Cook them in the oven or even a hole in the ground. Either way, they are delicious and as a bonus, you can can them and have a handy source of tasty baked beans on the pantry shelf. This recipe was developed as a lighter alternative to Bean Hole Beans.

• 1 pound bacon
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 pound dry Great Northern white beans
• 1/2 cup diced green peppers
• 1 29-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup full-flavor molasses
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1. Sort, inspect and cull beans removing any forign material. Place in cold water for 24 hours. Allow enough water for the beans to almost double in size. After soaking, drain water, place in a large pot and cover with water. Allow enough water for the beans to increase in size again. Heat, bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour. Drain; set aside.
2. Cut raw bacon into 1/2-inch long strips. Cook in large fry pan, stirring frequently to separate pieces. Cook until about half-done. Remove from heat, place bacon on towel to drain; discard drippings in pan. Return bacon to pan. Cook until additional bacon drippings are in the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the onions and peppers and sauté until bacon is completely cooked. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer 15 minutes.
4. Add brown sugar, molasses and spices. Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes and sauce begins to thicken. Comnbine beans and sauce. Mix well.
5. To Can: Place beans and sauce in Dutch oven and cover. Cook in preheated oven at 250°F. for 4 hours. Then bottle beans using sterile practice. Process in pressure cooker at 10 pounds pressure for 75 minutes for pint jars or 90 minutes for quart jars.
6. To Cook In Oven: Place beans and sauce in Dutch oven with cover. Bake in oven at 250°F. for 4 hours then reduce temperature to 200°F. for 10 hours.
7. To Cook Imu Style: Place beans and sauce in Dutch oven. Cover securely. Put Dutch oven in prepared fire pit coals. Cover with wet burlap sack, cover coals then with dirt remembering to make fire breathing hole with stick. Cook overnight or for about 12 hours.