Ingredients
Pork
- 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1–1¼ inch (2.5–3 cm) thick
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil, for searing
Sticky sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp chili flakes, optional
- ½ cup chicken or beef broth
Optional thickening
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cold water
Method
- Season the pork.
Pat the chops very dry. Mix salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme. Rub the mixture generously over both sides.
- Sear for extra flavor.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chops for 2–3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. They don’t need to be cooked through.
- Make the sauce.
Whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, paprika, pepper, chili flakes and broth.
- Load the slow cooker.
Put the seared pork chops into the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over them, making sure the chops are coated.
- Slow cook.
- LOW: 4–6 hours
- HIGH: 2–3 hours
For the most tender result, LOW is preferable. Avoid significantly overcooking lean pork chops, as they can become dry.
- Thicken the glaze.
Remove the pork and cover loosely with foil. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Mix cornstarch with cold water, whisk it into the liquid, and simmer for 2–4 minutes until glossy and thick.
- Glaze.
Brush the thickened sauce generously over the pork. For the deeply caramelized appearance in the photo, place the chops under a hot broiler/grill for 2–4 minutes, watching carefully.
- Rest and serve.
Let the pork rest for about 5 minutes, then spoon additional sticky sauce over the top.
Important pork temperature
For food safety, cook pork to at least 145°F / 63°C internal temperature, followed by a 3-minute rest. If you’re deliberately slow-cooking until very tender, the final temperature will be considerably higher.
Nut information
Nuts: None required. Peanuts: None required.
However, soy sauce is commonly made from soybeans, which are a legume rather than a tree nut or peanut. If cooking for someone with an allergy, check the labels of the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and other packaged ingredients for cross-contact warnings.
Approximate nutrition
Per serving, assuming 1 pork chop with sauce:
- Calories: ~550–650 kcal
- Protein: ~40–45 g
- Fat: ~25–32 g
- Carbohydrates: ~35–45 g
- Sugar: ~25–32 g
- Sodium: ~1,200–1,600 mg
The exact values vary substantially with the size/fat content of the pork chops and how much sauce is consumed.