Pork Chops with Dried Fruit

Pork chops with dried fruit is the kind of slow cooker dinner that builds layers of flavor while you’re at work. Bone-in pork loin chops sit on the bottom of the crock, dried fruit piles on top, and a sauce of brown sugar, orange marmalade, apple cider vinegar, ginger, and apricot nectar pours over the whole thing.

Low and slow for 6 to 7 hours pulls the dried fruit back to plump and tender while the pork picks up sweet-tart flavor from the braising liquid. The marmalade and vinegar work together, one delivering bittersweet citrus, the other cutting through the richness so nothing turns cloying.

Finishing the cooking liquid with a cornstarch slurry transforms it from thin braising broth into a glossy sauce that coats the pork. Don’t skip it. The thickened sauce is what makes this feel like a proper plate, not just a stew.

Pro Tips

• Use bone-in chops if you can find them. They stay juicier through the long cook than boneless and add body to the sauce.
• Pork is done when slightly pink near the bone, not gray throughout. Cooked to gray it gets stringy and dry.
• Mixed dried fruit packs typically include prunes, apricots, pears, and apples. Pick a mix without added sugar so the sauce doesn’t tip too sweet.
• Stir the cornstarch slurry constantly while it thickens. Lumps form fast if you walk away from the saucepan.

Variations

• Swap apricot nectar for apple cider for a more autumnal profile.
• Add a cinnamon stick and 2 whole cloves to the crock for warming spice.
• Use boneless pork tenderloin cut into 2-inch medallions and reduce the cook time to 4 to 5 hours.