Smothered Pork Chops (Slow Cooker)

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, chopped
6 pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved into half moons
1 tsp plus 1 TBS light brown sugar
1/4 C plus 2 TBS cold water
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp dried thyme
3 C chicken broth
1 TBS soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS cider vinegar
Fresh Parsley

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towls, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 TBS drippings, drain the excess. If you don't have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.

Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn't big enough. When golden, transfer the chops to the slow cooker.

Pour off all but 1 tsp of fat; add onions, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 C water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce, and remaining 1 TBS brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours.

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 C liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 TBS water together in a small sauce pan and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, pour over pork chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.