Nothing goes better with pork than apples. These apple pork chops are super easy in a crock pot and are tasty enough to leave them asking for more.
Publisher note: Updated for the fall apple season. Originally published November 9, 2013, and in need of some re-editing of photos and text. Some bonus information on apples and pork chops have been added. Please enjoy this simple, tasty recipe.
Start with some pork chops. I used 1-inch slices of pork loin. A touch of salt and pepper and a good brush of Dijon and honey. Then slow cook for 6-7 hours until fall-apart tender.
My Rating
This is somewhat of a backward rating. My wife gave it a 5. I’m a solid higher-4. My loin chops I felt were little dry, and higher fat pork chop would correct this (hence my 4). My wife could have eaten another.
Let’s Talk Pork Chops
Many things can be called a “pork chop, ” but some are not really what you want. Thinks to marketing, things are a bit confusing with many names for the same cut of pork.
Things called sirloin, blade or steak are just not what you want. So in the diagram above, you want the middle three and neither end. Bone-in is fine, but I tend to use boneless in crock pot situations.
I like to cut my “pork chops” from whole pork loins. That would be called a center cut loin chop. These are 1 inch thick. Whole pork loins go on sale frequently and are a great bargain.
Let’s Talk Apples
A lot seems to be made of what apple to use for this or that. I believe it is more a matter of individual taste. So probably the apples you have is fine other than Red Delicious or Macintosh. Here is a handy-dandy chart that is very well done by a hospital.
I think an apple that is firmer and tarter is the best choice here. So if you are buying apples just for this recipe, then some good choices are Cortland, Granny Smith, and Ida Red.
Use apples of your choice other than Red Delicious or Mackintosh.
Peel and slice two medium apples or one large. Thinly slice 1/2 of a medium onion.
Combine one tablespoon each of Dijon mustard and honey. Place in microwave for about 10 seconds on high. Then mix well.
Lightly salt and pepper the chops to taste. Brush the chops with the honey mixture.
Place in a small crock pot (I used 3.5 qt). Cover evenly with the onion and the apples.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
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Crock Pot Apple Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops - one inch thick
- 1/2 onion - medium
- 2 apples - medium or one large
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Peel and slice two medium apples (or one large). Use apples of your choice other than Red Delicious or Mackintosh. Thinly slice 1/2 of a medium onion.
- Combine one tablespoon each of Dijon mustard and honey. Place in microwave for about 10 seconds on high. Then mix well.
- Lightly salt and pepper the chops to taste. Brush the chops with the honey mixture.
- Place in a small crock pot (I used 3.5 qt). Cover evenly with the onion and the apples.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Recipe Notes
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Originally Published November 9, 2013
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Denise
Hi Dr Dan. I’m cooking 10 pork chops. Can they be layered in the crock pot. Or should I just cook them in the oven?
DrDan
Hi Denise,
Welcome to the blog.
I would not do 10 chops in the crockpot at one time. Just too much mass to cook in reasonable time.
Look at my sheet pan recipe https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/sheet-pan-apple-pork-chops/. Get rid of the other veggies and use a half sheet pan instead of a quarter sheet pan that I used for two large chops and all the veggies. It should work.
Dan
Kim
Hi I am making this for a family size six people they are somewhat thick and have the bone in it and was not all the way thawed out but mostly I was wondering if I was to put it on high in order to cook it for 6 hours if that would be okay since it’s still somewhat Frozen. And I only had honey-mustard so that’s what I used instead of Dijon…. so I was wondering if at a certain point out of the 6 hours if I should turn it down to low I don’t want the pork chops hard I want them to melt fall apart somewhat and I put them in an hour ago and dinner needs to be ready by 6 630 comments will be very appreciated and helpful thank you
DrDan
Hi Kim,
Welcome to the blog.
6 hours on high seems too long. Pork chops like to dry out. Check with a meat thermometer now if you can. A finish temperature would be 150ish. Hard to be specific since thickness, amount of frozen and the crock pot are all variables.
So check the temp. I will be online editing photos so if you want, comment back and I will only be a few minutes to reply.
Dan
Liz
To cover the crockpot is the question. Does one place the cover on the crockpot when using this recipe?
Thanks,
Liz
DrDan
Covered. With crock pot recipes, always with the lid on. I may (like here) snap a photo without so you can see what to do.
There is an occasional crock pot recipe where the top may be “vented” some to let moisture out. And I did experiment with a crock pot pizza with crust with the top off. It worked… almost. Not good enough to publish and way too much work for the results.
Lynda
I plan to cook this while at work tomorrow. Do you think it would be ok to set to warm after the 7-8 hr cooking time or set to turn off. I will be cooking 4 chops instead of 2 and they are thick. Right now they are frozen. Should I completely defrost or partially? They will sit in the crock pot around 3 hrs before actually having it to turn on. (I work 10-11 hr days, leaving home @ 6am)
DrDan
Hi Lynda,
A couple of points. I would not have it set for more than 2 hours before starting to cook from a food safety point of view and that is pushing it. Next, frozen meat has been known to break ceramic crock pots, so I try not to cook frozen and especially not when I’m not home unless I use a metal pot.
The number of chops probably does not matter much. So I guess I would do 2hr-7hr-then warm until you are home. It will be warm at the start and it might cook some on warm so I pick 7 hours.
Sunita
Sorry for the multiple comments, but also wanted to mention that I cooked this on high for four hours and it turned out perfectly for the commenter who asked.
Peter Beckles
It was I. I have finally got around to actually doing it – in fact, it is cooking right now, on low – and I am wondering what adjustment I should make for 3/4″ chops!!
DrDan
Hi Peter, You probably need to knock off about 25% of the time if the apples are done.
Sunita
This was terrific! So tender and juicy. Between this recipe, the lemon bars, oven fried chicken and honey garlic chicken, this is fast becoming one of my go-to recipe sources. Thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes!
Judy
I’m off to the grocery store to buy the ingredients. It is great to find a crock pot recipe for two! Now that I’m an empty nester it’s hard not to cook too much. Thanks for sharing.
DrDan
Hi Peter,
Generally that should work but I haven’t done it.
Dan
Peter E Beckles
What if I halve the time on high?
Pattip
Hi, my smallest crock pot is 6qt. How would you adjust the time for thst difference?
Thank you!
DrDan
It would probably work fairly well but part of the flavor comes from the mixture staying on the meat
DrDan
Karen
In the ingredients list it say’s 1 tsp each Dijon mustard and honey but in the directions it say’s 1 Tbsp of each. Which quantity is correct? I have made some of your recipes and they are very good! Thank you for posting them.
DrDan
Tsp means tablespoons… and old abbreviation big T tablespoon and little t teaspoon . I’m editing to make it clearer.
Dan
Glenda
I tried this recipe today with a bone-in pork chop. I thought it was delicious. I do have a question. What type apple would be best? I used golden delicious. The pieces that cooked in the natural juices got very mushy. While it me it was good, I just wondered if a different apple could stand up better.
DrDan
There are so many opinions… But delicious would not be my first choice. I tend to use Cortland, Johnathan or Gala. These are all primarily eating apples and not cooking apples. But I use what I have. Here is list. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_apple
DrDan
Jeannette
I made these for dinner tonight & will definitely be doing so again.
I tripled the recipe because I was feeding a family, but followed the recipe exactly and have to agree with you that the chops were a little dry, but like you I used lean. Next time I’ll be sure to use some with a least a little marbling. I thought no liquid was an oversight, but didn’t add any, which was a good thing because the apples & pork provided plenty of their own. Thanks for a good, really easy recipe.
DrDan
I really like the taste and it is very easy. A bone-in chop with a little fat would take care of the dryness but I’m a health guy so I will stay lean.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
ray
This was fantastic. Pork was a little overdone but still great. Onion & apples just melted and carmelized.