Cowboy Beans

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🤠 Cowboy Baked Beans (Calico Beans) 🥓

These Cowboy Baked Beans are loaded with browned hamburger meat and crispy applewood smoked bacon. The addition of ground beef makes these absolutely amazing and almost a meal itself.

One of the most delicious side dishes ever, perfect for dinner, holidays like Christmas and Easter, or for summer cookouts and picnics. People also call these **calico beans** or **hamburger baked beans**.

This hearty recipe feeds a large hungry crowd and can be made in a **slow cooker** or baked in the **oven**.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb **bacon** (applewood smoked is recommended)
  • 1 large **yellow onion**, chopped
  • 2 cloves **garlic**, minced
  • 1 lb **ground beef**
  • 48 ounces **baked beans** (do not drain)
  • 32 ounces **kidney beans** (drain)
  • 16 ounces **cannellini beans** (drain)
  • 32 ounces **black beans** (drain)
  • ¼ cup **brown sugar**
  • ¼ cup **apple cider vinegar**
  • 1 cup **ketchup**
  • 2 tablespoons **yellow mustard**

Instructions

  1. **Choose Your Method & Prep:** Decide between a slow cooker or oven bake. Use a deep casserole dish or a large pot like a dutch oven. Tip: A heavy cast-iron pot allows you to cook the meat and bake all in one.
  2. **Cook the Bacon:** Chop the sliced uncooked bacon into small pieces. Brown the bacon in a heavy cast-iron skillet or large dutch oven over medium heat, using a wooden spoon. **Tip:** Use clean kitchen scissors to cut the bacon directly into the pot—it’s fast!
  3. **Sauté Aromatics:** Remove the crispy cooked bacon to a small bowl with a slotted spoon, but **do not remove the bacon drippings**. Next, add the chopped onion and brown for 5–6 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir for one minute.
  4. **Brown the Beef:** Add the **ground beef** and cook for 6–8 minutes until browned. Drain any excess grease. Return the cooked bacon to the pot with the beef, onion, and garlic.
  5. **Add Beans:** Add the beans: 48 oz **baked beans** (don’t drain), 32 oz **kidney beans** (drain), 16 oz **cannellini beans** (drain), and 32 oz **black beans** (drain).
  6. **Add Remaining Ingredients:** Add the remaining ingredients: brown sugar, cider vinegar, ketchup, and yellow mustard. Stir all ingredients well to combine.
  7. **Final Cooking:** Place the mixture into your slow cooker or a large covered dutch oven/casserole dish. **Note:** This volume usually requires a deep dish, as it may not fit in a standard 9×13.
    • **Slow Cooker:** Cook on **LOW** for **2 hours**.
    • **Oven:** Bake **covered** at **350°F** for **1½ hours**.
  8. **Serve:** Serve hot and enjoy!

Cook’s Notes & Tips

  • **Ground Meat:** Ground beef **85/15** works well, but lean ground beef is also fine.
  • **Bacon/Smoke:** Any bacon works, but **applewood smoked** adds special smoky flavor. Feel free to use more bacon! You could also add a drop of liquid smoke for additional flavor.
  • **Sweetness Balance:** **Apple cider vinegar** helps balance the sweetness from the brown sugar, ketchup, and canned beans. Reduce the brown sugar if you prefer less sweetness.
  • **Bean Types:** While limas are traditional, other great canned options (that eliminate soaking time) include: navy, pinto, butter (mature limas), pork and beans, kidney, black, and cannellini white beans.

Serving & Leftovers

  • **Serving Idea:** Serve individual hot portions in small paper bowls or cups with spoons to make them easier to eat at picnics and cookouts.
  • **Leftovers:** Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, place them in a casserole dish covered with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 375°F for 20 minutes, or warm on the stovetop.

These beans are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! What dish will you be serving alongside them at your next cookout?

 

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