Drunken Pork and Beans

A rich, spicy bean stew paired with a cold creamy, nutty slaw makes for a perfect combination.

Drunken Pork and Beans

Serves 4 - 6

I’ve always been intrigued by the British dish, beans on toast but I’ve always been hesitant to make it. These drunken pork and beans, were my excuse to give it a try for the first time but, the beans are equally as delicious when served over rice and topped with the slaw!

I started by making my beans a mash-up of the baked beans I was raised on as an American, pork and beans which is more typical of British beans on toast and Mexican drunken beans where I use both beer and Korean soju as the alcohol making the beans “drunken”.

When served as beans on toast or over rice, the rich spicy stew paired with the cold creamy, nutty crunch of the slaw is a perfect combination.

“Recipe Tips:

*1. Over years of cooking beans I have found these two things to be important, (1) be sure to soak beans in a container that will allow them to at least double in size, using a container that is too small, sometimes leads to the beans not growing to their full potential and not cooking properly. (2) I have found that soaking the beans in salted water can usually lead to the beans cooking quicker/more evenly but, it is not necessary. My process for soaking beans is simple place the weighed beans in a container that is at least two times the size of your beans (I use an XL mixing bowl). Add the beans along with 2 t of kosher salt and cover with water to reach at least 4 inches over the beans. Stir until the salt dissolves and let soak overnight (12 - 18 hours).

**2. In place of smoked sausage, you can use kielbasa

***3. Any color bell pepper works here.”

Ingredients

Beans

*500g (2 1/3 c) dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained

3 T vegetable oil

450g (1 large) onion, diced

200g (1 medium) red bell pepper, diced

10 garlic cloves, minced

1 - 2 cheongyang chili, minced

90g (3 T) gochujang

80g (4 T) ketchup

90ml (6 T) soju

50ml (4 T) soy sauce

40g (2 T) yellow mustard

2 T Worcestershire

1 T rice vinegar

355ml (12oz can) beer

500ml (2.5 c) water

**335g (4 – 5 links) smoked sausage, sliced 

Spices

60g (4 T) dark brown sugar

2 bay leaves

2 t ground coriander

1.75 t oregano

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t gochugaru

0.50 t ground allspice

0.50 t ground black pepper

0.50 t kosher salt 

Slaw Dressing

60g (3 T) mayo

4 t sesame oil

2 t Dijon mustard

2 t soy sauce

2 t vinegar

2 t granulated sugar

4 garlic cloves, minced

0.25 t kosher salt

0.50 t ground black pepper

0.25 t ground sancho or Sichuan pepper – optional

1/8 t MSG – optional 

Slaw Veg

570g (1.25 lb) green cabbage, shredded

200g (1 medium) carrot, julienne

***150g (1 small) green bell pepper, - julienne optional  

Finishing

Hearty bread toasted lightly

Recipe Know-how

1.      In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

• Add the onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 – 7 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown.

• Add the garlic and chili and cook for 1 minute.

• Add the gochujang and ketchup and cook for 1 minute longer.

• Deglaze with the soju, scraping the fond from the pan and cook, stirring frequently until the liquid has thickened a little, about 2 minutes.

• Add the soy, mustard, Worchestershire, vinegar, beer, water, spices and beans.

• Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1.5 – 2.5 hours or until the beans are tender.

The beans are cooked through when the skins are tender and the insides are creamy. If the beans are not cooked to this point, after 1.5 hours, continue to test for doneness every 30 minutes until cooked through.

If necessary, add an additional 100ml (0.50 c) water to the simmering stew.

• Continue on to Step 2 while the stew simmers.

2.      In a large mixing bowl combine the slaw dressing ingredients mixing well.

• Add the slaw vegetables and toss well to combine.

• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

• Refrigerate until serving.

3.      When the beans are tender add the sausage.

• Simmer for 15 minutes.

• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

• Continue to simmer for 15 minutes longer.

4.      Place a slice of bread on plates and top with the stew then coleslaw.

5.      Serve.