Salt pork is another cut than bacon. it is from the fat on the sides and belly and is mostly white, and cured in salt. So it is much fatter, not to mention more salty, than bacon. Preferable taste for the beans - bacon.

But refresh my memory - where are you getting the "use ý lb. bacon or salt pork per 2 lb. dry beans" info from? It isn't in the NCHFP instructions. They restrict the meats to only 7 3/4" pieces of pork, bacon or ham. Is this the BBB recipe or another source?

"Soupy" means the solids move freely in the liquid, slosh around in the liquid, within the jar.

1 large onion, chopped = approx. 1 cup.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Baked beans

"...a handy site/page that listed averages for such things as how many pounds or cups equal so much small, medium large onion etc., or other fruit/veggies. I thought I had bookmarked it but can't find it. Anyone have it and have time to share, I'd appreciate :D "

This one from Ball (freshpreserving.com) is one I use a lot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Produce Purchase Guide

Malna, thanks for that link. It will be very useful.

Dave, you helped clear some things up. Thank you very much.

NCHFP on their Baked Beans recipe is very unclear and I think it is an especially bad one for those new to canning to use.
Recipe with parts truncated:
âÂÂAn average of 5 pounds of beans is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 3ü pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints" an average of þ pounds per quart.âÂÂ
âÂÂPrepare molasses sauce as follows" Mix 4 cups water or cooking liquid from beans, 3 tablespoons dark molasses, 1 tablespoon vinegarâ¦..âÂÂ
âÂÂProcedure: Soak and boil beans as followsâ¦.âÂÂ
âÂÂPlace seven þ-inch pieces of pork, ham, or bacon in an earthenware crock, a large casserole, or a pan. Add beans and enough molasses sauce to cover beans.âÂÂ

Processing times there calls for pints 65 minutes & quarts 75 minutes.
Nowhere does it state the weight or amount of the beans that the water, spices and seven pieces of meat are flavoring. 7 pieces of meat wouldnâÂÂt do much to flavor the 4 pounds of beans I processed.

Both BBB and Bernadine calls for 2 lbs. beans, a similar list of procedures, sugars and spices and 1/2 lb. salt pork. Process times for those two are: Pints - 80 minutes and quarts 95 minutes. This is what I used with bacon instead of salt pork.

Can I do the baked beans in a crock pot instead of baking in the oven part? I'd fry my bacon first and drain off the grease and then add the beans and molasses etc. Would that be safe to do? Don't want to heat up the house with the oven since it's mega hot here already. :(

Sure, they just won't be baked beans if done in a crockpot since most crockpots don't have a temperature control and are cooked with the lid in place. But as long as they are the equivalent of 350 degrees - there shouldn't be a safety issue.

Dave

Make a small batch your first time to make baked beans. I found that I did not like the flavor of the sauce in the baked beans the first time I made them. After the first jar was opened and tried, I now rinse the beans off and re-season them after opening. For subsequent beans, I will make plain beans according to directions and then make my baked beans how I like them after opening the jar, adding my own sauce, onions, bacon, etc.

Edited: I didn't realize this was an old thread when answering, so my answer pertains mostly to the canning of the recipe, rather than the later question of preparing in the crockpot vs the oven.

Thank you!!!