Sometimes I think I try so hard to get creative with recipes that I forget just how simple a good meal can be. For example, this past week I picked up an order from Pike Valley Farm. A small order since it is the time of year where the selection is low until the spring season. They did have some pastured pork chops available, though, so I decided to get a pack for something different.
I was trying to decide what to do with them. I was a bit stuck because they were the type of chops that looked to be best slow cooked, not a lean center cut chop for grilling. I showed them to my husband and he said, “Why don’t you just throw them in a crockpot with some beans. Then serve it with rice, kind of like a feijoada.”
I couldn’t help but wonder to myself – now I’m the cook in the family, why didn’t I think of that?
It turned out to be a great suggestion. Throughout a day of simmering, the fat melted away allowing me to easily remove any bones, leaving tender pieces of meat. Not to mention the soft and smoky black beans.
A heavier, filling meal I’m glad I got it in for the season. The weather is turning warmer here and the trees out front are beginning to bloom. However, I think the leftovers will be perfect for the rain that is predicted for the next few days.
Pastured Pork and Black Beans
16 oz bag of black beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
¾ to 1 lb. pastured pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the pre-soaked beans, onion, garlic and spices in a Crock-pot and add the water. Place the pork chops on top of the beans and cover the pot with the lid. I cooked it on high for 4 hours and then on low for 2 more hours. This had it finished by about 4:00 pm so I kept it on warm until dinner. If you are gone all day, cooking it on low for 8 hours would likely work out fine. Add salt and pepper to taste near the end of cooking. I added about 1 ½ tsp salt and ¾ tsp of black pepper. Serve with rice and/or some greens and hot sauce, of course.
