Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork chops are very tender and easily fall apart when touched with a fork. Cooking on LOW gives you the most melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Once the pork chops are done, gently stir the gravy around the edges and over the top to blend any juices that have collected. The sauce should be thick, creamy, and a rich golden brown with little bubbles around the edges.
Taste the gravy and, if desired, add a pinch of salt and black pepper to suit your family’s preferences. (Many gravy mixes are salty enough on their own, so you may not need much, if any.)
Serve the pork chops straight from the slow cooker, spooning plenty of the creamy golden-brown gravy over each portion. The meat will be very tender, so use a wide spatula or spoon to lift it out in big pieces.
For picky eaters, you can use boneless pork chops instead of bone-in; just check them a bit earlier, as they can cook faster and may not need quite as long to become tender. If your family prefers a milder flavor, use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in place of cream of chicken, or mix one can of each. To make the gravy a little lighter, choose a reduced-sodium gravy packet and low-sodium condensed soup, then season to taste at the end. If you like a thicker, almost pot-roast-style gravy, leave the lid off for the last 20 to 30 minutes on HIGH to let some steam escape and the sauce bubble and reduce. For extra richness, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of sour cream or a splash of heavy cream right before serving—this keeps the ingredient list simple during cooking but lets you dress it up at the end. You can also add sliced onions or a handful of baby carrots under the pork chops for a one-pot meal; they’ll soak up the gravy and turn wonderfully soft. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce, and they’re delicious piled onto toasted bread for open-faced sandwiches the next day.
