American-style Pork and beans

Method
Prep:25min  ›  Cook:2hr  ›  Ready in:2hr25min 

1. Drain and rinse the beans, then place them in a large saucepan and pour over enough cold water to come up to about twice the depth of the beans. Cover the pan with its lid and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan again and cook the beans for 45–60 minutes or until they are just tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep flameproof casserole, add the pork chops and onion, and fry until the chops are browned on both sides. Pour in the beer and tomatoes with their juice, then add the Worcestershire sauce, sugar and allspice. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 1 hour or until the meat is very tender.
3. Drain the beans and add to the pork chops. Add the mustard, bacon and vinegar and stir well to mix. Cook, covered, over a low heat for a further hour or until the beans and the pork are meltingly tender.
4. Before serving, taste for seasoning and add a dash or two more Worcestershire sauce or vinegar if liked.

Some more ideas

Instead of soaking and cooking dried beans, add a can of cannellini beans, about 400 g, drained and rinsed, at the beginning of step 3.

Plus points

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a carotenoid compound and a valuable antioxidant that is thought to protect against prostate, bladder and pancreatic cancers. Lycopene is enhanced by cooking and so is most readily available in processed tomato products, such as canned tomatoes, tomato purée and passata, and tomato ketchup.

Each serving provides

Excellent source of iron, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin E, zinc. Good source of calcium, vitamin C. Useful source of folate.