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Monday, September 24, 2012

Homemade Pork and Beans

I cook large batches of beans at a time. Usually the first day we eat them plain with cornbread and the typical Southern sides ;-)
Leftovers get frozen or remade into other dishes for 3 to 4 days. This is both frugal and time-saving.
Not to mention, it covers up the fact that we're eating the same pot of beans for days :)

The pork I use is from leftovers from cooking pork loin roasts. (I only buy these when they are .99 per lb.) I  dice the leftovers and freeze in 2-cup portions so I can just drop them in.

8 cups of cooked white beans
1 1/2 cups  ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
2T brown sugar
1 minced onion
1 t ground mustard
1/2 t black pepper
salt to taste
2 cups diced cooked pork*

Place all ingredients in crockpot, on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
(Could also bake them or simmer on low on the stove until the onions are soft and flavors are blended.)

*Many people use bacon, rather than pork. The store-bought, canned version appears to use pork fat. You could trim fat from your loin roasts before cooking and dice for this as well. You could also use salt pork or fat back. I find the diced fat or diced pork loin to be the most frugal for me.
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This post is linked to The Ultimate Beans and Rice Recipe List 
We Are That Family 
Thrifty 101

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9 comments:

  1. SheilaSeptember 24, 2012 at 5:41 PM

    We don't eat a ton of pork and beans, but the last several cans I've gotten have been just mushy. I'm going to try this. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. DonnaSeptember 24, 2012 at 6:16 PM

    Sheila,
    Hope you find this better than the canned! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. SheilaSeptember 25, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    I didn't initially notice that you started with cooked white beans. Does cooking them 2 1/2-3 hours more not make them mushy? Do you fully cook them before you begin? I've got the ingredients on my shopping list for the week. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. DonnaSeptember 25, 2012 at 12:10 PM

    Sheila,

    There are several things you could do to make sure they don't go mushy on you.

    You are basically just reheating them this way. You could do that on the stove in minutes. You could even saute the onion first and toss in your cooked meat to heat it well.

    (Also- Cook them just until fork tender the first time.)

    Also- especially if you are working with raw meat- you could cook the meat and onions in with the beans and add the rest when you have them tender.

    White beans are prone to go mushy it seems. People who pressure cook them don't seem to have as much trouble with this- that's on my wish list!

    Mushy beans with thick juice has been popular with many old timers that I've known- but just cutting cooking time should help. White beans cook pretty fast compared.

    Fingers crossed for you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. SheilaSeptember 25, 2012 at 12:18 PM

    Thanks for all your help! I'll probably just soak them overnight cook them partially and then add the other items. I look forward to seeing how they turn out! They have to be better than canned! I always cook our pinto beans from dried (because I hate the canned taste), but I haven't ventured out from that.

    ReplyDelete
  6. DonnaSeptember 25, 2012 at 12:21 PM

    Sheila,
    - looking for more bean recipes?

    Here's a link up party this week with tons :)


    http://www.meetpenny.com/2012/09/the-ultimate-beans-rice-recipe-list-linky-party/

    ReplyDelete
  7. SheilaSeptember 25, 2012 at 12:32 PM

    I saw that somewhere else this morning also. :) I have it open to look at it later. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The Better BakerSeptember 26, 2012 at 3:50 PM

    MMM! This sounds sooo yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  9. DonnaSeptember 26, 2012 at 9:48 PM

    Thank you Better Baker! :)

    ReplyDelete