This is a slow-cooked pot of white beans and ground pork, sweetened with molasses and brown sugar and seasoned with dried mustard. It takes about 20 minutes of hands-on work and six hours of mostly unattended cooking. The main reason to make it: nearly everything in the recipe is a pantry staple, and a quarter pound of ground pork stretches to feed eight people.
The short version of why this works
Two things matter here. First, layering the raw ground pork between the beans rather than browning it separately lets the fat render slowly into the liquid, which is what gives the beans their body. Second, leaving the lid on for the first four hours traps steam and keeps the beans from drying out before they soften; removing it for the final hour lets the braising liquid reduce into a thick, clingy sauce. Rush either of those steps and you get either greasy beans or a watery pot.
Ingredient notes
- White beans: Navy beans are the classic choice and hold their shape well. Great Northern beans work too. Cannellini beans are softer and will break down more — fine if you want a creamier texture, just watch the last hour closely.
- Molasses: Regular unsulfured molasses is what you want. Blackstrap is much more bitter and will overpower the dish — skip it unless you cut the amount in half and add a little extra brown sugar. In a pinch, dark treacle or even a mix of honey and a splash of soy sauce can stand in.
- Ground pork: Standard ground pork from any grocery store works. If you only have ground turkey, it will cook through safely at 165°F (74°C) and still adds substance, though the flavor is milder. Crumbled breakfast sausage (plain, not maple-flavored) is a solid swap that adds a little extra seasoning.
- Dried mustard: This is doing real work — don’t skip it. If you’re out, one teaspoon of prepared yellow mustard stirred into the liquid mixture is a reasonable substitute.
Leftovers and meal prep
Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days. The beans thicken considerably as they sit, so add a splash of water when reheating on the stovetop over low heat. For freezing, portion into airtight containers and freeze for up to three months — again, add a little water when reheating from frozen. This is genuinely one of those dishes that tastes better on day two once the flavors have had time to settle, so making it a day ahead for a gathering is a smart move. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the overnight soak: Unsoaked dried beans can take significantly longer to soften and may cook unevenly. If you forgot to soak, use the quick-soak method: boil the beans for two minutes, turn off the heat, and let them sit for one hour before draining and proceeding.
- Using too small a pot: The beans expand during cooking and the liquid needs room to circulate. A pot that’s too small causes uneven cooking and makes it hard to stir without making a mess. Use at least a 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot.
- Not checking the liquid level during cooking: Even with the lid on, some liquid escapes. If the beans look dry or are starting to stick at the bottom during the first four hours, add boiling water in half-cup increments — cold water can cause the beans to toughen.
- Adding salt too early and not adjusting: The recipe calls for checking and adjusting salt during cooking, which matters because the molasses and brown sugar levels shift the perceived saltiness as the liquid reduces. Taste at the four-hour mark before adding more.
- Pulling the dish before the pork hits safe temperature: Ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C) internally. After six hours of low, moist heat this is not usually an issue, but if you shortened the cooking time for any reason, check with an instant-read thermometer before serving.
Yummy Baked Beans and Ground Pork Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound white beans
¼ pound ground pork (minced pork)
1 medium yellow onion- ⅓ cup molasses
3 cups water - boiling- 1 tablespoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Wash the beans and place them in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and let it soften overnight.
- Put half of the meat in a saucepan with a thick bottom.
- Drain the beans and place half the amount over the meat.
- Peel the onion and finely chop it. Place it on top of the beans.
- Add the rest of the beans with the rest of the meat of pork or bacon.
- In a bowl, combine the molasses, brown sugar, and mustard with 3 cups of boiling water. Mix everything to dissolve the sugar and mustard.
- Pour this mixture over the beans.
- Cover the pot with a lid and cook the beans for 4 hours. Check the grains constantly and add more salt if needed.
- Cook for another 2 hours, removing the cover after the first hour. The berries should be tender.
- The ripe beans are ready and can be served immediately. It tastes the same fresh if it is heated and consumed the next day.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use canned beans instead of dried to save time?
Yes, but the total cook time drops dramatically — around 1 to 1.5 hours total rather than six. Drain and rinse two 15-ounce cans of white beans, reduce the water to about one cup since canned beans don’t need to absorb as much liquid, and watch the pot closely so the sauce doesn’t over-reduce.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes, and it’s a natural fit. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours, removing the lid for the last 30 to 45 minutes to thicken the sauce. Make sure you still soak the dried beans overnight first — slow cookers don’t get hot enough early on to properly soften unsoaked dried beans.
What can I substitute for brown sugar if I don’t have any?
White granulated sugar works and the difference is minor once everything has cooked for six hours. If you have white sugar and a little molasses already in the recipe, you’re essentially making brown sugar anyway — just add an extra teaspoon of molasses to compensate for the missing depth.
What to cook next
- Savory Pork Stottie Filling
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Hearty Beef Kale Soup
- Peruvian Cilantro Pork Stew
