My grandfather passed down this brilliant spring dinner trick. Just 4 ingredients for the most tender meal that completely melts in your mouth.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish sweet and sour pork chops recipe is the kind of quiet genius my grandfather loved: a handful of pantry staples, almost no work, and a payoff that feels like you fussed all afternoon. It’s rooted in the practical, thrifty cooking you still find in Amish country—where sugar and vinegar are used to create deeply flavored, glossy glazes that transform inexpensive cuts into something special. Here, bone-in pork chops simmer low and slow in a simple sweet-and-sour mixture until they’re fork-tender, with soft onions and a brown sugar–vinegar glaze that clings to every bite and practically melts in your mouth.

Serve these sweet and sour pork chops straight from the slow cooker with their rich juices spooned over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain steamed rice to catch every bit of the glossy glaze. A simple side of green beans, peas, or a crisp green salad balances the sweetness and adds some crunch. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty bread are perfect for mopping up the extra sauce, turning this four-ingredient main into a complete, comforting spring dinner.

Servings: 4

4 bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)

Layer the sliced onions evenly over the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. This onion bed keeps the pork chops lifted slightly off the direct heat and turns meltingly tender as it cooks.

Arrange the bone-in pork chops in a single, slightly overlapping layer on top of the onions. If needed, stand one or two chops along the side of the slow cooker so they all fit snugly.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the brown sugar and apple cider vinegar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and you have a smooth, glossy mixture. This is your sweet and sour cooking liquid and glaze base.

Pour the brown sugar and vinegar mixture evenly over the pork chops and onions, making sure each chop is coated. Use a spoon to nudge some onions and liquid around the edges of the meat so everything is surrounded by the sweet-and-sour mixture.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork chops are very tender and easily pull away from the bone with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during the first few hours so the heat and moisture stay constant.

Once the chops are tender, carefully lift them out with a wide spatula or tongs, keeping them as intact as possible, and set them back into the cooking juices so they stay hot while you finish. Gently stir the onions into the liquid; they should be translucent and soft, with some caramelized edges.

If you’d like a slightly thicker, clingier glaze, remove the lid and let the pork chops and sauce sit on WARM or LOW for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the juices reduce slightly and look glossy and syrupy around the edges.

Serve the pork chops directly from the slow cooker, spooning the onions and plenty of the sweet and sour brown sugar–vinegar glaze over the top. The edges should look dark and sticky, with rich juices bubbling around the meat.

For a little more savoriness without adding extra ingredients, choose bone-in pork chops with a decent fat cap; the rendered fat will naturally round out the sweetness and enrich the sauce. If you prefer a slightly less sweet dish, reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and keep the vinegar at 1 cup for a brighter, tangier finish. Conversely, if you like a softer tang, use 3/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup brown sugar. You can also experiment with different vinegars: apple cider vinegar is traditional and gentle, but white vinegar will give a sharper bite, and malt vinegar will add a toasty depth that still feels old-fashioned and homey. For a bit more color and texture, tuck thick-cut onion rings on top of the chops instead of underneath so more of them caramelize at the surface. Food safety tips: Use fresh, not previously temperature-abused, pork chops and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Do not leave the slow cooker on the WARM setting for more than 2 hours once the cooking time is finished. Always cook pork to a safe internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C), measured at the thickest part away from the bone, and let it rest briefly in the hot juices before serving. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and reheat gently until steaming hot before eating.