STEW WEATHER HAS LASTED LONG ENOUGH. BUT WE’D MAKE THIS PORK AND WHITE BEAN STEW IN A HEATWAVE.
This hearty stew brings together tender pork shoulder, creamy Great Northern beans, and a fragrant mix of leeks, onions, and celery. Simmered in chicken stock with thyme, garlic, and a touch of cinnamon, it develops a deep, comforting flavor. Diced tomatoes add a hint of brightness, while fresh parsley finishes it off with a burst of freshness. Perfect with crusty bread, it’s rustic, rich, and utterly satisfying. You can make this in a Dutch Oven…in about 4 hours. But the real hero here is the Instant Pot.
The Instant Pot is a modern alchemist, transforming humble ingredients into rich, slow-simmered perfection—only without the waiting. It hums with quiet confidence, locking in steam, coaxing out flavor, and tenderizing even the most stubborn cuts of meat in a fraction of the time. With the press of a button, it conjures up broths that taste like they’ve been babied for hours, beans that soften into buttery bliss, and stews that meld into one harmonious whole. It’s the kitchen’s great equalizer, making weeknight meals feel like Sunday suppers and turning even the most time-starved cook into a magician.
THIS PORK AND WHITE BEAN RECIPE CAME FROM TWO SEPARATE SOURCES…
To regular readers of Chewing The Fat, it won’t surprise you to hear that we lean once again on Jacques Pepin, America’s favorite living French Chef. From his wonderful “Jacques Pépin Heart and Soul in the Kitchen” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2025). This kitchen bible contains a recipe for “Pork Neck and Bean Stew”. Now I was not sure where I could find pork necks. Pork neck, also called pork neck bones or pork collar, is a flavorful and well-marbled cut from the upper shoulder area of the pig. Whole Foods didn’t carry them but on offer was wonderful Pork Shoulder at a bargain price. Then we ran across a Bon Appetit recipe from Pork and Chickpea Stew with Cinnamon. That’s why the cinnamon sticks made their appearance in our Pork and White Bean stew. They give the dish a warmth and lovely scent that wafts up from every bowl. Here’s today’s recipe. And after it some other Pork dishes to make with or without the Instant Pot.
Pork and White Bean Stew
A wonderful cold weather stew that adds cinnamon to bring a whole new dimension to its flavors.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (about 2 cups) dried Great Northern beans
- OR 2 Cans of Great Northern Beans
- 3 pounds pork shoulder in 1 inch pieces
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock,
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 cups 1-inch sliced cleaned leek, both green and white parts
- 2 cups 1-inch diced onions
- 2 cups 1-inch diced tomatoes
- 1 cup 1-inch diced carrots
- 1/2 cup 1-inch diced celery
- 1/4 cup chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and optional thyme sprig
- Tabasco sauce, for serving +
Directions
- Step 1 Sort through the beans and discard any damaged beans or pebbles. Rinse the beans under cold running water and put them in the Instant Pot.
- Step 2 Add the pork, stock, salt, and thyme and use the Saute function on the Instant Pot for12 to 15 minutes. Put the cover on the Instant Pot and setting the pressure cooker for 15 minutes.(Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.)
- Step 3 When Instant Pot shuts off, release the steam. Add the remaining ingredients except the parsley and Tabasco sauce to the pot and set the Instant Pot for another 25 minutes. Let the steam release naturally.
- Step 4 Serve in bowls, sprinkled with the parsley and thyme. Pass Tabasco sauce for adding.
