Slow Cooker Homestyle Smothered Pork Chops

• 
  5
  slices
  
  
  bacon,
  chopped into small pieces
• 
  6
  
  
  bone-in pork loin chops,
  approximately 3/4-inch thick for best results
• 
  
  Salt and Pepper
  to taste
• 
  2
  
  
  yellow onions,
  peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
• 
  1
  teaspoon
  
  
  plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 
  ¼
  cup
  
  
  plus 2 tablespoons cold water
• 
  3
  
  
  garlic cloves,
  minced finely
• 
  1
  teaspoon
  
  
  dried thyme
• 
  3
  cups
  
  
  low-sodium chicken broth
• 
  1
  tablespoon
  
  
  soy sauce
• 
  2
  
  
  bay leaves
• 
  1
  tablespoon
  
  
  cornstarch
• 
  1
  tablespoon
  
  
  cider vinegar
• 
  2
  tablespoons
  
  
  fresh parsley,
  chopped for garnish

• In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, fry the chopped bacon until it is lightly browned and crispy, typically about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy bacon pieces to a plate lined with paper towels, allowing them to drain. Leave the flavorful bacon drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons of drippings, carefully drain the excess. If you have less, add a touch of canola or vegetable oil to reach about 2 tablespoons. When the bacon has cooled completely, transfer it to a small airtight container or bag and refrigerate until you are ready to use it for garnish.
• Heat the skillet containing the drippings over medium to medium-high heat until the fat is shimmering and hot. While the pan heats, pat your pork chops thoroughly dry with paper towels. This is a crucial step for achieving a good sear. Season both sides of the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Place the pork chops into the hot skillet in a single layer, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Cook them until they are beautifully golden brown on each side, which should take approximately 2 minutes per side. You may need to cook the pork chops in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to accommodate all six at once. As each batch finishes browning, transfer the chops directly to your slow cooker. Repeat this process with any remaining pork chops.
• After browning the pork chops, pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet. Add the sliced onions, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 cup of cold water to the skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan; these bits are packed with flavor. Cook the onions over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, which takes about 4-6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme, cooking for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour this aromatic onion mixture evenly over the browned pork chops in the slow cooker. Return the skillet to the stove and add the chicken broth, soy sauce, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil, then add the bay leaves. Pour this liquid over the onions and pork chops in the slow cooker.
• Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on the low setting until the pork chops are incredibly tender and easily shredded with a fork. This usually takes around 8 hours. Alternatively, if you’re short on time, you can cook them on the high setting for approximately 4 hours, though low and slow generally yields the most tender results.
• Once the pork chops are cooked, carefully transfer them to a serving platter using a large spoon or tongs. Tent the platter loosely with foil to keep the chops warm. Discard the bay leaves from the slow cooker liquid. Pour the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving all the flavorful solids that collect in the strainer. Transfer these reserved solids (onions, garlic, etc.) to a food processor or blender along with 1 cup of the strained liquid. Blend until completely smooth. Stir this blended mixture back into the remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth to create a slurry. Stir this cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the saucepan. Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and becomes bubbly, typically about 5 minutes. Stir in the cider vinegar, then season the gravy with additional salt and pepper to taste. Pour the thickened, rich gravy generously over the pork chops on the serving platter. Finally, sprinkle with the reserved crispy bacon and freshly chopped parsley just before serving. Enjoy your perfectly smothered pork chops!

Gravy Thickness: If, after mixing in the cornstarch slurry and simmering, the gravy does not thicken to your desired consistency, don’t worry! Simply mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a second slurry. Stir this into the hot liquid in the saucepan and allow it to come to a full boil for a minute or two, stirring, to ensure it thickens properly. You can repeat this process as needed until you reach the perfect gravy consistency.

Increasing the Recipe Yield: This recipe is quite forgiving if you want to make more! I have successfully doubled the amount of pork chops while keeping all other ingredient quantities the same, and there was still plenty of rich, flavorful gravy to generously smother all the doubled pork. This is a great tip for feeding a larger crowd or for meal prepping.

Pork Chop Choice: While bone-in pork loin chops are recommended for their flavor and ability to stay moist, you can also use boneless pork chops. Adjust cooking time slightly if using thinner boneless chops. For even more flavor, consider pork shoulder steaks, which will shred beautifully.

Make Ahead & Storage: These smothered pork chops are excellent for make-ahead meals. Once cooked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight! Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. They also freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.