Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
Brown the chops briefly for more flavor, then transfer them straight into the slow cooker over the potatoes. Use thick shoulder or blade chops for the long cooking time. Homemade ranch powder seasons the creamy gravy, and condensed cream of chicken soup gives it body.
Homemade seasoning: HKT Homemade Ranch Powder — https://www.homegrownkitchentable.com/all-recipes/homemade-ranch-powder
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes (about 6 medium), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
6 thick-cut pork shoulder or blade chops, about 1 inch thick and about 3–3½ pounds total
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided, for browning the chops
2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 tablespoons HKT Homemade Ranch Powder
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Black pepper, to taste
Cooking spray, for the slow cooker
Instructions
Use a 6–7-quart slow cooker with room for this batch, following its manufacturer’s fill and preheating guidance; do not fill it beyond about two-thirds full. Lightly spray the insert, then spread the 1-inch potato pieces across the bottom. Whisk the undiluted condensed soup, milk, and homemade ranch powder until smooth. Do not add the water that the soup can calls for when making soup. Pour half the gravy over the potatoes, cover, and begin heating the slow cooker while you brown the chops.
Start with fully thawed pork and pat it dry. Heat ½ tablespoon of the measured olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 chops without crowding and sear for about 2 minutes per side, just until browned; they will finish cooking in the slow cooker. Transfer this first batch straight into the prewarmed slow cooker over the potatoes and replace the lid. Use the remaining ½ tablespoon oil to brown the other 3 chops for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer them directly to the cooker. Do not chill or store partially cooked chops to finish another time.
Pour the remaining half of the gravy over all 6 chops. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6–7 hours. Start checking at 6 hours, keeping the lid on between checks. The potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork and the pork should be tender. Check the center of each chop with a food thermometer, avoiding any bone: the pork must reach at least 145°F before removal. If the pork is tender before the potatoes, move it to a covered oven-safe dish with a little gravy and keep it warm at 140°F or above while the potatoes finish.
Transfer the chops to a serving dish and let them rest for at least 3 minutes. Stir the gravy gently around the potatoes, then sprinkle with the dried parsley and add black pepper to taste. Taste before adding any salt, since both the soup and ranch powder supply it. If the chops contain bones, check for loose bones before serving.
Serve each chop with potatoes and gravy spooned over it. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F throughout; reheat in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven rather than starting cold leftovers in a slow cooker.