Crock Pot Pork Chops with French Onion Gravy
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Easy, flavorful and fall-apart-tender, you have to try this recipe for Crock Pot Pork Chops! They’re seasoned with French Onion Mix, caramelized onions and Worcestershire sauce. And served with a delicious gravy, made right in the slow cooker!
This easy family-favorite recipe is a must-make! You’ll love it with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Cast Iron Skillet Rustic Potatoes!
Table of contents
If I left the meal planning up to Kurt, we’d be eating this French Onion Pot Roast every night. And it’s not just Kurt, my parents are totally obsessed with this recipe too! Well, I decided that pot roast shouldn’t be the only meat swimming in delicious french onion goodness, so I created the most flavorful pork chops ever!!
With the same idea in mind as the pot roast, I used french onion seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme to flavor the pork chops. I slow cooked them in beef broth for a deep, rich flavor.
The result? Well, Kurt said that I should put these pork chops into the regular menu rotation, right up there with the pot roast, so I consider that a win!
I’m seriously so excited for you all to try this recipe. It’s not dry and boring, like pork chop recipes can be, actually quite the opposite, this pork chop recipe is juicy, flavorful and fork-tender!
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Onion – I used a yellow onion for this recipe, but white or red would also work.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh cloves for the best flavor.
- French Onion Mix – This seasoning mix of onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper gives the pork chops so much flavor. I used my homemade seasoning mix for this recipe, but you can also purchase pre-made French Onion Soup Mix at the grocery store. For this recipe, you’ll need two tablespoons French onion mix, which is equal to a one ounce package of mix at the grocery store.
- Pork chops – for this recipe I used bone-in pork loin chops. I do recommend using bone-in pork chops whenever possible, as they’re more flavorful. For the thickness of the pork chop, I recommend at least 1/2 inch thickness. The thicker the pork chop, the more flavor, so don’t ever worry about them being too thick! In the slow cooker, they will cook in the same time, no matter the thickness of the chop. If you can’t find bone-in pork chops, boneless pork chops can still be used to make this recipe.
- Beef broth – I like beef broth for a more rich, hearty flavor, but you can also use chicken broth for a lighter flavor, if you prefer.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Fresh thyme
- Cornstarch
Instructions
Seriously, these are not just the best pork chops I’ve ever made in a slow cooker, these are some of the best pork chops I’ve ever had in my life! The flavor, the texture, all so good and so easy to make. Just follow these 5 simple steps to pork chop perfection!
- Cook the onions and garlic. We want to start this recipe by giving the onions a quick caramelization on the stove. This will bring out the sweet flavor of the onion and give them a great texture.
- To do this, simply cook thinly sliced onions in butter on the stove over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add some minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, then transfer the onions and garlic to a large slow cooker.
- Sear the pork chops. Searing meat prior to adding it to a slow cooker caramelizes the outside of the meat for a richer, more flavorful finished product.
- For this recipe, we’ll first rub the pork chops with the French Onion mix, then add the pork chops to the hot skillet on the stove where we just cooked the onions. After a quick 2 minute sear on each side, we’ll add them to the slow cooker with the onions.
- Add the liquid and seasoning to the slow cooker. For perfectly juicy, flavorful pork chops, we’re now going to pour beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme into the slow cooker. The pork will not only cook in this liquid, but it will also become the base for our gravy later.
- Slow cook the pork chops. Cover and cook the pork chops on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Prepare the gravy. Using the liquid that the pork chops have cooked in, we’re going to make our gravy right in the slow cooker!
- Start by removing the cooked pork chops from the slow cooker. Set them on a plate or cutting board and cover them tightly with foil.
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water into a slurry.
- Add the slurry mixture to the liquid in the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- If the slow cooker is not already set on high, turn the slow cooker to high and allow the gravy to cook together for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and place the pork chops back in the slow cooker with the gravy until ready to serve.
What to serve with them
There’s nothing better than serving a tender, juicy pork chop on top of perfectly creamy mashed potatoes with flavorful french onion gravy drizzled over the entire dish. It’s seriously magical, people!
But there’s actually more than one way to serve these magically delicious crock pot pork chops. They’re great with all kinds of side dishes, like rice, noodles or vegetables. Try it a few different ways, then pick your favorite! Here are some ideas to get you started.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you put raw pork in a slow cooker? Yes, you can put the pork chops in the slow cooker raw. I do recommend taking the time to sear them to get that yummy caramelization on the outside. But if you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step and add the raw pork chops right into the crock pot.
- How do you keep pork chops from drying out in a crockpot? The answer to this question is three-fold. Use a bone-in pork chop, make sure the chops are cooking in plenty of liquid and do not overcook the pork chops. The bone in a pork chop acts as protection from overcooking the chop, which is why I recommend using bone-in pork chops whenever possible. Cooking the pork chops in the beef broth provides plenty of liquid to keep them from drying out. And finally, cooking them low and slow in a slow cooker will prevent the pork chops from drying out.
- What temperature should pork chops be cooked to? The USDA recommends pork chops be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
- Can you cook frozen pork chops in a crock pot? No, you should not add frozen pork chops directly to the slow cooker. Instead, thaw the pork chops in the refrigerator 1-2 days before preparing the meal, or use the defrost setting on your microwave to thaw the pork chops. Why take this extra step? From the USDA directly, “Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Frozen pieces will take longer to reach a safe internal temperature and could possibly result in foodborne illness. Frozen or partially frozen foods can also cool everything else in the slow cooker.” Let’s just not take the risk and agree to thaw our pork chops first!
- Could you use a different seasoning in place of the French Onion mix? Absolutely, for a more neutral pork chop, try seasoning it with steak seasoning. Or to make ranch pork chops, season the pork chops with ranch seasoning mix.
More crock pot recipes to try
Check out 80+ more slow cooker recipes, and be sure not to miss these scrumptious meals!
- Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
- Crock Pot Creamed Corn
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Tri Tip French Dip
- Crock Pot Chicken Nachos
- Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken – inspired by this recipe!
And if you’re looking for another delicious pork chop recipe, don’t miss my Pork Chop Marinade. It’s perfect for grilling pork chops in the summer months!
Crock Pot Pork Chops with French Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups thinly sliced onions, approximately 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons french onion mix
- 4 bone-in pork chops
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Optional Toppings
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the onions and caramelize for 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Transfer the onions and garlic to a slow cooker.
- Rub the french onion mix on the pork chops.
- Add the pork chops to the skillet that the onions were cooked in and sear for 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the pork chops to the slow cooker.
- Add the beef broth, worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme to the slow cooker.
- Slow cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.
- After the pork chops are cooked, open the slow cooker and remove the thyme sprigs.
- Remove the pork chops and place them on a plate or cutting board, cover tightly with foil.
- If the slow cooker is not already set to high, turn the temperature to high.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine, cover and allow the gravy to cook together for 5 minutes.
- Either serve the pork chops immediately, topped with the french onion gravy from the slow cooker, or place the pork chops back in the slow cooker with the gravy until ready to serve.
- Right before serving, garnish the pork chops with the parsley, if you'd like.
Video
Notes
- Pork Chops: you might find several different types of pork chops at the grocery store. For this recipe, I used bone-in pork loin chops. I recommend bone-in pork chops because they are more flavorful and can help prevent the pork chops from overcooking. That being said, you can use boneless pork chops in this recipe, if that’s what you prefer.
- Why do you sear the pork chops before slow cooking them? Searing the pork chops helps caramelize the outside of the meat, adding a depth of flavor and color to the pork chops that otherwise would not be possible.
- Do I have to make the gravy? Nope! If you’d like to skip the gravy, you can simply serve the pork chops straight from the slow cooker and skip the step of adding the cornstarch and water to the liquid in the slow cooker.
- Can I use frozen pork chops to make this recipe? I do not recommend adding frozen pork chops straight to the crock pot, as there is a risk of the meat cooking unevenly and causing foodborne illness. Instead I recommend thawing the pork chops either 1-2 days in advance in the refrigerator, or in the microwave using the defrost setting.
Nutrition Facts
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11 Comments on “Crock Pot Pork Chops with French Onion Gravy”
I made the French onion gravy pork chops in the instant pot I had 8 boneless pork chops was not sure about the time so I pressured them on medium for 45 minutes the pork chops were so good and so tender they just fell apart Thanks for recipe
I am going to try it today in instant pot using pressure I will let you all know how it turns out
Incredibly delicious.
They were awesome. Didn’t have french onionmix so used a onions soup mix pkg, turned out just fine.
So glad to hear you enjoyed them Cheryl, thanks for sharing!
Do the pork chops need to be submerged in the broth?
Hi Savannah, no, they do not need to be completely covered with the broth.
I think the time frames are reversed in the original description before the recipe card version. It states. #4 “ Slow cook the pork chops. Cover and cook the pork chops on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for 6-8 hours.” It’s correct every where else—just thought j you would like to know.
Thanks so much for pointing that out Sj, I have updated the post!
This looks so good I want to try it tonight!!! Could I possibly make it in the instapot instead of crock pot?
Hi Chelsey, you could definitely make it in the Instant Pot using the slow cooker function. Simply follow steps 1-3 using the saute function on the instant pot, then rub the pork chops and sear them in the instant pot, still on the saute function. Add the beef broth, worcestershire sauce and thyme, then put the lid on the Instant Pot and use the slow cooker function, just as you would in a Crock Pot.
If you’d like to use the pressure cooker function, I would recommend 15 minutes on high. Note that I have not tested the recipe using the pressure cooker function, so I can not guarantee the results, but I definitely think you could make it work!
Enjoy!! – Whitney