When the middle of July settles in heavy and warm, this is the kind of supper that feels like good sense passed down through the family. A few pork sirloin chops, a bottle of barbecue sauce, and a sliced onion turn into a tender, savory meal with hardly any fuss at all. Slow cooker suppers like this have long been a blessing in country kitchens, especially on days when turning on the oven feels like too much, and there is something mighty comforting about knowing dinner will be waiting by suppertime.
This pork is wonderful spooned over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or a mound of plain white rice to catch that rich sauce. In summertime, I like to set it beside green beans, sweet corn, sliced tomatoes, or a simple cucumber salad from the garden. If you are feeding a hungry bunch, soft sandwich buns and a bowl of coleslaw make it stretch beautifully.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Mid-July Suppertime Pork Sirloin Chops
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 raw bone-in pork sirloin chops, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total
Directions
1. Lightly spread a small spoonful of the barbecue sauce over the bottom of the slow cooker, then scatter in half of the sliced onion.
2. Lay the pork sirloin chops on top in an even layer, then cover with the remaining onion and pour the rest of the barbecue sauce over everything.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the pork is very tender and cooked through.
4. Remove the bones if you like, gently break up the pork into large pieces right in the cooker, and spoon the meat and sauce over your favorite side dishes to serve.
Variations & Tips
For a sweeter supper: Use a honey-style barbecue sauce and add a few extra onion slices if your family likes that old-fashioned sweet-and-savory flavor. It is especially good served with corn on the cob.
For a smokier flavor: Choose a hickory or mesquite barbecue sauce. That gives the pork a cookout taste even when it has been quietly bubbling away in the slow cooker all afternoon.
For easier serving: If you plan to make sandwiches, cook the pork until it is tender enough to pull into chunks, discard the bones, and stir the meat back through the sauce before piling it onto buns.
For the best texture: Bone-in pork sirloin chops hold onto moisture better than many leaner cuts, but do keep an eye on the time. Once they are fork-tender, prolonged cooking can make the meat a bit too soft.
For make-ahead ease: Layer everything into the slow cooker insert the night before, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, set the insert into the cooker and start it up so supper is handled before the heat of the day ever gets to you.
