Slow-Cooker Smothered Pork Chops

By cookingfairy

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4"pieces
• 3 medium onions, halved and sliced thin
• 4 tsp light-brown sugar
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbs)
• 1 Tbs minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1 Tbs dried
• salt to taste
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbs Minute Tapioca
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 bone-in blade-cut pork chops, 3/4" thick
• ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs minced fresh parsley leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Cook the bacon in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.

Pour off all but 2 Tbs of the bacon fat left in the skillet and place over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions, 1 tsp of the brown sugar, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 tsp salt to the skillet and cook, stirring often until the onions are soft and carmelized. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, scraping up brown bits.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the remaining 2 cups broth, remaining Tbs brown sugar, soy sauce, tapioca and bay leaves until conmined. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and nestle them in the slow cooker. Cover and cook, either on low or high, until the meat is tender, 7 to 8 Hrs on low, 4 or 5 Hrs on high.

Transfer the pork chops to a serving platter, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Let the cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then gently tilt the slow cooker and remove as much fat as possible. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reheat the bacon in the microwave on high power until heated through and crisp, about 30 seconds. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the chops, sprinkle with the crisp bacon and parsley, and serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.