This little slow cooker trick came to me from my neighbor down the road, a busy farm wife who has supper on the table like clockwork. She showed me how she wraps pork chops up in foil with a splash of bottled teriyaki, tucks in a bit of onion and pineapple, and lets the slow cooker do the rest. The packets trap the steam so the meat turns meltingly tender, and when you open them, the chops are bathed in a sticky, dark brown soy glaze that looks like you fussed all afternoon. It’s a four-ingredient shortcut that fits right in with our Midwestern love of hearty, no-fuss meals, especially on those muddy, busy spring nights when you’re running in every direction but still want something comforting and home-cooked.
These teriyaki pork chops are lovely spooned over hot white or brown rice so that shiny sauce can soak right in. A simple side of steamed green beans, broccoli, or a crunchy coleslaw balances the sweetness nicely. If you’re more of a meat-and-potatoes household, serve the chops with buttered mashed potatoes or baked potatoes and pour that glossy glaze over the top. A pan of dinner rolls or cornbread is always welcome for mopping up the extra sauce, and a light fruit salad makes a nice, fresh finish.
Slow Cooker Foil-Wrapped Teriyaki Pork ChopsServings: 4
Ingredients
4 boneless pork chops, about 1-inch thick (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
1 cup thick bottled teriyaki sauce (the kind with soy, sugar, and garlic)
1 cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained (juice reserved for another use)
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Lay out 4 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil, each about 12x12 inches. If you only have regular foil, use a double layer for each packet so they don’t tear and leak.
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels so the sauce will cling nicely. Trim any large, hard pieces of fat from the edges if you like.
Divide the sliced onion evenly among the foil squares, making a little bed of onions in the center of each piece of foil.
Place one pork chop on top of the onions on each foil square.
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce over each pork chop, coating the top and sides. Use the back of the spoon to spread it so every bit of meat gets a good glaze.
Scatter about 1/4 cup of pineapple tidbits over each sauced pork chop, letting a few fall down around the sides so they mingle with the onions.
Bring the two opposite sides of the foil up over the pork chop and fold them together tightly, then roll and crimp the remaining sides to seal the packet completely. You want the packets snug so steam builds up inside and tenderizes the meat.
Arrange the foil packets in a single layer in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, seam side up. It’s fine if they overlap a little, but keep them mostly flat so the juices stay inside.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or until the pork chops are very tender and easily cut with a butter knife. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so you don’t lose heat and steam.
When the cooking time is up, carefully remove one packet and open it away from your face—hot steam will rush out. Check that the pork is cooked through; it should no longer be pink in the center and should reach at least 145°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
To serve, open each foil packet and either slide the pork chop, onions, pineapple, and all those juices directly into the slow cooker crock to pool together into a shiny, bubbling sauce, or plate each packet individually and spoon the dark, sticky glaze over the top. If you like a slightly thicker sauce, you can pour the packet juices into a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes on the stove until lightly reduced before serving.
Serve the pork chops hot, with plenty of that sweet-savory teriyaki glaze spooned over each piece.
Variations & Tips
You can swap boneless pork loin chops for boneless pork rib chops; just keep them around 1-inch thick so they cook evenly and stay moist. If your family likes more sauce, add up to 1/4 cup extra teriyaki sauce divided among the packets, but don’t overfill or the packets may leak. For a bit of heat, sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes over the chops before sealing the foil. If you don’t care for pineapple, you can skip it and simply increase the onions slightly, or use thin carrot rounds instead for a milder sweetness. For a slightly less sweet version, choose a low-sugar teriyaki sauce and add a splash of low-sodium soy sauce to deepen the flavor. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, fully thawed pork; never place frozen chops directly into the slow cooker, as they can stay too long at unsafe temperatures. Keep raw pork and its juices away from ready-to-eat foods, and wash your hands, cutting board, and knife with hot, soapy water after handling the raw meat. Make sure each chop reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F, measured in the thickest part, and allow a brief rest before eating. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container, and reheat until hot and steaming before serving again.
