This is the kind of recipe I lean on when the day gets away from me and supper still needs to feel like a hug. Bone-in pork chops go straight from the freezer into the slow cooker with just three simple pantry staples. By the time the afternoon chores are done, the meat is fall-apart tender and the house smells like Sunday dinner at my mother’s farm kitchen. It’s a true Midwestern “dump it and forget it” meal, the sort of no-fuss cooking our grandmothers relied on when there was more work than hours in the day—and the kind of plate that makes a hungry husband ask for seconds before he’s finished his first helping.
These slow cooker pork chops are wonderful spooned over fluffy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain white rice to catch every bit of the savory juices. Add a simple side of green beans, corn, or a tossed salad to round out the plate. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of buttered bread are perfect for sopping up the extra sauce. For a true old-fashioned farmhouse supper, serve with coleslaw and applesauce on the side.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Frozen Bone-In Pork ChopsServings: 4
Ingredients
4–6 frozen bone-in pork chops (about 2–2 1/2 pounds total, no need to thaw)
1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
Directions
Place the frozen bone-in pork chops directly into the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Stack them in an even layer, overlapping as needed so they sit mostly flat on the bottom. They will look just like a pile of frosty chops in the pot, and that’s exactly how they should start.
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the tops of the frozen pork chops. Try to cover as much of the surface as you can so the seasoning can melt down into the meat as it cooks.
Spoon the cream of mushroom soup over the seasoned pork chops. Spread it gently with the back of the spoon so it coats the chops in a loose layer. It doesn’t have to be perfect; the heat of the slow cooker will thin the soup into a gravy as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the pork chops are very tender and reach an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C). The meat should pull away easily from the bone and be surrounded by a creamy onion-mushroom gravy.
Once cooked, taste the gravy and add a pinch of salt and black pepper if needed (the onion soup mix is usually salty, so you may not need much). Gently stir around the chops to mix the melted soup and juices into a smooth sauce, being careful not to break the meat apart too much.
Serve the pork chops hot, spooning the creamy gravy over each chop and over your potatoes, noodles, or rice. If any small bones have come loose, remove them before plating.
Variations & Tips
If you prefer a different flavor, you can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken or cream of celery while still keeping the recipe to three ingredients. A packet of ranch seasoning can stand in for the onion soup mix for a milder, herby taste. For a bit more richness, add a tablespoon or two of butter on top of the frozen chops before cooking (this would be a fourth ingredient, but it’s a nice touch for company). If your chops are very thick and still frozen solid, lean toward the longer end of the cooking time and check that the internal temperature reaches at least 145°F, measured in the thickest part of the meat away from the bone. Always place the frozen pork chops in the bottom of the slow cooker so they heat evenly; do not stack them too high above the halfway point of the crock. Avoid using a delayed start when cooking frozen meat—start the slow cooker as soon as you load it so the pork moves through the temperature “danger zone” (40°F–140°F) as quickly as possible. Leftovers should be cooled and refrigerated within 2 hours and can be gently reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to loosen the gravy.
