Pork, Polenta & Black Bean Soup Crocks

By Mrs. Big Flavors On February 26, 2013 · 2 Comments

I think it’s time to declare February as Bean Month, at least in the LKBF kitchen. Don’t worry, I already confirmed that there is no conflict with an actual National Bean celebration. The closest holiday is National Baked Bean month, and that’s all the way in July. For some reason, we’ve been on a bean kick lately. And, today, we’re sharing with you the third (yup, count ‘em) recipe that incorporates beans this month.

What’s not to like about these good, old legumes? They certainly are versatile. There’s black, white, red, green and even pink options. Some varieties are big, while others are small. You can serve them up as a side dish or incorporate them right into a main dish. They’re perfect in soups, skillets, dips, and even mixed in with pasta. Throw them in the crockpot, cook them on the stove top, or just pop the top! No matter what, a dish filled with beans means a hearty, healthy, and cheap way to fill your plate!

Ok, so maybe they’re a bit less healthy when topped with pork, polenta, and cheese (well, at least you’re getting your daily share of protein in this recipe), but they’re plenty tasty. There are a lot of components going on here, but none of them take long to whip up. First, throw your pork into the crockpot. It’s going to cook for four hours in a mixture tangy balsamic vinegar and sweet brown sugar, so the result is tender and juicy, without any effort.

Then, get your black bean soup going. It’s worth all of the chopping, I promise. This soup has so many layers of flavors going on. It’s savory and a bit spicy, but the cinnamon and sugar cut in a hint of sweetness. We prefer to only puree 3/4 of the batch, and leave a 1/4 with the diced veggies and beans, to provide an additional texture to the soup. This soup is hearty and thick enough to make it a meal of its own (which is good because you’re going to have plenty of leftovers), but tastes even better with a little pork and polenta on top.

Finally, you’ll make the polenta (super simple – just follow the instructions on the package) and spread it on top of the pork layer. Then, top it with plenty of pepper jack cheese. After a quick trip to the oven, these crocks are a hearty, warm and satisfying meal. They’re perfect for February and my new made-up food holiday. And, they’re perfect for each person to have their very own, single-serving meal. I love not having to share! It’s perfect for loving on beans!

Pork, Polenta & Black Bean Soup Crocks

Print recipe

Serves	4
Prep time	45 minutes
Cook time	4 hours
Total time	4 hours, 45 minutes
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish, Soup

Ingredients

1 bag quick-cooking polenta
2 cups pepper jack cheese (shredded)

Pork

3lb pork (ribs, shoulder, butt, etc...)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
2 carrots (peeled and diced)
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoke paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cans black beans (rinse and drain 2 of the cans)
32oz chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

Pork
1.	Place pork in a crockpot. Top with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, cayenne. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4 - 6 hours. Then, remove from the crockpot and shred.
Black Bean Soup
2.	In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. Once hot, add onion, green pepper, red pepper, celery and carrots. Cook until softened, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.	Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, continue cooking/stirring, about 5 minutes more.
4.	Once onions are transulcent and spices are fragrant, add beans and chicken stock. Turn heat to high and let the soup come to a boil, stirring frequently.
5.	Add cinnamon and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let soup simmer for at least one hour. Stir soup occasionally to combine flavors.
6.	Remove from heat and let cool. Use a blender to puree 3/4 of the soup in batches, leaving the remaining 1/4 with whole veggies/beans.
7.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook polenta according to package directions.
8.	Place four crocks on a baking sheet. Ladle in about 1 cup of the soup, then top with shredded pork. Spoon and spread polenta over the pork. Top with cheese. Let bake in oven for 10 - 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and all components are heated through.
9.	Side note: While still pliable, spoon and spread any remaining polenta into a glass baking dish. This way the polenta won't clump up and go to waste. Just cover and refrigerate. Then, when you're ready for leftovers, cut a piece of the polenta and proceed with step 8.

Just how healthy? I started the research for you. (Obligatory Disclaimer – I am not a nutrition expert. When I want to learn more, I google things just like you!) Beans are basically the perfect food to keep you going all day long. They have tons of fiber, protein, water content, and very little sugar. Plus, beans are rich with antioxidants, which helps prevent many terrible diseases. So, you can feel great about filling up on these little guys.