Meat mains
Slow-cooked pork in beer with beans and greens
This is a delectable, well-balanced one-pot pork dinner. The greens and beans absorb the taste of the meat beautifully. It calls for a long cooking time, but it's quick to get into the oven, and once it's there no little further attention is needed.
Ingredients
- oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
- 1.5kg pork joint suitable for slow cooking, e.g. shoulder or neck
- 2 onions, sliced
- 3-4 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp caraway seeds (or fennel seeds, or a mix of the two)
- 350ml beer
- 350ml chicken stock
- 200g dried haricot (or other white) beans, rinsed and drained
- 300g kale or cabbage, tough stalks removed, leaves shredded
- salt and pepper
Method
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 160°C/Gas 3.
-
Step 2
In a large, flameproof casserole, heat about 1-2 tablespoons of oil and fry the pork on all sides until browned. Remove and leave to one side.
-
Step 3
Add the onion and bacon, and fry until the bacon starts to brown. Add the garlic, caraway or fennel seeds and fry for another minute.
-
Step 4
Return the pork to the pan, add the beer, stock and beans, and then season.
-
Step 5
Bring to the boil, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 2-2½ hours, until the meat and beans are tender.
-
Step 6
Add the greens and cook on the hob, stirring occasionally, for a few more minutes, until they have wilted. Check seasoning and serve.
