use corn starch. I served this with rice.
Thanks for the feedback Cathy!
This recipe is a keeper!!! I am so excited. It was super easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Everyone in my family, including my three children, got seconds. What I like best is the simplicity of this recipe. No need to brown the meat first! One note for readers- it might take less time to cook than suggested so check early like Erin mentioned. I had two thick cut grilling chops, totalling 1.6 lbs, and I cooked it on Low for only 2 hrs 15 min, and let it go on warm setting for 15 min, and it was perfect. I had thought I needed 5-6 hrs for bone in but I am so glad I checked on it at 2 hrs 15 min. Thank you Erin for such an easy and delicious recipe.
Hi Wendy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Oh heavens, these are absolutely delicious! We have just finished eating these for tea tonight and they are so super tasty. The recipe is incredibly easy and full of flavour. We had these with buttered jacket potatoes and peas. We used 2 thick cut bone-in chops which we really like and these held together so well, and were very tender at 5-6 hours on low. We use Sweet Baby Ray Honey BBQ sauce. There is no doubt that this is going to be one of our house favourites. Thank you so much for introducing me to this great way with a pork chop!
Hi Deb! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Not a pork chop lover but these were the best I have ever had! Great flavor and super tender. Mine were done in 4 hours to perfection. Hubby says the recipe is a keeper.
Yay! Thank you Shaina!
So easy to put together, and absolutely delicious. I made the recipe as written, no substitutes. The chops came out moist and tender, and the sauce didn’t need any thickening for us. Will definitely make it again and again. Thank you.
AWESOME Mara, thanks for sharing!
I’ve tried a lot of different crock pot pork chops recipes over the years, but this one is my absolute favorite. The pork chops are always so juicy and flavorful, and the sauce is the perfect complement.
Yay, so happy to hear that Amber!
Made this last night and ate it today. It was Fabulous! My husband and I loved it. It was full of flavor and so easy to make. I added a little more onion and garlic and seasonings because we like lots of flavor. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing it with us.
So good to hear, thanks Stefanie!
Very good. It was a hectic day & I started it later than I planned, but it all worked out. I added more sliced onions in the bottom for extra flavor. I served it with some smashed potatoes and a green vegetable and it worked well together.
So happy to hear, thank you Zoe!
Best BBQ pork chops using the crockpot on LOW! I choose NOT to use lean porkchops and I also choose bone-in…however, checking the doneess was a good idea. My chops fell off the bone and juicy. This recipe is going to be a KEEPER in my family. I give this one 5☆’s!! Thank you..
Great to hear! Thank you!