My uncle showed me how he fed his kids for under five dollars with this no fuss dump and go dinner

This slow cooker 3-ingredient pork steaks and potatoes recipe is exactly the kind of no-fuss, budget-friendly dinner my Midwestern uncles leaned on when they were raising kids and watching every dollar. It’s a true dump-and-go meal: inexpensive bone-in pork steaks, a bag of potatoes, and a can of condensed soup go straight into the slow cooker with no browning or fancy prep. Hours later, you get tender, fall-apart pork nestled into soft golden potatoes, all bathed in rich, meaty juices. It’s not glamorous, but it’s practical, filling, and designed to feed a family for under five dollars using pantry staples and sale-bin meat—very much in the spirit of old-school, working-parent cooking.

Serve these pork steaks and potatoes straight from the slow cooker with a big spoon so everyone can get plenty of meat, potatoes, and juices in each serving. A simple side of frozen peas, green beans, or a bagged salad rounds out the plate without adding much cost or effort. If you have it on hand, sliced bread or dinner rolls are great for soaking up the savory cooking liquid. For a little brightness, add a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon at the table, and if you like heat, pass hot sauce or crushed red pepper so people can customize their bowls.

Servings: 4

2 to 2 1/2 pounds bone-in pork steaks (about 3 to 4 medium steaks)

Prepare the potatoes: Scrub the potatoes well under cool running water and pat them dry. Cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch chunks so they cook evenly and become soft but not mushy. There’s no need to peel unless the skins are very thick or you prefer them without.

Layer the potatoes in the slow cooker: Scatter the potato chunks evenly over the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. This creates a bed for the pork and helps the potatoes soak up the flavorful juices as everything cooks.

Add the pork steaks: Lay the bone-in pork steaks in a single layer (or slightly overlapping if needed) directly on top of the potatoes. Try to keep most of the meat in contact with the potatoes so the juices drip down as they cook.

Add the soup: Spoon the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the top of the pork steaks. Use the back of the spoon to spread it out a bit so each steak has some coverage. Do not add extra water or milk; the pork will release plenty of liquid as it cooks, thinning the soup into a savory gravy.

Cook on low: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or until the pork steaks are very tender and easily pull apart with a fork and the potatoes are soft all the way through. Avoid lifting the lid during the first several hours so you don’t lose heat and extend the cooking time.

Check for doneness and adjust seasoning at the end: When the pork is fall-apart tender and the potatoes are soft, taste a spoonful of the juices. If desired, you can add a small pinch of salt and black pepper at this point, but many canned soups are salty enough on their own. Gently stir just a bit to let some of the creamy juices run down into the potatoes while still keeping the steaks mostly intact.

Serve: Use a large spoon or spatula to scoop a portion of potatoes and a pork steak into each bowl or plate, making sure to include some of the rich cooking liquid. Serve hot straight from the slow cooker, and let the pot stay on the WARM setting so seconds are ready whenever anyone comes back hungry.

To keep this a true three-ingredient, under-five-dollar meal, I’ve stuck to the basics, but there’s room to adapt based on what you have and what’s on sale. You can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken or cream of celery for a slightly different flavor, or use bone-in pork shoulder steaks or country-style ribs if they’re cheaper than traditional pork blade steaks. If you don’t mind stretching beyond three ingredients, a sliced onion or a handful of baby carrots layered with the potatoes adds sweetness and more vegetables for very little extra cost. For a lighter version, use cream of chicken made with 98% fat-free soup, and trim excess surface fat from the pork steaks before cooking. Leftovers reheat well in a covered dish in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. For food safety, start with fully thawed pork, not frozen, so it moves quickly through the temperature danger zone; cook on LOW until the pork reaches at least 145°F internally (though for tenderness it will go higher), and avoid leaving the finished dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Store leftovers in the refrigerator within that time frame and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot before serving.