Pork and Beans Sandwiches

(10)
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Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
6 hrs 30 mins
Yield:
20

This is a great meal for a crowd. It yields succulent, falling-off-the-bone meat and creamy beans, and doesn't take a lot of work. The onion-and-jalapeno condiment requires just a quick pickling as the pork and beans cook.

Ingredients

<b>For the pork and beans</b>

  • 1 pound dried navy beans or Great Northern beans

  • 4 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 bone-in pork shoulder (8 to 10 pounds), skin on, room temperature

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar

  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses

  • ¼ cup ketchup

  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar

<b>For the pickled vegetables</b>

  • 2 red onions, sliced into rings

  • 3 jalapeno chiles, sliced lengthwise

  • 1 ½ cups cider vinegar

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

  • Coarse salt

<b>For assembling the sandwiches</b>

  • 20 potato buns, split

  • ½ head green cabbage, shredded

Directions

  1. Make the pork and beans: Place beans in a pot; add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 1 hour. Drain.

  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate using a slotted spoon. Season pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper, and sear, skin side down, in Dutch oven until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip, and repeat on opposite side.

  3. Return bacon to Dutch oven, and add drained beans, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, and 1 tablespoon salt. Add water to cover (about 3 cups). Cover, and bring to a simmer. Transfer to oven, and braise, basting every hour, until beans are thick and syrupy and pork is falling off the bone, about 6 hours.

  4. Meanwhile, make the pickled vegetables: Combine onions and jalapenos in a bowl. Bring cider vinegar, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Pour pickling liquid over onions and jalapenos. Let cool.

  5. Transfer pork shoulder to a cutting board. Stir white vinegar into beans. Shred pork using two forks, and return to pot.

  6. Assemble the sandwiches: Serve pork and beans on buns with shredded cabbage and pickled vegetables.

Cook's Notes

Pork and beans can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Rewarm over low heat before serving (you may need to add some water if mixture looks dry).

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