This Mexican polenta pie is true comfort food! Made with pork and pinto beans in the crockpot and baked with polenta and cheese.
SCALE
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. pork butt or pork shoulder (a large semi-fatty cut of meat with no bones)
- 1 lb. dry pinto beans, soaked
- 12 oz. light beer + 12 oz. water (just refill the bottle)
- 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 16 oz. jar salsa
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups polenta
- 6 cups water
- 1 14 oz. can corn, drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste (be generous!)
- shredded cheese, cilantro, and salsa for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the pork, beans, beer, water, tomatoes, salsa, seasoning, and garlic in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. When pork is cooked through and beans are tender, shred the pork in the slow cooker with two forks.
- Bring water to a boil in a large non-stick pan; add a pinch of salt. Add polenta and cook over medium low heat. It will splatter, so be careful! After a while the polenta should stop bubbling – stir in the corn. Continue stirring every once in a while to prevent it from sticking all over the bottom. It will thicken as it cooks – cook for about 20-25 minutes for a soft polenta, adding more water if necessary and seasoning it with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the broiler. Arrange the meat and bean mixture in the bottom of a large pie, casserole, or baking dish and spread the polenta over the top. Cover with cheese (I used about a cup of shredded Mozzarella). Place under a broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melted.
NOTES
This would also be great with some roasted bell peppers added to it or some chopped chipotle peppers! I couldn’t even fit all the filling or polenta in the casserole dish that I used. It would easily fill a 9×13 or larger baking dish or two pie dishes.
Also, soaking the beans overnight will help ensure that they are fully cooked when the pork is ready.
