This homemade Pork and Beans has pork shoulder and bacon slow braised with navy beans in a rich smoky sauce until everything is fall apart tender and deeply satisfying. Nobody ever says no to this one.
Some recipes don’t need a reason. No holiday, no occasion, no special anything. Just a Tuesday where your soul needs something warm and the oven has 2 and a half hours to spare.
This is that recipe.
I grew up eating pork and beans at least once a week. My mom made it regularly and it showed up on the table without fanfare, just a big pot of something deeply satisfying that everyone ate without complaint. I’ve been making my own version for years now and it’s still one of those dishes that gets zero pushback in this house. Remo, who will say no to many things in life, will never say no to pork and beans. The other thing he’ll never say no to is my Chicken Schnitzel, but that’s a different post.
This version is the classic North American style with a rich smoky sauce, tender pulled pork, navy beans, bacon, and just enough sweetness to balance everything out. It’s the kind of food that makes your whole house smell incredible while you’re doing absolutely nothing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s a set it and forget it situation. You do about 20 minutes of work, put it in the oven, and 2 and a half hours later you have something that tastes like it took all day. Because it did. But you weren’t involved.
The pork gets so tender it falls apart with a spoon. The sauce is smoky, rich, and just slightly sweet. The beans soak up everything. It’s the kind of dish where you go back for seconds and then quietly go back for thirds when nobody’s watching.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pork shoulder: Boneless, trimmed, cut into 6 large chunks. This cut gets better the longer it cooks. Don’t rush it.
- Bacon: Listed as optional in the recipe card. It’s not optional. Don’t skip the bacon.
- Navy beans: 3 cans, drained and rinsed. Classic choice for pork and beans. They hold their shape and absorb the sauce beautifully.
- Tomato sauce and ketchup: The base of your sauce. Ketchup adds a little sweetness and depth you wouldn’t get from plain tomato sauce alone.
- Molasses: This is what gives the sauce that deep, slightly bitter sweetness that makes it taste like proper homemade baked beans. Don’t skip it.
- Brown sugar: Just enough to round everything out.
- Apple cider vinegar: Balances the sweetness. Important.
- Worcestershire sauce: Depth and umami. A small amount goes a long way.
- Dry mustard powder and smoked paprika: The spice backbone. Smoky, warm, not spicy.
- Onion and garlic: Non negotiable.
- Chicken broth: For deglazing and building the sauce. Water works too but broth is better.
How to Make Pork and Beans
Start by seasoning your pork chunks with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, then set it aside leaving the fat in the pot. That bacon fat is flavor. Use it.
Crank the heat to medium high and sear the pork in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Don’t crowd the pot. Browning the meat is where a lot of the flavor comes from so don’t skip this step. Set the pork aside.
In the same pot cook the onion for 4 to 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for another 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom. That’s flavor too.
Stir in the tomato sauce, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and smoked paprika. Add the beans, nestle the pork back in, scatter the bacon over top, cover, and put it in the oven at 325°F.
Walk away for 2 to 2.5 hours. Come back to something incredible.
When it’s done the pork should fall apart easily. Break it up with a spoon into large chunks and stir everything together. If you want a thicker sauce, leave the lid off and give it another 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.
Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. This is not optional. It thickens as it rests.
Want to Make It in the Slow Cooker?
Yes you can and it’s a great option for a weekday since you can set it up in the morning and come home to dinner.
Follow all the same steps, sear the pork, cook the bacon, soften the onion and garlic, build the sauce. Then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours until the pork is tender and falling apart. Break it up, stir, and serve.
If you want a thicker sauce at the end, transfer everything back to a pot on the stove and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.
How to Serve Pork and Beans
This is the part where I tell you about the raw onion.
In Romania, a lot of hearty bean dishes get served with a raw onion on the side. You slice it, sprinkle it with a little salt, and eat it alongside the beans. It sounds strange if you haven’t grown up with it. It tastes incredible if you have. The sharpness of the raw onion cuts right through the richness of the sauce in a way that nothing else does.
Try it. Trust me on this one.
Otherwise, crusty bread for dipping is non negotiable. Cornbread is also excellent. This is not a dish that needs anything fancy.
Tips and Tricks
- Sear the pork properly. Don’t rush it and don’t crowd the pot. Brown on all sides. This step matters.
- Cut the pork into large chunks, not small ones. They’ll break down during cooking and you want some texture in the finished dish.
- Don’t skip the rest time at the end. 10 minutes makes a real difference to the sauce consistency.
- Make it ahead. This is one of those dishes that’s even better the next day. The flavors deepen overnight and the sauce gets thicker. Make it on Sunday, eat it all week.
Try These Pork Recipes Next
Pork and Beans
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
- 2 to 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 6 large chunks
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth , or water
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 45 ounces navy beans, 3 cans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Season the 2 to 3 pounds pork shoulder chunks with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven, cook the 4 slices chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot. If skipping bacon, add 1 tablespoon oil.
- Increase the heat to medium high and add the pork shoulder pieces. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Work in batches if needed. Remove the pork and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in 1 ½ cups chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce, ⅔ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup molasses, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Add the 3 cans drained and rinsed navy beans and stir to combine.
- Return the seared pork and cooked bacon to the pot, nestling the pork into the beans. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours, until the pork is tender and easily pulls apart.
- Remove from the oven and break up the pork into large chunks using a spoon or fork. If you want a thicker sauce, return the pot to the oven uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Bacon: Listed as optional but don’t skip it. The bacon fat builds the base flavor for everything that comes after it.
- Pork shoulder: Don’t swap this for pork loin. Shoulder has enough fat to stay tender through the long braise. Loin will dry out.
- Make it ahead: This is even better the next day. The sauce thickens and the flavors deepen overnight. Make it on the weekend, eat it all week.
- Leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Freeze it: Let it cool completely then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
- Thicker sauce: If you want a thicker sauce after the braise, remove the lid and put it back in the oven for 15 to 20 more minutes.
- Slow cooker: Follow the same steps on the stove to sear the pork and build the sauce, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.
- Instant Pot: Use the sauté function for the bacon, pork, and sauce, then cook on high pressure for 45 minutes with a 15 minute natural release.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use the sauté function to cook the bacon, sear the pork, and build the sauce right in the pot. Add the beans and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes with a natural release of 15 minutes. The pork should fall apart easily. If the sauce is too thin use the sauté function to reduce it uncovered for a few minutes.
Absolutely and you should. It reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes. Let it cool completely, transfer to freezer safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove over low heat.
Navy beans are classic but great northern beans or cannellini beans work well too. Avoid kidney beans, they’re too firm for this kind of long braise.
Pork shoulder is the move. It’s got enough fat to stay tender through the long cook time without drying out. Pork loin will dry out. Stick with shoulder.
Yes but it adds significant time. You’ll need to soak them overnight first, then expect them to need at least an extra hour of cook time in the oven. Make sure they’re fully cooked before serving. Honestly canned beans are just easier here and the result is just as good, so that’s what I recommend.
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