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Homemade pork and beans with tender pulled pork shoulder and navy beans in a rich smoky sauce served in a white bowl with a gold spoon and fresh parsley.
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Pork and Beans

Homemade Pork and Beans with pulled pork shoulder, crispy bacon, and navy beans braised low and slow in a rich smoky sauce. A true set it and forget it comfort food that's even better the next day. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread and don't skip the raw onion on the side.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade pork and beans, pork and beans
Servings: 8
Calories: 517kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

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
US Customary - Metric

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.
    Chopped bacon added to a Dutch oven then cooked until crispy with a wooden spoon leaving the fat in the pot for the next steps.
  • 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.
    Seasoned pork shoulder chunks placed in a Dutch oven then seared until deeply browned on all sides before braising.
  • 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.
    Diced onion added to the Dutch oven with the bacon drippings then cooked down and stirred with minced garlic until softened and golden.
  • Pour in 1 ½ cups chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
    Minced garlic added to softened onion in a Dutch oven then chicken broth poured in and stirred to deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon.
  • 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.
    Tomato sauce, molasses, ketchup, smoked paprika and dry mustard added to the Dutch oven then stirred together into a rich smoky sauce with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the 3 cans drained and rinsed navy beans and stir to combine.
    Drained navy beans added to the smoky sauce in a Dutch oven then stirred in with a wooden spoon until fully combined.
  • 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.
    Seared pork shoulder chunks and crispy bacon nestled into navy beans and sauce in a Dutch oven before and after braising in the oven.
  • 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.
    Cooked pork shoulder being broken apart with a fork and spoon in a Dutch oven then the finished pork and beans garnished with fresh parsley.
  • Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Bacon: Listed as optional but don't skip it. The bacon fat builds the base flavor for everything that comes after it.
  2. Pork shoulder: Don't swap this for pork loin. Shoulder has enough fat to stay tender through the long braise. Loin will dry out.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 1501mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 6mg
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