Cowboy Beans With Ground Beef And Bacon (Print version)

Smoky Cowboy Beans baked with ground beef, bacon, tender canned beans, and a sweet-tangy barbecue sauce.

# Ingredients:

For the meat and vegetables

01 - 8 oz (225 g) bacon, chopped
02 - 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

For the beans and sauce

06 - 2 cans (15 oz each) pork and beans, undrained
07 - 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) barbecue sauce
10 - 1/3 cup (80 ml) ketchup
11 - 1/4 cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons molasses
13 - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
14 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
16 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
18 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
19 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a large oven-safe Dutch oven or a deep 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook the chopped bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 7-9 minutes, until browned and crisp at the edges. Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and leave about 2 tablespoons drippings in the pot.
03 - Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to the bacon drippings. Cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking up the beef, until no pink remains and the vegetables have softened. Drain excess grease if needed.
04 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
05 - Add the pork and beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and about three quarters of the cooked bacon. Stir gently so the beans stay mostly whole.
06 - Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until thick and bubbling. Let the beans rest for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining bacon before serving.

# Good to know:

01 - Serves 8 as a hearty side or 6 as a main dish.
02 - For a slow cooker version, brown the bacon, beef, and vegetables first, then cook everything on low for 4-5 hours.
03 - The sauce thickens more as the beans rest.

Back