What's For Dinner: Slow-Cooker Pork Chops


Work officially got in the way of blogging last week -- hence my radio silence following last Monday's post. After working over weekend, I also worked for several hours on Monday (a company holiday), and then proceeded to work 12- and 13-hour days on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was not fun, but our project schedule demanded it. Sleep took precedence over blogging -- but hopefully last week was the worst of it, and I should be back to my regular Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posting schedule this week. We shall see.

Meanwhile, last Monday was D's birthday, and later this week I'll share some fun cupcakes I baked up for our little celebration. I stopped by Golden Harvest last Monday afternoon to find some inspiration for his birthday dinner -- I ended up picking up a 10-oz grass-fed steak and a package of pasture-raised pork chops. D chose to grill the steak, so I made pork chops for dinner later in the week. Given my crazy-busy work schedule, I knew that a slow cooker recipe would be my best option. A quick Google search resulted in finding a well-reviewed recipe on Allrecipes.com, and after determining I had most of the ingredients on hand, I decided to go for it. I made a few changes to the original recipe, including subbing in a variety of herbs and spices for the called-for poultry spice mix. The pork chops cook in a herby broth which makes a delicious sauce. You might want to consider stirring in a tablespoon or two of cornstarch into the broth at the end to make a gravy to ladle over the cooked pork chops.

Though pork chops might conjure up thoughts of a super-tough cut of meat, this preparation results in  meat that is fall-apart tender and full of flavor.

Slow-Cooker Pork Chops (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground marjoram
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients but the pork chops in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker bowl.
2. Use a sharp knife to get 3-4 small slits in each side of the pork chops. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the pork chops in the slow cooker, making sure that they are covered by the liquid.
3. Cook on high for four hours. Baste occasionally with the cooking liquid.
4. Serve over rice.

(adapted from this recipe)


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