Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
I am not going to lie. The slow cooker is THE kitchen tool I really could not go without. It earns it's keep in our farmhouse kitchen, winter & summer and every season in between. It's the easiest way to cook a pork roast, beef roast, or to roast a whole chicken. It's also an amazing tool for cooking pork chops, baked potatoes, and ground meats. Plus, its great for soups, stews, chilis, and baked beans! I find it the most forgiving of all cooking methods - which is perfect in our busy life. The lid holds in the moisture which helps minimize the risk of the food drying out. The low temperature (I usually cook on the low setting for most things) gives a bit of leeway if you don't get the meal taken out at the exact right time. Works great for me (a self-proclaimed lazy & distracted cook).
Tips for choosing the best slow cooker for your life:
1. Determine the right size for your needs.
Slow cookers range from around 3-4 quart up to the extra large size around 10 quarts. The smaller 4 quart versions are great for cooking for one to 3 people or for small side dishes such as baked beans. I find the 6.5 to 8 quart size the perfect size for our family of 5 big eaters. The jumbo 10 quart size might be great for you if you cook for a large family or a crowd on a regular basis.
2. Pick the bells & whistles.
For our use, we like a good ol' basic slow cooker with the "low", "high" and "keep warm" settings.
If you are gone from the house all day, you may want to consider a programmable option where you can set it to turn to the "keep warm" setting after a certain number of hours. This might save you on overcooked meals!
Some slow cookers come with latches that allow you to "lock" the lid onto the unit. This might come in handy if you are going to pack your slow cooker from home to a potluck or to the field for a field meal.
Others even come with temperature probes. My advice would be to use your meat thermometer you already have instead of worrying about one more thing on your slow cooker.
A few of our recommendations for a slow cooker for you (affiliate links):
- Crock Pot 7 quart oval slow cooker - this is the one I have
- Crock Pot 4 quart programmable slow cooker - great for smaller family or side dishes
- Crock Pot 6 quart programmable slow cooker
- Hamilton Beach jumbo 10 quart slow cooker
Back to the recipe! I find pork chops to be a bit finicky to make just right. They can be absolutely to-die-for when cooked to perfection, but their leanness makes them a challenge. You kind-of have to keep a watchful eye on them to not overcook them when grilling, frying, or baking them.
Not with this recipe! The low & slow temperature of the slow cooker, combined with the liquid plus the fat cap left on, makes for a tender & flavourful pork chop.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 boneless pork loin chops, thick cut, fat cap left on (find chops here)
- 2 tablespoons lard, bacon grease, or butter
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup soya sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon granulated/minced garlic (try Fifth Gen Gardens garlic here)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions:
Over medium heat, melt lard, bacon grease of butter in a medium to large cast iron pan. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt & pepper. Once the pan is hot, sear both sides of the pork chops until lightly browned. Transfer all chops to a large slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, mix the tomato sauce, soya sauce, honey, and garlic. Pour mixture over the pork chops, covering all chops. Cover with a lid. Set the slow cooker to low and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 hours.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until completely blended (no chunks). Pour into the slow cooker liquid and mix to completely distribute the cornstarch mixture throughout the liquid. Cover again and let cook another hour to thicken the sauce.
Serve with oven fries, mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. The sauce is absolutely delicious spooned over top of the accompanying side dish!