Pork and Beans with Garlic and Greens

Name: Pork and Beans with Garlic and Greens
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound white or cannellini beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound boneless pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 onion, sliced; 12 to 15 peeled whole garlic cloves; 1 cup chopped tomatoes; 2 cups thinly sliced kale or mustard greens; 2 tablespoons grainy mustard; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; About 1 quart chicken stock

By John Willoughby

Total Time: About 3 hours, mostly unattended, plus soaking time
Rating: 5(374)
Comments: Read comments

Like other commonplace ingredients, beans too often fail to get their culinary due. Prepared with a little care, they can be as good in their own way as caviar, with subtly distinct, satisfyingly earthy flavors and a texture perfectly pitched between tenderness and chew. This recipe provides a classy twist on the typical view of pork and beans and even includes the use of that ubiquitous green, kale.

Featured in: Who Needs an Oven? Just Bury Your Beans

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

1pound white or cannellini beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
1tablespoon olive oil
1pound boneless pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
1onion, sliced
12 to 15peeled whole garlic cloves
1cup chopped tomatoes
2cups thinly sliced kale or mustard greens
2tablespoons grainy mustard
2teaspoons kosher salt
1teaspoon black pepper
About 1 quart chicken stock

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Drain and rinse the soaked beans, then heat the oven to 350.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot over medium-high until hot but not smoking. Add the pork and brown well on all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the pork, along with the beans, tomatoes, greens, mustard, salt and pepper and enough chicken stock to cover. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 4
Cover and transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the beans are tender, 2½ to 3 hours, checking every half-hour or so after the first hour and adding water as needed if all the liquid has been absorbed.

Ratings

5 out of 5

374 user ratings

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Comments

Thyra Porter7 years ago

This is also easy to make in a crockpot, if you aren't home all day to watch the oven. Just brown the meat on the stove top first.

Sarah6 years ago

I made this in the instant pot (35 minutes on high pressure w/natural release). I quick-soaked my dried cannellini beans for about 2 hours. I used the saute function for the pork, onions and then garlic, and used homemade smoked chicken stock. Only modifications: 1/2C white wine and 1T of herbs de provence. It thickened up nicely, and we served it with crusty bread. Healthful, hearty, and delicious. Next time I'll pair with East Coast Grill's Cornbread. Yum!

Jacqueline7 years ago

For a decidedly country French version, instead of mustard, add a bouquet garni (fresh thyme, fresh bay leaves, Italian parsley) to the liquid. Use generous pinches to taste of Epices Rabelais, available online, which is what every charcuterie in France uses in pates, sausages, and all things pork. Or approximate it by mixing cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander. Instead of the oven, you can halve the cooking time by using a pressure cooker (I used a 30+year old SEB stovetop model from France)

lauren3 months ago

This was spectacular. I used Rancho Gordo cranberry beans instead, as their alubia blancas would turn to mush in that cook time, and those were what I received in my latest Bean Club shipment. It was between the cranberry and the King City Pinks, actually, and while I’m sure those would’ve been delicious in their own way, the cranberry beans were perfectly sized for this recipe. Their creaminess really complemented the other ingredients as well. I also used collards as my green, and one whole bunch, which was way more than two cups and necessitated more like 6-7 cups of stock as a result. No problemo. Would make it this exact same way again. Took just about 2.5 hours, beans were soaked for 5 hours ahead of time.

Niko3 months ago

Any changes needed if using tinned beans? Should I add them later in the process (or shorten cooking time)?

dv1 year ago

Made this w smoked pork shoulder & canned white beans, it shortened the cooking time (1hr15 after browning the meat, as long a the rice took in the cooker). With a duck leg it would almost have been a cassoulet… Despite being precooked, the meat benefited a lot from the cooking as it got fork tender. I sautéed the mustard greens with the onions, garlic and some carrots. Added some lemon juice after it was cooked which gave it a nice little uplift. Served it with black rice - delicious!!

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