LOL.... I love beans! But as to what ham and beans is, is really a geological question. Butter bean and ham is tastee, Pinto beans and bacon rind is hard to beat, Great northern white beans and pork strips are good, what about Navy beans and cubed ham.... I know Boy Scout beans, cooked low and slow with ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, a dash of Lea & Perrins, and a large slice or two of onion w/ strips of bacon laced over the top of the pan. What about split peas? Those Lima beans with some diced tomatoes cooked tender with ham chucks. Oh my. What about Cajun Red Beans & rice with homemade fresh onion and garlic link sausage?
Ok, Its official, I am hungry now!
Pork and beans is all about your geographic region, and I don't think any of them are bad. Maybe you could narrow it down a bit futher?
Listen take those Boy Scout beans in a tin foil pan under a rack of spare ribs, catching that juice...... You could put the removed skirt from the ribs in them, but bacon does fine and I ain't givin up those morsels while cooking!