Slow Cooker Smothered Pork Chops
, Published Mar 18, 2025
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Tender slow cooker smothered pork chops in a rich creamy gravy with mushrooms and Marsala. This easy pork recipe is supremely hearty and comforting.
Creamy mushroom sauce and melt-in-the-mouth pork is the perfect comforting pick-me-up when you feel too tired to cook. Yes, this crockpot dish does take a little longer to cook, but your slow cooker will be doing most of the work.
There’s something particularly comforting about this dish that’s hard to define. It’s like a pot roast or a stew your mom used to make, but using whole steaks gives it a touch of luxury and full-on flavor that cannot be beat.
This is basically Pork Marsala – a slow cooker version of my Chicken Marsala recipe. The saucy is so richly flavorful that my husband was constantly “tasting” it while I was trying to photograph it. If you are a fan of Chicken Stroganoff, you will love this creamy comforting dish!
Smothered Pork Chops Ingredients
If your slow cooker has a searing function (I used my Instant Pot Superior Cooker) then you can make the entire recipe in it. If not, you can start the prep using a skillet and transfer the ingredients into the slow cooker insert to finish cooking.
- Pork chops: I used pork shoulder steaks as they have a little marbling of fat and are less likely to dry out in the slow cooker. You can also use thick-cut boneless pork chops or bone-in pork chops.
- A little flour, salt and pepper for the pork and cornstarch slurry (= cornflour in the UK) to thicken the sauce if needed.
- Finely diced shallots or sweet onions and minced or chopped garlic.
- Mushrooms: I used crimini mushrooms (chestnut mushrooms). You can use whole button mushrooms or other types provided you don’t slice them too small. Bear in mind that the mushrooms will cook down in the slow cooker so be generous!
- Butter and olive oil, for searing.
- Marsala wine to deglaze the slow cooker. There’s two types of Marsala btw, one is sweet (dolce) and the other dry (secco). The dry Marsala is most suitable for this recipe while the sweet can be used in desserts.
- Chicken broth or stock made using stockpots, a stock cube or bouillon powder.
- Tomato paste (purée)
- Chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
- Heavy cream to add richness and luxurious depth to the sauce.
How to Make Slow Cooker Smothered Pork Chops
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
- Pat the pork shoulder steaks dry and allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. Dust the steaks with flour on both sides, or place the flour in a shallow plate and dredge the pork, shaking any excess flour off. Season well with salt and and freshly ground pepper.
- Add butter and olive oil to the slow cooker and heat using the “sear” setting. Add the steaks and sear them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown, then set them aside. You may need to do this in batches. If your crockpot doesn’t have a browning function, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and pan fry the steaks.
- Deglaze the slow cooker (or the pan if you have used one) with the wine, scraping any browned bits with the back of a wooden spoon. This is where a lot of the flavor comes from so don’t skip it!
- Add the chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. At this point you can transfer everything to the slow cooker if you have used a separate skillet.
- Place the pork steaks on top of the mushrooms. Add the remaining wine and chicken broth, cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or the low setting for 4-5 or until the pork is completely tender when pierced with a knife.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce if needed, and cook on the high setting for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cream, adjust the seasoning, top with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or rice with steamed beans or broccoli.
Storing and freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, adding a little water when reheating. I would also suggest not using a microwave to reheat, as it might make the steaks tough. I usually avoid freezing recipes that contain cream as it can become a bit grainy when reheating.
Substitutions and variations
You can replace the Marsala with sherry or dry white wine. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, you can use chicken broth instead with a teaspoon of sherry vinegar. This recipe works well with braising beef steaks instead of the pork.
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Slow Cooker Smothered Pork Chops with creamy Marsala Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 thick pork shoulder steaks , boneless
- 2 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80ml) dry Marsala wine see notes
- 4 large shallots , finely diced
- 14 oz (400g) mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- ½ tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1 cup (250ml) chicken broth (stock)
- ¼ cup (60ml) cream heavy / double
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley , chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Pat the pork shoulder steaks dry with kitchen paper and allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.
- Dust the steaks with flour on both sides, or place the flour in a shallow plate and dredge the pork, shaking any excess flour off. Season with the salt and and freshly ground pepper.2 tbsp flour, 4 thick pork shoulder steaks, ½ tsp salt, ⅓ tsp black pepper
- Add butter and olive oil to the slow cooker and heat using the “sear” setting. Add the steaks and sear them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown, then set them aside. You may need to do this in batches.1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Alternatively, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and pan fry the steaks.
- Deglaze the slow cooker (or the pan if you have used one) with a splash of the Marsala, scraping any browned bits with the back of a wooden spoon. This is where a lot of the flavor comes from so don’t skip it!⅓ cup (80ml) dry Marsala wine
- Add the chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste.4 large shallots, 14 oz (400g) mushrooms , 3 cloves garlic, 2 tsp tomato paste
- Place the pork steaks on top of the mushrooms. Add the remaining wine and chicken broth, cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or the low setting for 4-5 or until the pork is completely tender when pierced with a knife.1 cup (250ml) chicken broth
- Dilute the cornstarch in a little cold water. Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce if needed, and cook on the high setting for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens..½ tbsp cornstarch
- Stir in the cream and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or rice.¼ cup (60ml) cream, salt and pepper, 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley
Notes
Storing and freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, adding a little water when reheating. I would also suggest not using a microwave to reheat, as it might make the steaks tough. I usually avoid freezing recipes that contain cream as it can become a bit grainy when reheating.Substitutions and variations
You can replace the Marsala with sherry or dry white wine. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, you can use chicken broth instead with a teaspoon of sherry vinegar.Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
