Pork and Beans, Puerto Rican Style (Habichuelas Guisada a la Puertorriqueña)

Julie A. Robley, 1987 Puerto Rican Cooking Show Demonstrator

• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 4 slices bacon
• 6 oz. Portuguese sausage
• 1 sm. round onion, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
• 2 (1-lb.) cans pork and beans
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 level tsp. sugar
• 1 c. chicharrones (broken into pieces)

In a saucepan, brown ground beef. Drain off fat. Remove beef to a bowl and set aside. Cut bacon into 1/2-inch slices. Cut sausage in half lengthwise and then into thin slices. Fry bacon until cooked but not very crisp. Drain off fat. Add sausage and brown. Add ground beef to bacon and sausage in saucepan. Add in the onion and green pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Stir in tomato sauce. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the pork and beans, black pepper and sugar. Simmer on low for 20 to 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the chicharron, saving a few for garnish. Serves 6.