I know it can be difficult to follow those directions so I can only tell you what worked for me. In theory, given the way it is written, 1 batch of the sauce should be enough for either the 7 quarts or the nine pints. But I never found that to be the case because it depends on which bean hydrating method you use.

The 3 1/4 lbs of dry beans works out about right for 9-10 pints filled 3/4 full IF you use the fully rehydrated method on the beans. And one batch of the sauce is enough with a smidge left over.

But if you use the quick rehydrating method they only fill 7-8 pints 3/4 full just because they aren't as big, aren't fully rehydrated. So I fill 9 jars but reduce the fill level to just over 1/2 so there is room for them to finish expanding during processing. When you go that route (end quality is better IMO) then one batch of sauce isn't enough. It takes almost 2 batches.

Hope that helps.

Dave

Thanks Dave! I actually have a few more questions:

Have you ever used quarts?

For the pork or bacon, should it be raw or cooked? (Or is either ok?)

Can the sweeteners be reduced or omitted?

How do you serve the beans when you open the jar? Do you just heat and serve or do you like to add it to a dish?

Sorry I forgot your sugar question - you can reduce it but by no more than half as it plays a marginal safety role in free water binding.

Quarts? No pint is just the right size for both of us at a meal. If company then we just open extra jars. If we used quarts too much would sit in the fridge and likely go to waste. If you regularly feed 4 or more then quarts would be fine.

The meat choices are optional. I prefer cooked as the idea of raw pork or bacon doesn't appeal to me in any form.

Serving - heat and eat just like commercially canned pork and beans (only better) is our preference. If commercially canned beans in tomato sauce don't appeal to your family as is then you likely won't care for these either. We use as a side dish with hot dogs or hamburgers. But they could also be added to soups, stews or chili if you wish I guess. We do the molasses recipe most often.

Dave

Thank you! This information is so helpful.

I'm thinking of making the NCHFP beans using the molasses sauce. Would it be safe to add dried onion flakes, allowing that they would absorb more of the liquid? I know that one can add dried herbs, would onion or garlic powder be the same?

I've canned these too, but I can in quarts because I use them as a fast start to a pot of baked beans. I love, love, love baked beans. I usually don't add meat when I'm canning because I never know which direction I might take when serving them.

I usually dump a quart into a bean pot, add some brown sugar, molasses, that neon yellow mustard and a squirt of catsup. I don't measure anything, but I'd say 1/4 cup of catsup, brown sugar and molasses and a teaspoon of mustard. Sometimes I add browned hamburger, sometimes leftover smoked pulled pork, sometimes I layer a few strips of bacon on top, sometimes nothing at all. Bake them for a couple of hours until they are thick and sticky. I've been known to eat them cold on a slice of homemade bread, just fold it in half and you're good. They've occasionally been breakfast too. (grin) Told you I love 'em.

Annie

I'm not the biggest fan of them but enjoy a spoonful with barbeque and summer fare. My family, however, LOVE Bush's Baked Beans. I was thinking to try a batch of these to see how they liked them compared to Bush's. My husband's version of sloppy joes is a can of beans mixed with hamburger meat (mine is a tomato based sauce) but he loves them like this.