This recipe for Cowboy Beans was originally created for our friends at So Fab Food. It has been updated.
This is a recipe you will make time and time again. These beans are saucy, beefy, and perfect. For the beef, we used one whole pound of lean ground beef. Using beef in your baked beans makes them very filling. This recipe fits right in at a barbecue or potluck.
BONUS: We added some bacon too, because…bacon.
Cowboy Beans are the Perfect Side for Cookouts, Parties + Potlucks
Ever been to a barbecue and the baked beans were just mediocre? Not with this easy and delicious recipe. Spotlight this tasty potluck side on the party table and it just might steal the show.
This bean recipe is made even easier using staple ingredients you already have at home. Pick your favorite BBQ sauce. Make it your own with your personal taste. Love honey BBQ sauce? Use it. How about a spicy chipotle sauce? Go for it! To complete the sauce, stir in brown sugar, ketchup, and yellow mustard. You can add more seasonings if you would like, but be sure to taste it first!
Ingredients Needed to Make Cowboy Beans:
- Canned pork and beans
- Lean ground beef - I almost always use lean ground beef in my recipes. This way I get all that beefy flavor without the extra grease.
- Bacon - Hickory smoked, if you please.
- Jalapenos - Fresh!!
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- BBQ sauce - I like the thick + sweet kind for this recipe.
- Brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Mustard - Regular yellow mustard will do, or you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Black pepper
You can use canned baked beans to start with if you prefer, but I find that starting with plain ol' pork and beans works the best so this easy flavor combo shines through.
TIP: Try this cowboy bean recipe with sliced smoked sausage instead of ground beef. So good!
How to Make Cowboy Beans:
- First, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the diced jalapeños, onions, and bell pepper until the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender.
- While the beef and jalapeño mixture is cooking, combine all other ingredients in a large bowl. When the beef is done, stir into the bean mixture. Combine well.
- Then transfer to a 9×12 baking dish. Cover and bake for 1 hour until hot and bubbly.
Easy enough!
If you are using a cast iron or oven safe skillet, you can just whip it all up in the skillet and go from stove top to oven.
TIP: Using a smoker at your barbecue? Prepare and cook this recipe in a large cast iron skillet and heat them right on the smoker. This adds another level of BBQ flavor you will love.
More Recipes You Might Like:
Classic Southern Potato Salad
Tried + True Hushpuppies
Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
Cowboy Beans: Heat vs Tangy Sweet
A little bit of sweet and a little bit of heat makes this cowboy beans recipe addictive. The best part? You control the level of fresh jalapeño flavor.
Level 1: Mild and Mouthwatering. Remove all jalapeño seeds before chopping. This gives you the unique flavor of fresh jalapeños without the heat. This is what I recommend for sharing at a party and is my personal favorite.
Level 2: Medium and Mind-blowing. Keep seeds intact on ½ of one jalapeño. Kick up the heat just a little for more bold flavor in your beans. Use this version if you know your crowd likes a little heat.
Level 3: Wild and Wow. Keep the seeds in one whole jalapeño (or more) before chopping. Only do this for the wild at heart because these cowboy beans will be smokin’ hot.
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📖 Recipe
Beefy Cowboy Beans
Ingredients
- 60 ounces pork and beans drained
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 6 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- 3 jalapeños seeded and diced
- 1 small onion peeled and diced
- ½ red bell pepper seeded and diced
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 ½ tablespoons yellow prepared mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the diced jalapeños, onions, and bell pepper until the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender.
- While the beef and jalapeño mixture is cooking, combine all other ingredients in a large bowl. When the beef is done, stir into the bean mixture. Combine well.
- Transfer to a 9x12 baking dish. Cover and bake for 1 hour until hot and bubbly.
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