Name: Slow-Cooker Braised Pork Chops With Campfire Beans
Total time: 5 h
Ingredients: 1 onion , chopped fine; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto or navy beans , rinsed; 1/4 cup ketchup; 1 tablespoon molasses; 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke; 4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in blade-cut pork chops , 3/4 inch thick, trimmed; Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 2 scallions , sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

To create a deeply flavored sauce, we used a small amount of ketchup and molasses for the necessary sweetness and viscosity, then amped up the flavor with onion, chili powder, and liquid smoke. Canned pinto beans turned creamy and tender in the slow cooker as they absorbed the smoky flavor of the sauce and helped to braise the chops. We chose blade-cut pork chops, which contain a good amount of fat and connective tissue that help them stay tender and juicy during hours of braising. To really wake up the flavor of the beans before serving, we stirred in cider vinegar and Dijon mustard for a hit of piquant freshness.

Before You Begin

You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

1. Microwave onion, garlic, chili powder, and oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in beans, ketchup, molasses, and liquid smoke.

Cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through fat on edges of each pork chop. Season chops with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork is tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

Transfer chops to serving dish, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of sauce. Transfer 1 cup beans to bowl and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir mashed beans, vinegar, mustard, and scallions into remaining beans, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chops with beans.