Julie Clark
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Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Sauerkraut
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A simple Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Sauerkraut recipe with sweet apples. The juices make the best gravy for mashed potatoes or a piece of rustic sourdough bread.
Matt has been requesting that I make sauerkraut more often than not lately. He can’t get enough of it. But me? I can only handle it in small amounts, mostly when paired with an oven baked bratwurst.
Years ago, I remember my mom making a sauerkraut with apples and brown sugar on New Year’s Day. The sweet paired with the tangy was hard to resist. A few years ago Matt’s aunt shared her recipe which was similar, but used the unique ingredient of caraway seeds. These “seeds” have an earthy, yet slightly citrusy flavor that pair well with sauerkraut.
This easy pork chops and sauerkraut recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights. You can even prep the ingredients in the slow cooker the night before, refrigerate the liner and start it cooking the next morning. Add mashed potatoes or a baked potato as a side!
Happy cooking! -Julie
Thanks to the Ohio Pork Council for sponsoring this post and allowing us to share this pork chop recipe. Ohio has more than 3500 family pork farms that raise enough pork to feed more than 25 million people.
Ingredients Needed
There are just a few simple ingredients in this crockpot pork chops recipe, and it is naturally gluten free.
- Boneless pork chops. Pork provides nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc and essential fatty acids. Thick cut and bone-in pork chops work great for slow cooking, too.
- Apple. Any apple will work, but I prefer a sweeter apple such as Gala or Pink Lady.
- Caraway seeds. Buy caraway seeds in the baking aisle of the grocery store. You can use any leftovers in rye bread.
✨ See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts. ✨
Make Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Sauerkraut in 4 Steps
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown them on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the drained sauerkraut, chopped onion, cubed apple, caraway seeds, and brown sugar.
- Spread half of the sauerkraut mixture in the bottom of a slow cooker. Layer the browned pork chops on top. Cover with the remaining kraut mixture.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the pork is tender and falls apart.
Serving Ideas
Serve this slow cooker pork chops and sauerkraut with one of these sides:
- Gruyere mashed potatoes
- Green Beans
- Crusty Sourdough Loaf
- Matt’s aunt serves her pork and sauerkraut with homemade biscuits!
Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Sauerkraut
A simple Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Sauerkraut recipe with sweet apples. The juices make the best gravy for mashed potatoes or a piece of rustic sourdough bread.
Servings 6
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 boneless pork chops
- 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1.5 grams
- 2 pounds sauerkraut drained
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium red apple cored and cubed
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds 9 grams
- 3/4 cup brown sugar 150 grams
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown them on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove from heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 6 boneless pork chops, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a large bowl, mix the drained sauerkraut, chopped onion, cubed apple, caraway seeds, and brown sugar. 2 pounds sauerkraut, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 medium red apple, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Spread half of the sauerkraut mixture in the bottom of a slow cooker. Layer the browned pork chops on top. Cover with the remaining kraut mixture.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the pork is tender and falls apart.
Notes
- Oven instructions: Layer kraut, pork chops and kraut in a dutch oven or large casserole. Cover with foil and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 2½-3 hours.
- Store leftover pork in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Have a pork roast? You can use that in this recipe as well, but cut it into chunks so it cooks more quickly. Pork roasts shred really easily after a long day of slow cooking.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being pork chop and kraut. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1267mg | Potassium: 868mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
