Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
Bone-in chops over baby potatoes with ranch seasoning and butter. The potatoes soak up the pork juices while the chops cook to 145°F.
Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes5
hoursBone-in chops over baby potatoes with ranch seasoning and butter. The potatoes soak up the pork juices while the chops cook to 145°F.
Ingredients
4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup frozen green beans, thawed (optional)
Fresh chives, for serving
Directions
- Toss the halved potatoes with the olive oil and a third of the ranch seasoning in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pat the chops dry and rub the rest of the ranch seasoning, the paprika and the pepper into both sides.
- Lay the chops over the potatoes in a single layer so the juices drip down onto them.
- Scatter the garlic and the butter pieces over the chops.
- Pour the broth into the pot along the side, not over the meat, so the seasoning stays on.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, and start checking the chops at 3½ hours.
- Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of a chop: pull them at 145°F.
- Move the chops to a plate and tent with foil for 5 minutes. Test a potato with a fork, and cook it on HIGH 20 minutes more if it is firm.
- If using green beans, stir them into the potatoes for the last 30 minutes so they stay green.
- Spoon the buttery juices over the potatoes and chops, and top with chives.
Notes
- Use baby potatoes or cut larger potatoes into 1-inch pieces, because big chunks stay firm. Thin chops belong to a different recipe: they cook faster than the potatoes. Keep leftovers 3 days, and reheat the potatoes in a skillet to crisp the edges.
Why the potatoes go on the bottom
Potatoes under the chops catch every drip of butter and pork juice, which is the whole point of this pot. The ranch seasoning flavors both layers at once, so you need no sauce.
Halving the baby potatoes gives each piece a cut side that browns slightly in the butter.
Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes: what to swap
Red potatoes cut in 1-inch chunks work well. Skip russets, which fall apart and cloud the juices. Bone-in is the choice here, since boneless chops dry out first.
Make your own ranch blend if you prefer, using dried dill, garlic and onion powder.
Serving and reheating
A simple green salad or buttered corn rounds out the plate. For leftovers, crisp the potatoes in a hot skillet and warm the pork gently in a splash of the juices. Microwaving makes the potatoes soft and the chops tough.
One mistake with this pot
Using thin chops. They cook faster than the potatoes, so you get dry pork next to firm potatoes. Choose chops about an inch thick, and test a potato with a fork before you pull the pork. The extra 20 minutes on HIGH fixes stubborn potatoes.
Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 hours
- Servings: 4 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by bone-in pork chops, baby potatoes, olive oil, packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
Tips for Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
Use baby potatoes or cut larger potatoes into 1-inch pieces, because big chunks stay firm. Thin chops belong to a different recipe: they cook faster than the potatoes. Keep leftovers 3 days, and reheat the potatoes in a skillet to crisp the edges.
Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes FAQ
How long does Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes take?
Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes takes 5 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes serve?
This recipe makes 4 servings.
What do I need to make Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes?
12 ingredients, led by bone-in pork chops, baby potatoes, olive oil, packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
