Description
Creamy ranch pork chops with hearty potatoes create a comforting one-pot wonder that simplifies weeknight dinners. Tender meat and perfectly seasoned potatoes promise a delicious meal that brings family together with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 6 boneless pork chops (¾ inch thick (or bone-in))
Vegetables:
- 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) red potatoes (quartered)
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter (cubed)
Instructions
- Prepare red potatoes by thoroughly washing and quartering them into consistent, bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Preheat a skillet to medium-high temperature and add a light coating of olive oil. Quickly sear pork chops on both sides until they develop a rich, golden-brown exterior, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
- Create the ranch seasoning marinade by whisking olive oil, dry ranch seasoning, and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl until the ingredients become fully integrated and smooth.
- Arrange quartered potatoes in a uniform layer along the bottom of the crockpot, creating a foundational base for the dish.
- Carefully position the seared pork chops atop the potato layer, ensuring they are nestled evenly across the surface.
- Generously drizzle the prepared ranch seasoning mixture over the pork chops and potatoes, using gentle movements to distribute the marinade and coat all ingredients thoroughly.
- Strategically scatter cubed butter across the top of the dish, which will slowly melt during cooking and infuse additional richness and flavor throughout the meal.
- Secure the crockpot lid and select cooking time: high setting for 3 hours or low setting for 5-6 hours, until pork chops reach tender consistency and potatoes are completely cooked through.
- Once cooking is complete, taste the dish and make final seasoning adjustments with salt and pepper as needed. Gently stir to redistribute the melted butter and seasonings before serving.
Notes
- Searing pork chops before slow cooking locks in rich, deep flavors and creates a beautiful golden-brown exterior that enhances the overall taste of the dish.
- Using red potatoes ensures a creamy, tender texture that absorbs the ranch seasoning perfectly and provides a delightful contrast to the juicy pork chops.
- The ranch seasoning mixture combines olive oil and apple cider vinegar to create a tangy, herbaceous coating that infuses the meat and potatoes with incredible depth.
- Cubed butter melts during cooking, adding a luxurious richness and helping to keep the pork chops incredibly moist and tender throughout the slow-cooking process.
- Cooking times vary between high (3 hours) and low (5-6 hours) settings, allowing flexibility for different schedules while ensuring consistently delicious results.
- Always check internal pork temperature reaches 145°F and let the meat rest briefly after cooking to guarantee maximum juiciness and food safety.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 29 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg