I just recently discovered these amazing giant baked beans at Trader Joe's and I had to come up with a creative way to use them. So as all great KendellKreations begin, I started with what I had on hand and went from there. So, some pork tenderloins, a box of chicken stock, these amazing baked beans, and some rice turned into this tasty Pork and Beans perfect for the cooler months ahead.
The Beans
These beans came into my life while I was on my Pacific Northwest Expedition during September and October of 2019. I spent 6 weeks traveling in the upper left with my dog and my tiny travel trailer. I have always loved Trader Joe's but the stores there make out Texas counterparts look like convince stores.
They are packed with flavor and can add a little excitement to just about any dish. They have a tiny bit of spice to them, but a sweet heat that will keep you coming back for more, and more, and more!
While I was on my expedition I was experiencing some cooler temps as fall turned the corner, so my first time using these beans I made a fantastic soup over the campfire that I wish you could have experienced with me. Packed full of flavor because of these beans, and heartwarming to match. I ate it so fast I don't even have a bad phone picture to show you.
Why Pork and Beans?
As I said, I had some pork tenderloins that I needed to use up. And I had these beans that I grabbed and didn't have a solid plan for yet. I settled on making a
I begin by dicing up the pork tenderloins and seasoning them while I prepare to make the rest of the dish.
Once again, I will talk about how I learned from Samin Nosrat and her Netflix show "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat". Salt your meats as soon as you bring it home to allow the flavors to develop. If you haven't watched it, go do it now and then come back to this.
The importance of seasoning your meat ahead of time and then letting it come to room temp before cooking is huge. Once you begin to do this it will change the way you cook and enjoy food in the future. It will reduce cooking time and help you to cook meats more evenly.
How to make Pork and Beans
I begin by searing off my diced pork in the bottom of a heavy cast iron pan. This is an important step in this process because you want to begin the cooking process by creating flavor at the bottom. Browning the meat will produce a crispy bottom to your pan. Then you then deglaze with the chicken stock adding more flavor to the overall dish.
Then after I deglaze the pan with the chicken stock I allow the meat to perform a quick braise in the sauce while a beautiful gravy begins to form. Allow that to simmer while the meat tenderizes, then add in some diced tomatoes and stew it down. Because these beans are already cooked and stewed I add them in at the very end. Do this so the beans don't disintegrate and disappear into the stew.
Serve these Pork and Beans over basmati rice, basmati is the only rice I use in my kitchen these days. I did a little research on rice a while back and learned that all rice has a bit of arsenic in it, but basmati has the least. I also love the way it cooks and how easy it is to cook.
More comfort food recipes
Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Chicken with Potatoes
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Not ya mama's Pork and Beans
This dish is a true KendellKreation. A product of what I had on hand and wanting to create something delicious for dinner. It came out amazing and that's why I am sharing it with you here and now.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Pork Tenderloin, diced
- Greek Seasoning
- Oregano
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 3 Cans Giant Baked Beans from Trader Joe's
- 2 cups Basmati Rice
Instructions
- First dice your pork loin into bite-sized, roughly 1-inch pieces. Season them with the Greek seasoning, oregano, and salt and pepper, a generous dusting of each to coat. Allow the pork to sit, seasoned, at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour to allow the flavors to meld and the meat to temper for cooking.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot heated over medium heat, add the oil and allow to get hot. Carefully add the pork to the hot oil and sear until browned.
- When the meat has browned on at least 2 sides, add the flour and stir to coat. This will help create a gravy-like sauce to quickly braise the meat in. Cook for 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock. Using a spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any of the brown bits, adding flavor to the gravy.
- Cook the pork in the gravy on low for about 30 minutes with the lid on to stew it down and soften the meat.
- While your pork is braising, cook your rice. In a pot, bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and place the lid on the pot. Leave to steam for about 10 minutes. This will leave you with the most perfect and fluffy rice ever, but will only work with white basmati rice.
- When your pork has finished braising and your rice is ready, add in the diced tomatoes and turn the heat up to medium-low and allow that to stew for about 15 minutes.
- Add in the beans 5 minutes before serving and allow to come to a simmer to blend the flavors together. Cooking the beans with the meat earlier will overcook them and they will mush into the stew and disappear.
Notes
I would only suggest using a small pork tenderloin for this recipe, they are all dark meat and get tender faster. Using a pork loin like you would cut pork chops from would not work, or would at least require much more time to cook and braise. They can be found in most grocery stores, just look for a smaller pork tenderloin vs pork loin.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Kathryn
These are SO not my mama's pork and beans...they're way better! Can't wait to get me some of these giant beans next time I'm at TJ again!
Kendell
Yes, so much you can do with these beans, but I loved using them like this!