Sunbeam Meaty Beans

by Christa Upton
(South Dakota)

Recipe 43 in the Solar Hot Pot

Sunbeam Meaty Beans

This is like a cross between baked or BBQ beans and sloppy joes. I actually like it on potatoes (baked or mashed), but you could probably put it on almost anything, including rolls.

If it is early (or late) in the cooking season or partly cloudy, you might want to start this at noon instead of 1:00.

We are doing a double recipe in two Pots so we can have an easy reheat supper tomorrow. Actually, it’ll probably go for 3 meals all together!

This will fill the Solar Hot Pot quite a bit, but for some reason, we never have trouble heating up beans, so it still works.

1:00 pm—1 T. oil: put in Pot, cover, set up facing the sun, set timer for 30 minutes. Actually,

Then prep:

1/2 c. onions (chop finely)
1 clove garlic (smash and mince)
salt (and pepper if you like) (sprinkle on meat)


1:15 pm—1/2 lb. ground meat, onions, & garlic: add, cover, set timer for 60 minutes. This is one of those recipes where we want the meat fully cooked before adding other ingredients.

Have ready:

2 cans drained pinto beans or “pork and beans”
1 can drained kidney beans
1 can drained lima beans


Then prep by stirring together:

3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/4 c. (very generous squirt) honey
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t. oregano


I hate “measuring” honey because I hate washing out the measuring cup. LOL So I usually just squirt. You can taste your sauce and make sure it’s the balance of sweet and sour that you like.

2:15 pm—check and stir meat to make sure thoroughly cooked. If not, quickly close Pot, adjust to sun, and continue cooking meat. The good news is that nothing really needs to be ‘cooked’ after the meat, just warmed up and flavors melded. But be careful of food safety principles, not leaving food—especially meat—more than 2 hours before it is thoroughly warmed to 150 degrees.)

As soon as meat is done—beans, and your homemade sauce: quickly add, stir, place baking rack in top of Hot Pot, set meat thermometer through baking rack to touch top of food pile.

Cover, adjust to sun, set timer for 60 minutes.

3:15 pm—check food temp without opening lid (should be at least 150 for food safety). Set timer for 60 minutes.

4:15 pm--check food temp.

If at least 150, you are probably okay to “coast” to 5:00 supper like we like to do.

These got really hot mid-afternoon (180 degrees if the thermometer was right). And they’re SO good--filling and tasty. Easier to do in the Solar Hot Pot than they are on the stove!!!