Name: Slow-Cooker Smothered Pork Chops With Onions and Bacon
Total time: 5 h
Ingredients: 4 slices bacon , chopped; 3 onions , halved and sliced ½ inch thick; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 4 teaspoons packed brown sugar; 2 bay leaves; 4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork blade-cut chops , ¾ inch thick, trimmed; Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

For our slow-cooker take on smothered chops, bone-in blade-cut chops were the perfect choice because they contain a good amount of fat and connective tissue that help them stay tender and juicy during hours of braising. We started by rendering chopped bacon, which helped create a savory foundation for our sauce. Sautéing onions, garlic, and some thyme in the fat before adding a little flour and some chicken broth made for a full-bodied gravy. To further boost the gravy's flavor, we added some soy sauce (for an extra bit of meatiness) and just a little brown sugar. We livened up the finished gravy with a splash of cider vinegar and a tablespoon of minced parsley.

Before You Begin

You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir soy sauce, sugar, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through fat on edges of each pork chop. Season chops with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

Transfer chops to serving dish, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of sauce. Stir in vinegar and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon 1 cup sauce over chops and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.