Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (2024)

This amazing cowboy baked beans recipe is such a great loaded baked beans recipe. You don’t often hear about cowboy baked beans with ground beef, but it is truly delicious!

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (1)

If you are looking for the perfect dish to pass at your next BBQ, you need to make our cowboy baked beans for a crowd. Everyone will dig in and enjoy every last bite of these cowboy style baked beans.

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (2)

You can make these loaded baked beans the same day you need them, or make them the night before and heat them back up the day of. Either way, they are seriously to die for.

When you bring these to a get together, they will easily be the star of the show against any of the other sides. The flavor you get between the bacon, ground beef, onion and the other ingredients is wonderful.

Make this recipe to share at your next potluck or even our red potato salad, Mom’s easy potato salad, or our BBQ macaroni salad recipe are perfect to bring a long too! Honestly you can’t go wrong with any of them. Maybe even try a new one every weekend!

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (3)

Ingredients You Need to For Our Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe:

  • Ground beef
  • Onion, chopped
  • Bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • Pork and beans cans
  • Kidney beans
  • Ketchup
  • Brown sugar
  • Liquid smoke
  • Salt

How To Make Our Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe:

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (4)

Start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet with the diced onion until it is cooked all the way through over medium high heat.

Then after the beef is cooked, be sure to drain the grease otherwise it will pool when everything is combined.

Now, in another frying pan, cook your bacon and crumble it into small bite sized pieces and then add it into the pan with the ground beef.

NOTE: Be sure to have your bacon cooked as it will not cook all the way through and have that wonderful crispy taste if you skip this step.

Now it is time to add in the cans of pork and beans, drained kidney beans, ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, and a little salt to taste.

Mix everything together and let it simmer for at least 10 minutes to be sure that everything is cooked through and the flavors can marinate together a bit.

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (5)

Once it is done simmer, feel free to serve it then, or let it cool down and store it for when you need it.

To Make This Loaded Baked Beans Recipe You Will Need:

  1. Large skillet
  2. Medium skillet
  3. Spatula
  4. Stainer

Liquid Smoke, Do You Need it?

I would argue that the liquid smoke does add great flavor to this dish, but if you can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can either get it on Amazon HERE or you can find something to replace the flavor.

Tastylicious has a wonderful list of 9 of the best substitutes for liquid smoke. So, if you don’t happen to have any on hand, take a look and see if you might have one of the substitutes to use in its place.

Slow Cooked Beans

One thing that is awesome about this recipe is that if you are short on time and want to prepare part of this recipe before you go to work or other things around the house, all you have to do is prepare the ground beef, onions, and bacon.

Then just throw the cooked meat in the slow cooker along with all of the other ingredients and then set it on low for 3-4 hours and you are good to go!

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Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (6)

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Plan the Perfect BBQ Menu with These Flavorful Recipes:

  1. Easy Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe
  2. Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
  3. Copycat Disneyland Chili Lime Corn on the Cob Recipe
  4. Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe
  5. Pineapple Grilled Chicken Recipe
  6. Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (7)

Serves: 8

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe

5 from 1 vote

If you have a BBQ coming up you have to have to try these beans! They are so good and will fill you right up!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion chopped
  • ¾ pound bacon (cooked and crumbled)
  • 40 ounces pork and beans 2 (20 ounce cans)
  • 16 ounces kidney beans (drain well)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons liquid smoke
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Brown meat and saute onion together on medium high heat in a frying pan.

  • After the ground beef is cooked through, drain the grease well.

  • In another pan cook bacon and crumble into small pieces and add to the meat and onion mixture.

  • Stir in the remaining ingredients into the large pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Slow Cooker Version of this recipe: after you cook your meat, bacon, and onions, and throw all of the ingredients in your slow cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on low.

Nutrition

Calories: 773 kcal · Carbohydrates: 64 g · Protein: 25 g · Fat: 48 g · Saturated Fat: 19 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 85 mg · Sodium: 974 mg · Potassium: 996 mg · Fiber: 12 g · Sugar: 21 g · Vitamin A: 154 IU · Vitamin C: 6 mg · Calcium: 115 mg · Iron: 6 mg

Equipment

  • Medium Skillet

  • Large Skillet

  • spatula

  • strainer

Recipe Details

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (8)

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Join The Discussion

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  1. Lauren says:

    Loving that this recipe ground beef AND bacon in it! Score!

  2. Lisa J says:

    This is my go-to dish for picnics. I don't use the liquid smoke & instead of 2 cans of Pork & Beans, I use one, then one can of Butter Beans. And since you can never have too much bacon, I usually put the whole pound in.

  3. Ethnic Food says:

    Thank you

  4. judy gelowitz says:

    Would I be able to use sausage instead of ground beef.

  5. Cyd says:

    Sausage would be amazing in these beans!

  6. Abby says:

    Delicious! Do these freeze well if I make extra next time for a later meal?

    Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (10)

  7. Momma Cyd says:

    They will freeze great.

Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (11)

About The Author:

Kristen Hills

Kristen lives in northern Utah with her husband, Ammon, and her four daughters. She’s the blog’s YouTube guru and she loves running in her spare time.

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Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken cowboy beans? ›

To thicken your cowboy beans, use the same staples you would to thicken a sauce. The easiest way is to use a cornstarch slurry: Simply stir together 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with equal parts water, and whisk until smooth. Whisk or stir that into your cooked bean mixture until it's well incorporated.

What can you add to baked beans to make them tastier? ›

Ingredients You'll Need To Dress Up Your Baked Beans
  1. Bacon.
  2. Onion.
  3. Maple syrup.
  4. Spicy mustard.
  5. Beef sausage.
  6. Molasses.
  7. Ketchup.
  8. Cider vinegar.
May 17, 2024

What makes Bush's baked beans so good? ›

Back in 1969, the Bush family decided to share their secret recipe for Baked Beans. Tender navy beans are slow-cooked with specially cured bacon, fine brown sugar and the family signature blend of spices. It's easy to see why it's enjoyed by millions every year!

What are cowboy beans made of? ›

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.

Why are my baked beans so runny? ›

The longer you simmer and reduce the beans, the more the sauce will thicken. If you don't cook the beans long enough, the sauce will stay loose and runny, according to Home Cook World.

Can you add cornstarch to thicken pinto beans? ›

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.

How to pimp up baked beans? ›

One idea is to add marmite (trust me, it's lovely if you like marmite). You can also spice up you're your baked beans by adding a teaspoon of your favourite spice, for example smoked paprika, cumin or chilli powder if your feeling adventurous.

How do you fix bland baked beans? ›

That's easy to do: dump canned beans, in a pot, add molasses, mustard powder, and maybe some bacon and onion, and heat it up. Cooking it a little longer will help flavor the beans better. It's very easy.

How can I make my beans more flavorful? ›

Dried beans cooked with sea salt and water are delicious, but adding an onion, garlic, or other aromatics to the pot will make them even more flavorful!

Which company makes the best baked beans? ›

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was Heinz that came up top in our baked bean taste test.

Do you rinse bush's baked beans? ›

"It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states.

What happened to Libby's deep brown beans? ›

Nestle Canada Inc. said this week that it had agreed to sell its Libby's canned beans and canned pasta business to the H. J. Heinz Company of Canada for an undisclosed amount. Included in the sale are a factory in Wallaceburg, Ontario, and products like Deep-Browned Beans, Alpha-Getti and Zoodles.

Why do cowboys eat baked beans? ›

When moving herds of cattle through the plains, there weren't grocery stores or restaurants to stop in for a meal. On the trail, cowboys ate mostly dried meats — think beef jerky — and lots of beans. Full of protein and easy to transport without refrigeration, it's easy to see why camp cooks made dried beans a staple.

How did cowboys prepare their beans? ›

Making Cowboy Beans in a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

Add the ham, water, a little salt, and the coffee. Stir, and cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, checking from time to time to make sure the beans aren't breaking down. Once the beans are soft, add the BBQ sauce and cook for 30 minutes.

Why are ranch style beans so good? ›

Each Ranch Style Beans flavor is made with its own delicious blend of spices that can be paired with just about anything — steaks, Mexican food or a favorite family recipe. Ranch Style Beans offers 11 hearty varieties to round up any herd.

How do you thicken butter beans? ›

The liquid's viscous, thick consistency simply comes from the starch that the beans release naturally. In addition, hummus acts as a secondary thickener in this deliciously creamy butter bean recipe. Feel free to add arrowroot or cornstarch if you like it thicker.

How can I thicken black beans? ›

You can adjust the thickness by removing some of the beans and running them through the blender, or what I do is just use a potato masher to crush some of the beans right in the pot. Stir, see what the consistency is and repeat as necessary until you're happy with it.

What is the best way to thicken soup beans? ›

There are several ingredients you can add to thicken bean soup while adding flavor at the same time. Try adding tomato paste, pureed vegetables like carrots or potatoes, or even a spoonful of nut butter. These additions will enhance the thickness and taste of your soup.

References

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