Soulitinerary

New Year’s Day Pork and Beans for Good Fortune is a traditional, hearty dish symbolizing prosperity and abundance!

New Year’s Day Pork and Beans for Good Fortune is the kind of meal that quietly carries meaning with every simmering pot.

Why This Pork And Beans Recipe Wins

I’m going to tell you exactly why this is the best version you’ll cook, because I’ve tested the fussy details that most recipes skip:

• You use dried beans for creaminess, flavor, and that “this tastes like it simmered all day” payoff.
• You build a real flavor base (browned pork + sautéed aromatics + tomato paste + spices).
• You control the texture: beans turn tender, pork turns spoon-soft, and the sauce thickens without turning to paste.
• You finish it the right way: a little acid at the end so it tastes bold, not heavy.

This isn’t cafeteria pork and beans. This is New Year’s Day Pork and Beans for Good Fortune—the kind of pot that makes people ask what time you wake up, as if discipline is the secret ingredient.

The Big Promise: What The New Year’s Day Pork and Beans for Good Fortune Should Taste Like

When you’re done, here’s what you get:

• Beans that are creamy inside, not chalky, not broken into bean confetti.
• Pork that’s tender enough to shred with a spoon, with crispy browned edges hiding in the pot like little flavor prizes.
• A sauce that’s smoky, savory, and gently sweet, with a tiny tangy finish that makes you go back for “one more taste” twelve times.

Ingredients

This makes a big pot. New Year’s Day deserves leftovers.

The Beans

• Dried navy beans – 1 pound (about 2 cups)
• Baking soda – ½ teaspoon (for soaking water)
• Kosher salt – 1 tablespoon (for soaking water)

The Pork

• Pork shoulder (Boston butt), boneless – 2½ pounds, cut into 1½-inch chunks
• Thick-cut bacon – 6 slices, chopped
• Kosher salt – 1½ teaspoons (for pork)
• Black pepper – 1½ teaspoons
• Smoked paprika – 2 teaspoons
• Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon
• Onion powder – 1 teaspoon

The Flavor Base

• Yellow onion – 1 large, diced
• Celery – 2 stalks, diced
• Carrot – 1 large, diced (optional but recommended)
• Garlic – 5 cloves, minced
• Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons

The Sauce And Simmer

• Chicken broth – 5 cups (low sodium)
• Water – 2 cups
• Molasses – 2 tablespoons
• Brown sugar – 2 tablespoons
• Dijon mustard – 1 tablespoon
• Apple cider vinegar – 2 tablespoons (plus more to taste at the end)
• Worcestershire sauce – 1 tablespoon
• Bay leaves – 2
• Dried thyme – 1 teaspoon
• Optional heat: cayenne – ⅛ teaspoon, or red pepper flakes – ½ teaspoon

For Serving

• Chopped parsley or scallions – for a little “I tried” garnish

Soak The Beans Like You’re Setting Yourself Up To Win

• Rinse the beans in a strainer. Pick out any pebbles or shriveled weirdos. Beans are humble, not lawless.
• Put beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 3 inches. Beans expand like they’re training for a comeback story.
• Add ½ teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Stir until dissolved.
• Cover and soak 8–12 hours (overnight is perfect).
• Drain and rinse well the next day. The soak water did its job; it does not need a second act.

No-Soak Shortcut (If You’re Starting Late)

If you forgot to soak, you’re not doomed. Do this:

• Rinse beans and add to pot. Cover with water by 3 inches.
• Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
• Turn off heat, cover, and let sit 1 hour.
• Drain and rinse. Proceed.
• Soaked beans still win for texture, but the quick soak saves the day with dignity.

The “Lucky Pot” Method: Brown, Build, Simmer, Bless

This is the part where I’m right there with you, spatula in hand, making sure you don’t rush the good steps.

Step 1: Season The Pork Like You Mean It

• Pat pork chunks dry with paper towels. Wet pork steams. Dry pork browns. Browning equals flavor.
• In a bowl, toss pork with 1½ tsp salt, 1½ tsp pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder.
• Let it sit while you start the bacon. Even five minutes helps the seasoning stick.

Step 2: Render Bacon And Start The Flavor Foundation

• Put your Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add chopped bacon and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon edges turn crisp.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to a plate. Leave the fat in the pot.
• If you have more than 3 tablespoons of fat, spoon off a little. Keep about 2–3 tablespoons in the pot. That’s the sweet spot.

Step 3: Brown The Pork In Batches

I know you want to dump it all in. Don’t. Crowding kills browning.

• Increase heat to medium-high.
• Add pork in a single layer. Leave space. Let it sear 3–4 minutes without touching it.
• Flip and brown another 3 minutes. You’re not cooking it through—you’re building a crust.
• Remove browned pork to a plate.
• Repeat until all pork is browned.
• You’ll see brown bits on the bottom of the pot. That’s not “burned.” That’s flavor gold.

Step 4: Sauté The Aromatics Until They Smell Like Home

• Lower heat to medium.
• Add diced onion, celery, and carrot. Stir and scrape the bottom to loosen browned bits.
• Cook 8 minutes, until vegetables soften and onions look glossy.
• Add garlic and stir 30 seconds.

Step 5: Toast Tomato Paste For Deep Flavor

• Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the vegetables.
• Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and smells richer.
• This step transforms “tomato” into “slow-cooked depth.”

Step 6: Add Beans, Liquid, And The Whole Luck Story

Now the pot becomes a plan.

• Add drained beans to the pot. Stir them into the veggies and paste.
• Add the browned pork back in, along with any juices on the plate.
• Pour in 5 cups broth + 2 cups water.
• Add molasses, brown sugar, Dijon, Worcestershire, bay leaves, thyme, and optional heat.
• Stir well.
• Bring to a strong simmer (not a full rolling boil), then reduce to low.

Step 7: Simmer Slowly Until Everything Turns Rich

• Cover with the lid slightly ajar. This lets steam escape so the sauce thickens naturally.
• Simmer 2 to 2½ hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes.
• As it cooks, watch the liquid level. Beans should stay mostly submerged. If it looks dry, add ½ cup hot water or broth.

Step 8: The Texture Checkpoints

This is how you know you’re winning:

• At 60 minutes: beans start softening, sauce starts turning glossy.
• At 90 minutes: pork becomes tender, beans get creamy edges.
• At 2 hours: beans should crush easily between fingers, pork should shred with a fork.
• If beans still feel firm at 2 hours, keep simmering. Beans have their own schedule, and they are not impressed by your plans.

Step 9: Thicken The Sauce Without Making It Stodgy

Once beans are tender and pork is melt-soft, you dial in the final texture.

• Remove lid and simmer 15–20 minutes to reduce and thicken.
• Stir more often now so nothing sticks.
• If you want a thicker sauce: mash ½ cup beans against the side of the pot and stir.
• This thickens naturally and keeps the pot tasting elegant.

Step 10: Finish With Acid And Balance

This is the chef move that makes it taste “complete.”

• Stir in 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (already in the recipe).

Taste. Then decide:

• If it tastes too sweet: add 1 more teaspoon vinegar.
• If it tastes too sharp: add ½ teaspoon brown sugar.
• If it tastes flat: add a pinch of salt and a crack of pepper.
• Stir in the reserved crispy bacon at the end, or sprinkle on top for crunch.

Serving Notes: How To Plate It Like It’s A Tradition

I serve this like a cozy ritual, not a cafeteria tray.

• Spoon pork and beans into bowls.
• Add chopped parsley or scallions for brightness.
• Serve with cornbread if you want the classic “New Year’s comfort” feel.
• Serve over rice if you want it extra hearty and stretch it for a crowd.
• Serve with hot sauce if your family loves a little fire with their fortune.

And yes, this dish tastes even better when you eat it wearing slippers and refusing to check your email!!!!

The Little New Year Ritual I Always Do

When the pot finishes, I turn off the heat, stand there for a second, and let the steam hit my face like a warm blessing. Then I taste the broth. Not the beans—the broth. Because the broth tells you everything: whether the year starts bold, balanced, and full.
And you know what? It always does.

Make this once and it becomes your January 1st signature. New Year’s Day Pork and Beans for Good Fortune gives you a pot of abundance you can smell, taste, and share—rich enough to feel celebratory, comforting enough to feel like home, and sturdy enough to carry you into the year like you’ve got momentum on your side.