How to Make Crock Pot Pork and Beans
Step #1: Boil the beans for 10 minutes. The common thought used to be that soaking beans would reduce some of their, ahem, more musical qualities, but that’s pretty much been disproved. Soaking them does cut down on cooking time, but since you’re slow-cooking them anyway, who cares? Right? Step #2: Place the beans, broth, and bay leaves in a large slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the beans. Step #3: Use a small food processor (or mortar and pestle) to grind the sage, salt, fennel, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil together into a paste.* Smear the paste all over the top of the pork. Step #4: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 8-10 hours, until the pork is tender and the beans are cooked through. Gently shred the pork into chunks. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm on the stove over medium heat or in a microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally to ensure even warming.
