Some dinners ask a lot of you. This one asks for about five minutes and a little patience.
These butter smothered pork chops are the definition of dump-and-go cooking. You nestle thick, bone-in chops into a slow cooker, pour in a savory beef broth, drop a few generous pats of butter on top, scatter over some rosemary and garlic, and walk away. A few hours later, your kitchen smells like a cozy Sunday roast and the pork is so tender you can cut it with a fork.
The broth and butter melt together into a glossy, savory sauce that begs to be spooned over mashed potatoes, rice, or a hunk of crusty bread. It’s the kind of meal that makes everyone drift into the kitchen asking, “How long until dinner?”
If you’ve ever been burned by dry, chewy pork chops, this method is your redemption. Slow, gentle cooking in liquid keeps everything juicy, and the butter adds a richness that makes it taste like you worked much harder than you did.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Seriously easy. Five ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and no searing, no sauce-making, no babysitting.
- Melt-in-your-mouth tender. Low and slow cooking turns a budget-friendly cut into something special.
- Built-in gravy. The cooking liquid becomes a rich, buttery sauce you can serve as is or thicken in two minutes.
- Family-friendly flavor. Savory, herby, and mild enough for picky eaters.
- Flexible. Works in the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or oven, and it’s easy to double for a crowd.
Ingredient Notes
The pork chops. For butter smothered pork chops, the cut matters. Look for bone-in shoulder (blade) chops, sometimes labeled pork steaks, about 3/4 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) thick. They have plenty of marbling and connective tissue, which breaks down during slow cooking into silky, tender meat. Lean center-cut loin chops can turn dry and stringy over long cooking times. If loin chops are all you can find, shorten the cook time.
The liquid and butter. Beef broth gives the deepest, most savory sauce, but chicken broth works if that’s what’s in your pantry. Use real butter, salted or unsalted. If you use unsalted, taste the sauce at the end and adjust the salt. In the UK and Australia, look for “pork shoulder steaks” at the butcher counter. In Canada and the US, “blade chops” or “pork shoulder chops” are your best bet.
The seasonings. Dried rosemary is the classic choice here, but Italian seasoning or thyme works nicely too. Fresh garlic cloves, smashed and left whole, give you gentle flavor without any bitterness. If you only have garlic powder, use about 1 teaspoon and skip the cloves.
Recipe Card
Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 6 to 8 hours on low (3 to 4 on high) | Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in pork shoulder (blade) chops, 3/4 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) thick
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef broth
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, cut into 6 pats
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional gravy: 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water
Method: See the step-by-step instructions below.
How to Make Butter Smothered Pork Chops
1. Season the chops. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
Tip: Dry meat absorbs seasoning better, and it keeps the sauce from getting watery.
2. Add the chops to the slow cooker. Arrange them in a single layer if you can. A little overlap is fine, but try not to stack them in a tall pile.
3. Add the garlic and rosemary. Tuck the smashed garlic cloves around the chops and sprinkle the rosemary over the top.
4. Pour in the broth. Add the beef broth around the edges so you don’t rinse the seasoning off the pork. The liquid should come about halfway up the chops.
5. Top with butter. Place a pat of butter (about 1 tablespoon each) on every chop. As it melts, it bastes the meat and enriches the broth.
6. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone easily.
Tip: Resist the urge to lift the lid. Every peek adds 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.
7. Make it a gravy (optional). For a thicker sauce, ladle about 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy, then pour it back over the chops.
8. Serve. Spoon the buttery sauce over the pork and dig in.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimates only, based on 6 servings with one bone-in chop and a share of the sauce per serving. Actual values will vary by brand and cut.
- Calories: about 420
- Protein: about 34 g
- Carbohydrates: about 2 g
- Fat: about 30 g
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Let the chops cool, then store them in an airtight container with plenty of sauce for up to 3 to 4 days. The sauce keeps the meat moist.
Reheating: Warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat, or in the microwave at 50% power in short bursts, spooning sauce over the chops as they heat. Gentle heat is the key to keeping them tender.
Freezer: Freeze the chops and sauce together in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Budget Note
Butter smothered pork chops are a wallet-friendly dinner. Shoulder chops are usually one of the cheapest cuts at the meat counter, and the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples. Depending on where you shop, expect to spend roughly $2.50 to $3.50 (about £2 to £2.75) per serving.
To stretch it further, buy family packs of chops and freeze half, or serve with inexpensive sides like rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. Using homemade or bouillon-cube broth instead of boxed broth saves a little more.
Variations
Lighter version. Swap half the butter for olive oil, and use low-sodium broth. Trim any large pieces of visible fat from the chops before cooking. You’ll still get a flavorful sauce, just a little less rich.
Low-carb and keto. This recipe is already low-carb as written. Skip the cornstarch and thicken the sauce by simmering it down in a saucepan, or whisk in a spoonful of cream cheese for a creamy finish. Serve with cauliflower mash or roasted green beans.
Instant Pot method. Add the ingredients to the pot, seal the lid, and cook on high pressure for 25 to 30 minutes with a natural release of 10 minutes. Check that the meat is tender, and cook for 5 more minutes if needed. This is a great option when you’re short on time.
Dairy-free swap. Replace the butter with a dairy-free butter alternative or 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. You’ll lose a bit of creaminess, but the savory broth and herbs still deliver plenty of flavor.
FAQ
Can I use boneless pork chops? Yes, but they cook faster and dry out more easily. Reduce the time to 3 to 4 hours on low or 1.5 to 2 hours on high, and check them early. Bone-in shoulder chops give the juiciest results.
Can I make this ahead? Absolutely. The flavor actually deepens overnight. Cook the chops, refrigerate them in the sauce, and reheat gently when you’re ready to serve.
Do I have to sear the pork first? No, and that’s part of the charm. Searing adds a little extra color and flavor, but this recipe is designed to be a true dump-and-go meal that tastes great without it.
What can I use instead of beef broth? Chicken or vegetable broth both work. Beef gives a deeper, more robust flavor, while chicken makes the sauce a little lighter. You can also stir in a splash of Worcestershire sauce for extra depth.
What’s the right internal temperature for pork chops? Pork is safe at 145°F (63°C), but slow-cooked shoulder chops are at their most tender closer to 190°F to 200°F (88°C to 93°C), when the connective tissue has fully broken down. If your chops aren’t fork-tender yet, give them more time.
Related Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Gravy
- Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes (the perfect side for soaking up the sauce)
- Garlic Butter Roasted Green Beans