Italian Pork and White Bean Stew

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Serves 6 to 8

Cooking Time 6 to 7 hours on Low or 4 to 5 hours on High

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For a real stick-to-your-ribs stew, we used a classic Italian white bean stew as a starting point and incorporated meaty pork and earthy spinach. As in our Pork Vindaloo, boneless country-style pork ribs required no prep work, and thanks to plenty of intramuscular fat, they were moist and fall-apart tender after several hours in the slow cooker. Dried beans were still undercooked by the time the pork was done, but canned white beans cooked through perfectly in the same amount of time and required little preparation. To boost the fresh flavor of the stew and complement the rich pork and beans, we added half a cup of prepared basil pesto with the spinach. Delicate baby spinach needed to cook for just a few minutes at the end to warm through and wilt into the stew. The spinach may seem like a lot at first, but it wilts down substantially. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

2	cups chopped onions
4	teaspoons minced garlic
1	tablespoon olive oil
½	teaspoon dried rosemary
4	cups chicken broth
2	(15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
3	tablespoons instant tapioca
4	pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed
	Salt and pepper
½	cup prepared basil pesto
4	ounces (4 cups) baby spinach

1. Microwave onions, garlic, oil, and rosemary in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, beans, and tapioca. Season pork with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork is tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

2. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of stew. Break pork into about 1-inch pieces with tongs. Stir in pesto, then stir in spinach, 1 handful at a time, and let sit until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. (Adjust stew consistency with extra hot broth as needed.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.