Pork & Bean Casserole
This recipe is from the kitchen of a local family that took us under their wings when we first arrived to the area. This is a family recipe that has been handed down through the generations.
I love the sweet smokey flavours from the addition of bacon and Worcestershire sauce.
This is a hearty dish the whole family will love!!
You will need an oven safe deep frying pan or other baking dish that is both stove top and oven safe.
Serve on spiral/shell pasta with a can of sweet corn tossed through.
Ingredients:
500-600 g of pork (shoulder or belly) cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large or 2 smaller onions, diced
250 g of bacon, diced
1-2 tsp Keen’s mustard powder (or similar)
2 heaped Tbs brown sugar
1-2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 cans of baked beans
1 cup water (what you use to rinse out the tins with)
NOTE: this is all adjusted to your taste. I also add some diced mushrooms – I love mushrooms 🙂
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C (or moderately low)
Lightly oil the frying pan and heat over a medium to high heat. Brown the pork on all sides then remove from the pan and set aside.
Fry the bacon and onions in the same pan until the onions are transparent.
Add the pork back to the frying pan, then add the mustard, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, baked beans and water. Stir everything through.
Place the frying pan in the oven (uncovered) and bake for at least 1¼ hours. The sauce will reduce to a much thicker consistency and be slightly browned on top. You don’t need to stir the pan once it goes into the oven.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and serve immediately.
The handle of the pan will be hot so make sure to leave the oven mitt or a tea-towel on the handle once removed to prevent anyone else accidentally burning themselves.
