Slow-Cooker Pork Chops — The Six-Cake-Orders Sunday

The catering schedule has six cake orders before Christmas. The Sunday dinner needs to be set-and-forget so I can run cake prep on the kitchen counter while the slow cooker handles dinner. Slow cooker pork chops fit the schedule. Bone-in pork chops in a creamy gravy of cream of mushroom soup, ranch packet, and chicken broth, slow-cooked four hours.

The math: four pork chops on the markdown rack $5.99, cream of mushroom $0.79, ranch packet $0.69, chicken broth from bouillon. Total: about $7.40 for three dinners.

The technique is the dump-and-slow-cook. Pork chops in the cooker. Pour the soup-broth-ranch mixture over. Low for four hours. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. The chops come out tender, the gravy is rich.

The cake schedule went well. Six cakes delivered between December 1 and December 21. Total reimbursements and tips: $410. The savings envelope is at $720.

The recipe is below. The trick is the ranch packet plus the cream of mushroom — the combination is everything.

Slow-Cooker Pork Chops

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours | Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
• 2 tablespoons cold water (optional, for thickening)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Season the chops. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Mix together garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning blend evenly over both sides of each chop.
2. Sear for color (optional but worth it). Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops 2 minutes per side until golden. This step builds flavor — skip it if you’re short on time, but don’t skip it if you have ten minutes to spare.
3. Add to slow cooker. Place the pork chops in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce over the top.
4. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or until pork is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking.
5. Make the pan sauce. Remove chops and set aside. If you’d like a thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch into cold water, then stir into the slow cooker juices. Turn heat to HIGH and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Serve. Plate the chops, spoon the pan sauce over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes and something good to drink.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 420mg