cowboy baked beans

Cowboy Baked Beans

Submitted by: Rachel Tate
Mission Health Communities – Corporate

Servings: 18

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb bacon applewood smoked
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 48 ounces baked beans (don’t 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:

  • Decide if you are going to make them in a slow cooker or bake in the oven. You can use a deep casserole dish or large pot like a dutch oven. I like a large heavy cast iron pot so I can cook in it and finish baking all in one. Slow cookers are great for parties to keep them warm for several hours.
  • Chop the sliced uncooked bacon into small pieces, over medium heat, brown the bacon in a heavy cast-iron skillet or a large cast iron dutch oven on the stove top using a wooden spoon. Tip, you can cut the bacon into small pieces with clean kitchen scissors right into the pot-I find this faster!
  • Remove the crispy cooked bacon to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Don’t remove the bacon drippings from the pan. Next add the chopped onion and brown for 5-6 minutes until translucent, add the minced garlic, stir for one minute.
  • Next, brown the ground beef, cook for 6-8 minutes. Next, add the bacon, back in with the cooked ground beef, onion, and garlic.
  • Next, add 3 cans of baked beans (don’t drain), 2 cans of kidney beans (drain), 1 can of cannellini beans (drain), and 2 cans of black beans (drain).
  • Add the remaining ingredients; brown sugar, cider vinegar, ketchup, and yellow mustard. Stir all the ingredients well to combine.
  • Place into the slow cooker or large dutch oven or large deep casserole dish. The baked beans usually doesn’t all fit in one standard 9 x 13, you need a deeper dish.
  • Cook in slow cooker crockpot on low for 2 hours OR bake 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours in a large covered dish. Serve hot.

Special Notes:
A family favorite all around!