I love a good French onion recipe and these Crock Pot French Onion Pork Chops are no exception. There’s just something so satisfying and appealing about the mix of flavors. Plus, cooking pork chops in the slow cooker ensures that they’ll be full of flavor and have a soft, tender, melt in your mouth texture. Bye, bye boring and dry pork chops!
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French onion-style pork chops is one of those recipes our family falls in love with again every year when we make it. As the pork chops cook, they soak up all of the rich flavors from the spices and I love the Gruyere on top.
If you're a fan of French onion flavors, next you've got to try these juicy French pnion meatballs, savory French onion pot roast, and this French onion chicken recipe.
Why You’ll Love These French Onion Crock Pot Pork Chops
- Amazing Texture and Flavor: These pork chops are bursting with flavor and the texture is juicy and fork-tender. Comfort food without the fuss!
- Quick and Easy to Prepare: These pork chops only take about 10 minutes of preparation before you let the slow cooker do all the work for you.
- Family Friendly: Even picky eaters tend to love this recipe. It’s great for feeding everyone on a night when you’re hungry but don’t have a ton of time to cook.
- Freezes Well: These French onion crockpot pork chops make great leftovers and are easy to freeze and have again later on.
Ingredients
- Pork Chops: You can use bone-in or boneless for this recipe. Look for pork chops that are about 1 inch thick. The thicker the pork chop, the more flavor it will have!
- Yellow Onion: I used a yellow onion here but a red or white one would also work.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. It adds creaminess and richness to the flavor of the sauce.
- Low-Sodium Beef Broth: I like to use low-sodium broth since the gravy mix usually has quite a bit of salt in it. You could also use chicken or vegetable broth for a lighter flavor.
- Brown Gravy Mix: The brown gravy mix gives you beefy au jus flavors from beef bouillon. If you don't have a spice packet, you could substitute it with a combination of beef bouillon cubes or granules, all-purpose flour, a splash of Worcestershire, onion powder, and garlic powder. A packet of steak seasoning or ranch seasoning could work too.
- Minced Garlic: Fresh minced garlic goes so well in this dish. I recommend fresh cloves of garlic for the best flavor.
- White Wine Vinegar: You just need one teaspoon of white wine vinegar for this recipe. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work too, or a splash of dry white wine.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce towards the end of cooking.
- Gruyere Cheese: Shredded Gruyere is a nutty, creamy cheese that melts beautifully. You could substitute Swiss, Jarlsberg, Fontina, or Gouda cheese.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add Herbs: You can add more flavor with a few sprigs of fresh thyme or a sprinkle of herbs de provence.
- Add Mushrooms: This dish is also really good with sliced mushrooms like cremini, baby bella, or white button. Add them to the bottom of the crockpot with the onions,
- Add Heat: If you're a fan of spicy food, you could stir in a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the slow cooker or top with hot sauce.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use a gluten-free gravy mix and keep an eye on the consistency because some gluten-free thickeners can vary. Add more cornstarch slurry if it's too soupy.
How to Make French Onion Pork Chops in the Crock Pot
The process for making these cheesy and savory pork chops in the slow cooker is super simple and straightforward. Here’s exactly how to do it.
- Step 1: Prep the Slow Cooker With Onions and Pork Chops. You'll want to layer the onions at the very bottom, then place the pork chops over top of them.
- Step 2: Make the Sauce. Whisk the butter, beef broth, gravy mix, garlic, black pepper, and vinegar. Pour it over top of the pork chops. Cook on high for 2½-3½ hours or low for 5-6 hours.
- Step 3: Take Out the Pork Chops. Remove the pork and onions from the Crock Pot for a moment while you thicken the sauce. Whisk together the water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix it into the Crock Pot sauce.
- Step 5: Add the Cheese and Cook Again. Add the pork chops back to the slow cover, cover them with the cooked onions and gruyere cheese. Cook for ten minutes longer or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve and enjoy!
Hint: Cooking the Pork Chops
You might be wondering if the pork chops need to be fully submerged in the liquid when cooking and the answer is no. They'll still be tender and flavorful even when only partially covered by the sauce.
Expert Tips
- Storing and Reheating: After the leftovers are cooled, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Heat back up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
- Grab Some Tongs: A pair of tongs is helpful when moving the pork chops in and out of the slow cooker.
- Leave the Slow Cooker on Warm: You can leave the slow cooker on the warm setting before serving dinner and throughout the meal in case anyone wants to grab a second portion.
Serving Suggestions
We love crock pot pork chops for a yummy weeknight dinner, especially on busy nights when there's a lot going on. This dish is also great to bring to a potluck or family gathering.
- Serve with creamy garlic mashed potatoes in the slow cooker and an extra spoonful of that amazing sauce drizzled over the top.
- Make some crockpot crack potatoes and easy glazed carrots to go with the pork chops. Then have some slow cooker apple cobbler for dessert!
- Try them with white or brown rice, crockpot roasted potatoes, crockpot sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli, or potato casserole.
Recipe FAQs
Using a bone-in pork chop and making sure they are cooking in plenty of liquid will help keep them moist, tender, and juicy. I also recommend using the low setting and keeping a close eye especially if it's your first time making the recipe so they don't overcook.
No, thaw them first. Frozen pieces will take longer to reach a safe internal temperature and could result in a foodborne illness, plus the frozen foods cool everything else in the slow cooker.
Use a thermometer to check the temperature. You'll want the internal temperature to be at least 145°F. This is good information to have because the thickness of your chops and whether you use boneless or bone-in may impact the cooking time.
More Delicious Pork Recipes
Here are more pork chop crock pot recipes and pork recipes to try!
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below. Then follow me on Facebook and Pinterest! Share your favorite recipes or ask questions in my Facebook Group.
Crock Pot French Onion Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops bone-in or boneless, 1 inch thick
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 ounce package brown gravy mix
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ cups gruyere cheese shredded
Instructions
- Add the sliced onion to the bottom of the slow cooker. Then, place the pork chops on top.
- Remove pork chops, then add butter, beef broth, gravy mix, garlic, black pepper, and vinegar to a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined and pour over pork chops.
- Cover and cook on high for 2½-3½ hours or low for 5-6 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk together water and cornstarch. Add to broth and mix until well combined.
- Add pork chops back into the slow cooker. Cover with cooked onions and gruyere cheese, and cook for ten minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve over rice or mashed potatoes, and enjoy!
Notes
- When choosing pork chops at the store, look for bone-in loin pork chops. They are flavorful and won't dry out. Boneless works too, but I think bone-in is best!
- Make sure your finished pork chops reach a safe internal temperature of 145°F.
- If you want a thicker sauce, add a bit more cornstarch slurry. If it's too thick, you can add a splash of broth or water.
- If you're using thinner cuts or boneless pork chops, check them a bit sooner and pull them as soon as they're fork-tender.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate. It may vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact ingredient numbers, I recommend calculating them with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Ryan Allen
If you are a fan of pork chops your are going to love these.