Easy freezer meals are my favorite! Today I’m sharing a slow cooker smothered pork chops recipe that’s easy to make and doubles as a freezer meal. Make meal planning easier with this frugal freezer meal idea.
All you need is a handful of ingredients and some seasoning to make these slow cooker pork chops and then add them to your slow cooker. Dinner could not be easier!
I love just making up a side of buttery mashed potatoes and a crisp green vegetable to go along with it. But you could also serve it over rice or quinoa too.
TIPS & FAQ
Should you brown pork chops before slow cooking?
While you don’t have to brown pork chops before slow cooking, I highly recommend you do! In my slow cooker smothered pork chops recipe, you’ll see that you need to season up the pork chops and then brown them quickly for 3-4 minutes per side.
Browning pork chops before slow cooking helps the pork retain moisture (and adds extra flavors). Making sure each side of your thick-cut pork chops are slightly browned will ensure you get a tender piece of pork chop with every bite.
How long does it take to cook pork in a slow cooker?
This smothered pork chops recipe calls for a slow cooker setting of low for about 4-5 hours. Low and slow is the best! This is to get your browned pork chops and other ingredients cooked until fall apart tender.
Can you put frozen pork chops in slow cooker?
You shouldn’t add raw meat into a slow cooker from frozen according to the USDA food safety site.
It’s best to just add the frozen bag to your fridge and let it thaw overnight instead so it’s fully thawed before adding to your slow cooker.
Does meat need to be submerged in slow cooker sauce?
While some people say that you don’t need to have meat submerged in the slow cooker, I prefer to have my thick-cut pork chops completely covered in the ingredients.
When your meat is submerged in a slow cooker, it tends to have a more tender, moist texture. Also any meat that’s been left to the open air inside your slow cooker could create tough spots in the meat.
What is the best cut of pork for slow cooker smothered pork chops?
When it comes to cooking pork in your slow cooker, the thickness of your pork will matter most. This is why I highly recommend thick-cut pork chops for this slow cooker smothered pork chops recipe.
This will allow your meat to retain its tenderness without falling apart instantly.
Can you overcook pork in a slow cooker?
The slow cooker will simmer your food for the period of time that you’ve set the slow cooker to run. If you have an older model slow cooker that doesn’t automatically turn to “keep warm” when the timer runs out, then you’ll want to set a timer.
Use your cell phone timer to remind you to shut off your slow cooker after 4-5 hours for this slow cooker pork chops recipe.
You can overcook in a slow cooker if you allow the recipe to cook for a longer time period than recommended. This will cause your meat and ingredients to be dry as opposed to tender with each bite.
Is it better to slow cook on low or high?
Some people prefer to cook in their slow cooker on low for a longer time as it can help bring food up to temperature and the right tenderness slowly.
Using the low or high setting on your slow cooker is more about how much time you have and your personal preference. However, I recommend cooking this slow cooker pork chops recipe on low.
Now that I’ve shared everything you need to know about making this slow cooker smothered pork chops recipe, it’s time to print my recipe card and start whipping up this amazing frugal freezer meal today!
Slow Cooker Smothered Pork Chops
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 14 oz coconut milk
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 thick-cut boneless pork chops
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 dash pepper
Instructions
- Peel and quarter the onion. Place into a high-powered blender or food processor and purée.
- In a medium skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook a slow simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until onions turn a light golden yellow color. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat.
- Add can of coconut milk into pan, whisk until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl or slow cooker if making it now. Wipe out skillet.
- Trim fat from pork chops.
- In a medium bowl combine cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Whisk till well combined.
- Dip each pork chop into cornstarch mixture until all sides are coated. Add any remaining cornstarch spice mixture to the onion-coconut milk mixture and whisk it in.
- Add 2 tbsp butter to skillet and heat to medium-high. Add pork chops and cook 3-4 minutes or until golden and seared on the bottom. Flip pork chop over and cook additional 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove from heat.
Make it Now
- Add chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce to slow cooker, whisk until smooth. Add pork chops to gravy, coating all sides.
- Cook in slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours. Serve tender chops over rice or potatoes with extra delicious gravy sauce on top.
Make it a Freezer Meal
- Allow pork chops to cool. Add porkchops and sauce mixture to labeled gallon-sized freezer-safe bag.
- Seal, removing as much air as possible and freeze.
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