Category: Tasty Simple Non-Pretentious Down Home Comfort Food

Cooking time: All day at least, could take three days easy, depending on how you do things. Best if you let it simmer/sit a day after cooking(tastes even better the second day).

Side-dish pairing options: cornbread, rice, pork quesadillas, tortillas, garlic bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, tamales, tacos, carnitas, shredded extra sharp cheddar and jack cheese, avocado.

Ingredients

You’ll need the following:

• One (1) bone-in pork roast from one of Ben’s grass-fed pasture-roaming happy pigs- but not the spotted ones, because mom thinks they’re cute…
• Two (2) cups of dried pink beans(substitute pinto beans if you can’t find pink beans) from Olivera’s Egg ranch.
• One (1) cup of diced onion from the Saturday farmers market across from the post office
• Two (2) ribs of diced celery from the Bolinas farm stand
• One (1) cup of diced carrots from the backyard
• Four (4) Bay leaves from Potter Valley
• Three (3) dried Serrano chilies from Potter Valley
• One (1) big fat clove of diced garlic from the Saturday farmers market across from the post office
• One (1) fresh Jalapeno chili from the Saturday farmers market across from the post office
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Cilantro from the Bolinas farm stand
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Parsley from the Saturday farmers market across from the post office
• One (1) tsp Cumin
• One (1) tsp Oregano
• One (1) tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp Chili Powder (optional)
• One (1) tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Pepper

• One (1) lime from the backyard

Instructions

Here’s how I do it, more or less…

Prep

Do the following on the day before(or early morning at latest):

Begin by seasoning and slow-roasting the pork roast. You can take all day doing this step by itself. If you don’t know how to do the slow roast, maybe I’ll tell you how I do it someday, but right now we’re cooking soup. It’s ok if you eat some of the roast once it’s finished, as you’ll mostly need the bones plus a little meat for the soup.

Soak the beans so they are soft. Best results are achieved by soaking overnight. If you forget to start the beans the night before, you can clean and rinse the beans and then cover them with twelve (12) cups of water and bring them to a boil. Once they have begun to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the beans sit for at least an hour with the lid in place.

Stock

1. Remove the bones from the pork roast, but leave some meat on the bones here and there.
2. Scrape some of the fat from the roast into your stock pot, and set the heat for medium.
3. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until onions are translucent, and then add garlic. Cook until the onions and garlic starts to brown.
4. Add Jalapeno and bones. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
5. Add dried Serrano chilies and Bay leaves.
6. Reduce heat to a low boil.
7. Stir every seven (7) minutes for at least four (4) to five (5) hours, until all meat has fallen off the bones (add water as necessary to keep the bones submerged).

When all the meat has fallen off the bone and any pieces of fat have completely dissolved and melted into the stock, it is finished.

You can take a whole day to do this part and let it sit overnight, if you want the best bean soup and you have the time, that is.

Finally, remove the bones and bay leaves.

Now you have the stock to make the Mighty Pork and Bean Soup…

Finally: Cooking the Beans!

1. If not boiling already, bring your stock to a vigorous boil. You should have at least eight (8) cups of stock. Add water if needed to have at least eight (8) cups.
2. Add your soaked beans and reduce heat to medium-high.
3. Add some of the pork roast.
4. Cook beans for two (2) to three (3) hours, or until the beans are desired texture and firmness.
5. Add dry seasoning to taste and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add chopped fresh cilantro and parsley.
7. Squeeze lime into soup, and stir well.

Serve in deep bowl with at least one of the recommended side-dishes for pairing.