4thick pork loin chopsI used boneless; about 5oz each
salt & pepperto taste
For the sauce:
18-oz can jellied cranberry sauce
⅓cupcranberry or apple juice
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1tablespoonmustardI used Dijon
1tablespoonbalsamic vinegar
1tablespoonBBQ sauce OR ketchup
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoondried garlic powder
For thickening:
2tablespoonscranberry or apple juice
1tablespooncornstarch
Instructions
Prep the pork chops: Season the pork chops with salt and pepper on either side, then place them in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. It's fine to overlap them.
Make the sauce: Add all ingredients for the sauce to a large measuring jug and whisk together until combined. You'll need to mash down the cranberry sauce first, it will start breaking up easier in the liquids that way (don't worry if it isn't smooth, it will melt once hot).
I like to lift each chop a little to let some sauce run underneath once everything is in the crock.
Cook the pork: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, or until pork is tender.
Thicken gravy: Once the pork chops are tender, remove them from the crock pot and keep them warm. Transfer the juices to a saucepan. Combine the ¼ cup juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, then whisk into juices. Bring to a boil, cook and stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Serve over the pork chops.
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
Pork chops: I used boneless pork loin chops, but you can use bone-in pork loin chops instead. The cooking time doesn't change. It's also tasty with chicken thighs in place of the pork!Cranberry sauce: I use the smooth kind because my kids won't eat the gravy with whole berry sauce. Feel free to use either.Juice: If you don't have any juice on hand, feel free to substitute chicken broth or water; you may need to add an extra tablespoon of sugar. You can also use BBQ sauce in place of the juice if you want to go for a more intense BBQ flavor. I do not recommend using ketchup as a substitute for the juice, as it makes the sauce too tomato-y.Brown sugar: If you don't want to use sugar, you can replace it with honey or maple syrup without any issues.Mustard: I like using a smooth, mild Dijon mustard here - again, the kids like it that way. It's also tasty and a little different with a whole grain mustard, or a spicy brown mustard.Note: The balsamic vinegar and BBQ sauce can be left out, but they do add a nice touch to the sauce.
Cooking Tips:
If you want, you can brown the pork chops in a skillet before adding them to the crock pot for some extra flavor. Use the drippings from the pan in the sauce!Do not open the crock pot during cooking, or you'll need to increase the cooking time by 15-30 minutes!To turn this into an easy meal, you can add baby potatoes and baby carrots to the crockpot along with the pork chops; use an about 6 quart crock pot in this case.