Apple Butter Pork Chops in the Crockpot
These Crock Pot Apple Butter Pork Chops are so easy to make and the result is a delicious, slow cooked meal. The apple butter gives the dish a sweet and savory flavor that will leave you wanting more. Just throw all of the ingredients into your crock pot and let it do its thing. You’ll have a delicious dinner ready in no time!
If you’re looking for easy and delicious weeknight meals, Slow Cooker Pork Chops are a great option. Simply season the pork chops with your favorite spices, add them to the slow cooker along with some chicken broth or water, and let them cook for several hours. The result is tender, juicy pork chops that can be served with a variety of sides. Plus, slow cooker pork chops are a budget-friendly option that will leave you with leftovers for lunch the next day.
This recipe defines the smell of fall comfort food. My house smelled amazing while this was cooking in the crockpot last week.
Recently we went on a field trip with our twins’ Mothers Day Out group. The trip took us to a local apple orchard here in the metroplex. We picked apples, learned about honey and bees and purchased some apple butter.
Other than eating it on warm biscuits, I had no idea how I was going to utilize this delicious jar of goodness. So I reached out to my Facebook readers for some ideas and they shared plenty.
And that my friend, is where the idea for this recipe came from. And of course, I wanted to crockpot-it! It just makes life easier, ya know.
5 Easy Dinner Recipes for a Family of 7
Here is what we cooked in a week at our house. Lots of quick and easy dinner ideas that are perfect for when you’re on a budget. Any of these are great for a school night or weeknight.
Ingredients Needed for this Recipe
Here’s what you need for this amazing dinner!
- Pork Chops– The slow cooking process allows the flavors of the seasoning and marinade to really penetrate the pork chops, resulting in a dish that is packed with flavor. The slow cooker also helps to tenderize the meat, making it juicy and succulent. When cooked properly, pork chops should be slightly pink in the center; this ensures that they are cooked through but still moist and juicy.
- Large Onion– Large Onion helps to add flavor to the pork chops as they cook. The longer the onions cook, the sweeter and more mellow they become, complementing the flavor of the pork chops nicely. Additionally, the Large Onion helps to keep the pork chops moist as they cook, preventing them from drying out.
- Minced Garlic– Minced garlic is a flavorful addition to many recipes, but it is particularly well-suited for slow cooked pork chops. The strong flavor of garlic can help to offset the richness of the pork, and the slow cooking time allows the flavors to meld together nicely.
- Apple Butter– Apple Butter is often used as a topping for toast or pancakes, but it also pairs beautifully with slow cooked pork chops. The sweet-tart Apple Butter offsets the richness of the pork, and the two flavors complement each other perfectly. Apple Butter can be found in most grocery stores, and it’s definitely worth picking up a jar to enjoy with your next slow cooked pork chop dinner.
- Cracked Pepper– Cracked pepper is a popular spice that can be used in many different dishes. When it comes to pork chops, the spice helps to add a bit of flavor and depth to the dish.
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Can You Put Raw Pork Chops in a Crock Pot?
Sure, you can put raw pork chops in a crock pot, but there’s a little more to it if you want them to turn out juicy and delicious. For slow-cooked pork chops that are melt-in-your mouth tender, first brown them in a pan on the stovetop. This will give them a nice sear and help to lock in the juices. Then, add your favorite seasonings before placing them in the crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the pork chops are cooked through. If you’re short on time, you can skip the browning step, but your pork chops may not be as flavorful. So, if you’ve got the time, browning them first is worth the extra effort.
How Can You Tell If Pork Chops are Done?
One of the most important things to know when cooking pork chops is how to tell when they’re done. Undercooked pork chops can be tough and chewy, while overcooked pork chops can be dry and bland. The best way to achieve perfectly cooked pork chops is to use a slow cooker. This slow, gentle cooking method helps to break down the tough collagen in the meat, resulting in tender, juicy pork chops. To test for doneness, insert a fork into the thickest part of the chop. If the meat is still pink, it needs to cook for longer. If the meat is white or brown all the way through, it’s overcooked. When cooked properly, pork chops should be slightly pink in the center.
Why are My Crock Pot Pork Chops Tough?
If you’re slow cooking pork chops and they come out tough, there are a few possible reasons. One is that you’re using the wrong cut of meat. Pork chops from the loin or rib area are best for slow cooking, as they have less fat and connective tissue. Another possibility is that you’re overcooking the pork chops. They should only be cooked until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, it could be that you’re not adding enough liquid to the crock pot. Pork chops need to be covered with liquid in order to cook properly. So, if your crock pot pork chops are coming out tough, check these three things and you should be able to fix the problem.
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More Delicious Pork Chop Recipes!
- Slow Cooker Smothered Pork Chops
- Crockpot Pork Roast with Cinnamon Apples
- Instant Pot Smothered Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Recipes You’ll Love that Use Apple Butter!
- Easy Apple Butter Cake Recipe
- Apple Butter Walnut Coffee Cake Recipe
- Apple Butter Cookie Recipe
- Apple Butter Loaf Cake
Apple Butter Pork Chops
This pork chop recipe is easy to follow and results in a delicious, slow cooked meal. The apple butter gives the dish a sweet and savory flavor that will leave you wanting more.
Ingredients
- 6 pork chops (I used thick center cut)
- 1/2 a large onion chopped
- minced garlic (I used 2 large spoonfuls of minced garlic from a jar)
- 3/4 cup apple butter
- couple cracks of pepper
Instructions
- Arrange your pork chops in the crockpot.
- Top the pork chops with the onions and garlic.
- Spoon the apple butter on top of the onions.
- Crack some pepper over top and put the crockpot lid on.
- Let it cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
- When it is done, give the pork chops a stir and they will literally fall apart into chunks on their own.
- I served them over steamed rice with a dinner salad and steamed broccoli.
Notes
If you want more amplified apple flavor in your pork chops, you can reverse the order of the onions/garlic/apple butter and spoon the apple butter directly on the pork chops and then top the apple butter with the garlic and onions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 396Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 41g
This sounds really good (and easy to make!). We’ve made up a lot of pumpkin butter this fall and this would be a perfect recipe to use some of it in!!
Thanks for sharing!
Willa
It was easy and very yummy!
Pumpkin Butter? I bet that would taste amazing. Let me know how it turns out if you try it over the pork chops.
Thanks for reading.
Hi Crystal,
This will be a great recipe to have in the Crock Pot for the Cowboys game tomorrow night. It really looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week end and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Perfect football game meal, or any Sunday meal for that matter. 🙂
Thanks Miz Helen!
I have a nice supply of homemade apple butter. I will definitely have to try this recipe. I looks very good. Thanks for sharing.
I dont have apple butter but have apples will try this recipe using lamb will let you know how it comes out.
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Maggie
http://passionatelyartistic.com
I am always looking for new crock pot recipes and this one looks like a winner! I shared your post on my blog this week…
http://therickettchronicles.blogspot.com/2011/11/must-try-tuesday-november-15-2011.html
Thanks!
Wende
The Rickett Chronicles
what a yummy recipe come see what I shared at http://shopannies.blogspot.com/2012/01/sloppy-joe-squares.html
We loved these pork chops! Simple, relatively healthy, and a good choice for both my kids and my husband. We’re having them again tonight, and I was reminded that I hadn’t posted a review yet. 🙂 We added a bit of salt along with the pepper. Just a pinch.
Awesome, Aileen. so good to hear that they are a hit at your house!
Enjoy round two!
Hi Crystal. I made this recipe a few weeks ago. I cooked it on low for about 8 hours in a 6 qt crockpot. It completely burned, yes, burned in the crockpot! Did you use a smaller crockpot than the 6 qt I used? I’m trying to figure out why this happened. I don’t know if I didn’t have enough in the crockpot and that’s why it burned or if my crockpot has issues. It’s only a few months old and it seems to burn or dry out everything I cook in it. Any advice?
Brandy-
I used a 6 qt, but my porkchops were thick butterfly porkchops, so they took up a lot of room. You want to fill your crockpot 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full for best cooking results and/or cut the cook time down.
What kind of chops did you use and how full was your crockpot?
I used the thicker pork chops, but I only used 3 or 4 of them. I guess maybe the problem is that my crockpot isn’t full enough. I didn’t realize that it needed to be 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full. Maybe I should invest in a 4 qt also. It would be less expensive than the food I’ve already dried out/burned. LOL! Thanks for the advice! 🙂
Okay….I have this in the crockpot for tonight! So excited!!!
Yay! I think you’ll really enjoy it.
I am eager to hear how your family likes it.
I featured this super yummy sounding recipe! http://3boysandadog.com/2013/09/10-yummy-apple-inspired-recipes/
Can this be baked in te oven instead of using the crockpot?
Absolutely. Anything that can be cooked in the crockpot can generally be cooked in the oven by adjusting the liquid levels. While I have not prepared this in the oven, if I were I would add a cup chicken broth to prevent drying out.
Let me know how it goes.
I have always loved applesauce with my smoked pork chops and my mom is a huge fan of apple butter, and this will be so easy to prepare and make. I suffer with extreme back pain and cooking is pretty much out of the question ’cause I can’t stand more than a couple of minutes but should be able to put this together! Now if the slow cooker would just clean itself! (Liners haven’t worked well for me)
Can you use frozen pork chops for this recipe or do they need to be thawed?
Yes, it will just take longer to cook.
I made this using cheap store brand apple butter, added 1 cup chicken broth. OMG good 1 As my daughter said . the flavors just ‘call you back’ Thank you , thank you.
I would love to try this! I haven’t been able to find any apple butter in my Kroger nor Walmart. What is a recipe that I can use?