Easy Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Apple Cider Pork Chops

When the temperatures drop, there’s nothing better than coming home to these slow cooker 4-ingredient apple cider pork chops. They’re the perfect comfort food for fall dinners, filling the house with the best sweet and savory smells. And with the help of a crock pot, they’re incredibly easy to prepare without spending too much time in the kitchen. Using just four simple ingredients, this recipe is foolproof and guaranteed to be added to your regular weekly dinners.

These easy slow cooker chops are always a hit whether I’m feeding my family dinner before football games, or when I have some friends over for a lazy Sunday night supper. All you have to do is mix the sauce, pour it over the chops, and then set your slow cooker and go! Once you try making them this way, you’ll never want to cook them any other way again!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

I love this dish because of the way that the chops turn out so tender after being slow cooked. Pork chops can dry out when you bake them in the oven or cook them in a skillet. But when they simmer in apple cider, they end up moist and fork tender. Plus, the combination of sweet cider and savory soup mix makes the most amazing, sticky sauce.

Another reason that I make these chops regularly is because I don’t have to worry about cleaning up after myself. Everything cooks together in the slow cooker so you don’t have to deal with dirty pans or stovetop messes. Just mix the sauce and pour it over the chops. Then you can go on with the rest of your day while the slow cooker takes care of everything else.

The Ingredients

These are the four ingredients you need to make the perfect fall crock pot dinner:

Thick-Cut Pork Chops

For this recipe, you need to use thick-cut pork chops. Because they’re slow cooked, thin chops will get too tender and fall apart, while thick cuts retain their shape and remain juicy. You can also use bone-in chops if you’d like – they’ll add extra flavor to the sauce.

Apple Cider

Apple cider adds sweetness and acidity to balance out the savory flavors in the dish. While the dish simmers, it breaks down the tougher parts of the protein in the pork, resulting in a dinner that is so tender, it’s practically melt-in-your-mouth delicious. If you can’t find fresh apple cider at your grocery store, use unfiltered apple juice instead – the same volume should work fine, and the taste will still have an autumnal flair.

Dry Onion Soup Mix

A packet of dry onion soup mix gives you all the saltiness, oniony savoriness, and garlic flavors that you need to give your dish an extra layer of complexity without having to prep fresh veggies or blend your own spice mixes. To cut down on the sodium, you can mix your own seasoning mix from dried minced onion, beef bouillon powder, and garlic powder.

Barbecue Sauce

The barbecue sauce makes the glaze sticky and thick enough to coat the chops nicely. It also adds a nice smoky-sweet flavor and darkens the color of the sauce. Feel free to swap the barbeque sauce for something more specific, like a hickory smoked variety or a sweeter honey barbeque.

How to Make It

Here’s how to get your cozy fall dinner bubbling away in no time flat.

Prep the Slow Cooker

Lightly grease the inside of the slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray or a bit of olive oil. Then, lay the pork chops down in an even layer across the bottom of the insert.

Mix the Glaze

In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix the apple cider, dry onion soup mix, and barbecue sauce together. Keep mixing until the onion soup mix has dissolved completely.

Coat the Pork Chops

Drizzle the sauce over the pork chops in the slow cooker, making sure they’re all evenly covered. Use a spoon to make sure every single piece of meat is generously coated in the liquid for maximum flavor.

Cook Low and Slow

Set the lid on the slow cooker and turn the temperature to low. Cook the meal on low for 4-6 hours, or until the pork chops are fork-tender and thoroughly cooked.

Rest and Serve

After you’ve turned off the slow cooker, let the chops sit in the warm sauce for five minutes or so. Ladle a spoonful of the thickened apple cider glaze over the top of each pork chop.

My Top Tips for Success

To add a bit of seasonal flair, you can toss a few slices of tart apple into the slow cooker with the pork chops. They’ll cook down in the warm juices and taste amazing with the salty pork.

Don’t keep the slow cooker on the warm setting once the pork chops are done. The sauce helps keep them moist, but if they are left in a hot setting for too long, they will eventually become dry and lose their desirable, juicy texture.

If you find your sauce is too thin by the time you’re ready to serve dinner, you can always thicken it for serving! Remove the pork chops and whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker. Let it bubble on HIGH for 2-3 minutes until it’s a thick gravy.

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To freeze, place the cooled pork chops and sauce in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or on the stove over low heat until the meat is warmed all the way through.

What to Serve it With

• Over a mound of creamy mashed potatoes to soak up any additional sauce.
• With some simple steamed green beans or roasted carrots for a nice, balanced plate.
• Alongside a hot dinner roll to clean your plate.
• On a bed of white rice or buttery egg noodles for ultimate comfort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use thin pork chops?

It’s not recommended because thin pork chops will cook too fast and may turn tough or mushy in the slow cooker. Use pork chops that are at least 1-inch thick.

Can I cook this on HIGH instead?

Yes, you can cook this dish on HIGH for 2-3 hours if you need to get dinner on the table faster. Be sure to check for doneness slightly earlier than suggested.