I searched for a long time to find a pork and bean recipe that was really pork and beans. I finally discovered that the ones I really like (Van Camp's), use tomato juice and not tomato sauce in the recipe, and that has made a tremendous difference. I like the lighter flavor of that brand of pork and beans.

Really and Truly Pork and Beans
(or Beanie Weenie base)

1 lb White Beans
3 sm can V-8 (8 oz)
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Mustard
1 tbsp Paprika
3 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp Seasoning Salt
2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
12 oz bacon, cooked, crumbled, fat reserved, or you can do salt pork chunks

Add dry beans to Dutch oven and add 8 cups of water to cover. Cook on high till the beans comes to a boil for about two minutes and turn off the heat, cover and let the beans sit in the pot covered for 30 to 45 minutes. Once the beans have sat they will have absorbed a lot of the water. Drain the beans through a colander and then add 8 cups of fresh water. Cook the beans again for 15 minutes at a full boil.

In the meantime, in another saucepan mix 2 cups of water, plus the other ingredients (including bacon fat), cook to get a slow boil.  It should be mild tasting and not thick.

Prepare 6 pint jars. Using a slotted spoon fill the jars 3/4 full of the beans. Once all the jars are filled ladle the sauce into the jars leaving 1" headspace to leave room for expansion (divide sauce evenly, add a little more water if you need to). Process the jars in a pressure canner at 11 pounds of pressure (adjusted for altitude) for 75 minutes.