Slow pot pork chops and cheese rice are a great dinner, inexpensive, and are one of the easiest meals to prepare. The recipe is a great way to liven up pork chops and create a filling, filling, and nutritious meal for the family.
DISCLAIMER: This publication is sponsored by the Wisconsin Pork Producers Association. As always, the opinions are honest and they are all mine.
We love the pork chops around here, and I especially love cooking dinner in the slow cooker. Pork chops and rice are the perfect examples of how to prepare an easy meal for the family without spending much time in the kitchen.
When pork chops finish cooking, they fall off the fork and are very easy to crush because they are very tender.
In general, you could spend a total of fifteen minutes preparing the dish and putting it in the slow cooker, including time to add the rice towards the end.
If you love slow cook meals, try a delicious and hearty sausage and pepper recipe.
Start at the farm
We ate a lot of pork growing up because it’s a great dinner to serve the family. My grandfather had some pigs on his farm and there was never a shortage of pork in that house.
I grew cotton and had quite a few farm animals, including chickens, horses, and cows (my younger cousin and I even got into some trouble when we were kids because we left the door open to cow pasture and accidentally let most of the cows into the barn, where they tried to eat the feed, wow)!
But, if you ask my older cousin and sister, they’ll tell you that it wasn’t the first or last time we got into trouble, ha!
I fondly remember climbing to the back of the barn many times, with my cousin, and we would sit and look at the beautiful white cotton fields and look at the pigs in their pen below.
Although
my grandfather only had a few pigs, the way farmers work with them has changed quite a bit over the
years. Farmers are
working hard to make sure pigs are taken care of in every way, as well as to create more sustainable farms that help not only farmers but everyone.
Pig farmers have improved their breeding by using less water, less energy, and even less land. You can read more about the fascinating changes in Porkcares.org.
Here are some things that are happening in the industry, as noted in Pork.org. The farmers are:
“
- Produce safe food
- Protect and promote animal welfare
- protect public health
- Safeguard natural resources in all our practices
- Provide a work environment that is safe and consistent with our other ethical principles
- Contribute to a better quality of life in our communities”
Ensure practices to
Many young people participate in 4H clubs and participate in agricultural activities. Students learn planning, record keeping, goal setting, service to others, and much more before they even leave high school.
So when you eat pork, you’re helping to benefit a long list of people.
Did you know
that
some of the leanest cuts of pork actually have fewer calories than chicken? So, if you’re trying to lose some weight or keep it off, try changing things up with pork.
As I get
older, I have to add more vitamins and minerals to my diet and it’s not always an easy task, but pork has been helpful because it has a tremendous amount of nutrients that help make it easier to get what you need.
Here are some examples of nutrients found in a 3-ounce cut of pork, depending on Pork.org/
: iron, magnesium, potassium,
- zinc, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B12 and B6
.
Pork.org states: “Pork is naturally low in sodium and a ‘good’ source of potassium, two nutrients that, when combined, can help regulate blood pressure. The American Heart Association has certified that pork loin and roast pork tenderloin meet the criteria as heart-healthy foods…” Therefore, pork
is not only tasty but good for you. And
, you can use pork chops
in so many recipes, such as slow-cooked chops and pork sauce, baked pork chops, grilled pork chops, shredded pork, breaded pork chops, and more
.
You can make this recipe in two different ways. In the video, I added the liquid first, but in the steps below, I added it later and it will work anyway.
Full recipe and printable instructions below
Start by spraying the slow cooker with some nonstick spray. It’s not a big deal if you skip this step, but you’ll have a much easier time cleaning the slow cooker when you’re done cooking.
Next, add the boneless pork chops
to the slow cooker
Spread the mushroom soup
over the top of the pork chops
.
One of the best things about this recipe is that you can use ingredients that are already prepared, such as mushroom soup, as it will allow you to cook the food quickly and can get to work. Or take the kids to school and get on with their day while their dinner is cooked.
Next, sprinkle the garlic powder, dried onion flakes, salt and pepper on top of the pork chops.
Pour the chicken broth and water over the top of everything.
Finally, add the butter to the slow cooker and place the lid on top.
I simmered the pork chops for seven hours, which I think helps make the pork chops more tender. They will still cook and taste great at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, but they will crumble when you simmer them for longer.
After seven hours, crush the pork chops. I usually take a couple of forks and crush it in the slow cooker.
How do I know pork chops are made?
You can easily check pork using a digital thermometer and once the temperature reaches 145 degrees, it is safe to eat.
When you are cooking in the slow cooker, you can check the pork before crushing it with a digital thermometer. Be sure to place the thermometer on the thickest part of the pork chop. If the temperature reads 145 degrees, pork chops are made.
It shouldn’t be a problem when cooking in the slow cooker for seven hours because the meat is cooking for an extended period of time. When finished, the pork will have a blush of rose, like the photo above.
For more information on cooking pork, as well as pictures, go to Pork.org.
Next, pour the rice over it. I take a spoon and make sure the rice makes its way under the liquid so that it cooks properly. (I use regular long-grain white rice.)
Now, pour one more cup of water over the top of everything.
Replace the lid and cook the rice for 45 minutes to an hour. I turn the heat up to high because you’ll have to put the heat back in there again.
Once the time is up, stir everything together and make sure the rice is cooked. From time to time, rice may need to be cooked a little more. If it seems too dry, add about 1/4 cup of water to the slow cooker and let it cook for about 15 more minutes and that should help.
Finally, after the rice is done, add the grated cheese to the slow cooker and stir everything well.
We usually serve our slow cooker pork chops and rice in a bowl, but you can also add it to a salad. My husband loves to top his salad with this meal.
You can also reheat the food and cover some toast for a leftover dinner. I have two growing teenagers and this meal does a lot, with leftovers.
If you want smaller portions, simply divide the recipe in half.
What about making pork chops with rice and canned tomatoes?
You can definitely add a can of diced tomatoes to the recipe when the cooking process begins. Many people love the addition of tomatoes.
I don’t
like pork chops and cream rice with mushroom soup, can I do it with something else?
Absolutely. You can change it for chicken soup cream, celery soup cream or cheddar cheese soup cream. It will taste a little different, but it will still be amazing!
Get the recipe for pork chops and slow cooker rice below
This is a great recipe that is easy to make and turns out delicious every time. Let the slow cooker do the work while you take care of other things.
Find more delicious recipes at
South Your Mouth, Julia’s Simply Southern and Miz Helen’s County Cottage
