Cowboy Beans Recipe

Cowboy Beans are a hearty side dish made with ground beef, bacon, onion, peppers, brown sugar, baked beans, and barbecue sauce. Try my Simple Country Baked Beans for another sweet and savory baked beans side dish.

What are cowboy beans? The name most likely came from the days when pioneers traveled along the trails and needed quick, easy, and filling foods. Beans last for a long time, and they can be made with just some water, so they were the perfect staple for extended journeys. By adding the ground beef to this recipe, it makes the dish even more filling!

Ground Beef: I prefer ground beef in this recipe; but, you could definitely try ground turkey as a substitute.

Bacon: Cook and crumble the bacon before adding it to the pot. To make this easy (with little clean-up), bake the bacon ahead of time on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet for 18-20 minutes at 415°F.

Baked Beans: Choose two 28-ounce cans of your favorite brands of baked beans. We used Bush’s Original Baked Beans.

Barbecue Sauce: As with baked beans, choose your favorite kind of barbecue sauce. Or, use this homemade BBQ sauce.

To store cowboy beans, first, let them cool to room temperature. Then, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Yes! This recipe does make quite a bit, so you can easily freeze the leftovers. Be sure to let the side dish cool completely before putting it into a freezer-safe container. Label and date the container; they will last up to 6 months.

Cowboy Beans

If you’re looking for a delicious, hearty side dish that the whole family will love, cowboy beans are the answer! A variety of beans are simmered together with applewood smoked bacon, garlic, chopped onions, and ground beef, all in a tangy barbecue sauce!

Prep: 10min

Total: 55min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 822 kcal, Carbohydrate 91 g, Protein 46 g, Fat 33 g, Saturated Fat 12 g, Trans Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 124 mg, Sodium 3179 mg, Fiber 15 g, Sugar 32 g, unSaturated Fat 19 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound bacon (I used thick but applewood bacon, chopped)
• 1 small yellow onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 15 ounce can Pork and beans (not drained)
• 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained
• 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.
2. Leave some bacon grease in the bottom and add the onion. Cook until almost tender.
3. Add in the garlic and ground beef and cook and crumble ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
4. Add in cooked bacon, chili powder, salt, pepper, pork and beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, and stir just until incorporated.
5. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Cowboy Beans

Cowboy Beans are a hearty side dish made with ground beef, bacon, onion, peppers, brown sugar, baked beans, and barbecue sauce.

Prep: 30min

Total: 90min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 241 kcal, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, (diced (approximately 1 cup))
• 1 green bell pepper, (diced (approximately 1 cup))
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 8 slices bacon, (cooked and crumbled)
• ¼ cup brown sugar ((this is optional – you could omit))
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) baked beans, (we used Bush’s Original Baked Beans)
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a 4 quart, heavy bottom, oven-safe pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium heat, add ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder. Cook until the hamburger is no longer pink. Drain the excess liquid.
3. Add cooked bacon crumbles, brown sugar, baked beans, barbecue sauce, and dijon mustard. Stir to incorporate all ingredients.
4. Cover and bake for 1 hour. (When done, the beans should be hot and bubbly and thickened.) Serve warm.

Calico Cowboy Beans

This cowboy beans recipe is tradition when my girlfriends and I go up north for a girls’ weekend. The husbands and kids are left at home, but the slow cooker comes with us! —Julie Butsch, Hartland, Wisconsin

Prep: 30min

Total: 04h30min

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: calories 326 calories, Fat 5g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 35mg cholesterol, Sodium 808mg sodium, Carbohydrate 52g carbohydrate (22g sugars, Fiber 10g fiber), Protein 22g protein.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 can (16 ounces) butter beans, drained
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) pork and beans
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) lima beans, rinsed and drained

Instruction:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles; drain., Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine the brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar and mustard; add to meat mixture. Stir in the beans. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until heated through.

Beef & Bacon Baked Beans (aka Cowboy Beans)

Cowboy Beans are a great side, main course or even appetizer. Made with beans, ground beef and bacon in a rich and flavorful sauce.

Prep: 15min

Total: 60min

Yield: 12

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 435 kcal, Carbohydrate 42 g, Protein 18 g, Fat 22 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Sodium 1095 mg, Fiber 6 g, Sugar 20 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound bacon (diced)
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 28 ounce can Van Kamps Pork & Beans (Do not drain. )
• 15 ounce can beans (any kind, or a blend. Drain and rinse. )
• 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 18 ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a 5 quart dutch oven or other oven safe, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat for one minute. Add ground beef, bacon, garlic and onion. Stir, cooking until ground beef is no longer pink. Drain most of the liquid from the pan.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover dutch oven and bake beans in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Traditional Cowboy Beans

FAQ

What are cowboy beans made of?

What do you eat cowboy beans with?

1. Buttermilk Cornbread.
2. Honey-glazed Hot Dogs.
3. Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
4. Smoked Bacon and Eggs.
5. Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
6. Stuffed Baked Potatoes.
7. Barbecued Ribs.

How to make the best tasting beans?

What kind of beans did the cowboys eat in the 1800’s?