Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans
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Smoky, sweet, and packed with protein, these Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans are the ultimate dump-and-go dish. Perfect for BBQs and weeknight dinners!
These Crock Pot cowboy beans take the classic southern baked beans recipe to the next level with the addition of ground beef, bacon, and 3 types of beans.
Just toss all of the ingredients together with a good hit of barbecue sauce, and then slow-cook everything for a few hours—the result is out of this world. It’s now a must-have alongside our St. Louis-style Ribs and Homemade Coleslaw whenever we host cookouts!
Whether you’re hosting a backyard BBQ, meal prepping for the week, or looking for an easy potluck idea for a party, these easy cowboy beans are the answer.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These ingredients combine into an easy, hearty dish—think Franks and Beans with a cowboy twist.
- Bacon – This gives the baked beans a smokey, salty flavor.
- Ground beef – We suggest lean ground beef so it is less greasy.
- Onion – A little cooked onion adds extra flavor to the ground beef.
- Seasonings – Salt, garlic powder, and chili powder
- Beans – Pork & beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. You can substitute the pinto beans and kidney beans with black beans, Navy beans, or white beans.
- Barbecue sauce – Try our Memphis BBQ Sauce.
- Brown sugar
How to Make Cowboy Baked Beans: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Cook Bacon. Heat skillet over medium-high. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 2 – Brown Ground Beef. Drain most of the bacon grease, leaving one tablespoon in the pan. Sauté onion, beef, salt, and garlic powder for approximately 7-10 minutes, using a spatula to break the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Once the meat is cooked through, drain the excess grease from the pan.
Step 3 – Combine Ingredients in Crock Pot. Add the beef mixture, bacon, pork & beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, BBQ sauce, and brown sugar to the slow cooker and stir until well mixed.
Step 4 – Slow Cook. Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or High for 2 hours.
Step 5 – Serve. Set the slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
These slow-cooker cowboy beans are super versatile. Here’s how we love to enjoy them:
- With leftovers from our Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork for a double-protein feast
- As a side with Instant Pot Ribs or BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
- As a main over rice, baked potatoes, or even some delicious southern cornbread or hushpuppies.
- Next to slaw like our creamy homemade coleslaw
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes! Black beans, navy beans, or white beans work great.
Absolutely. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Yes! We love using our Memphis BBQ Sauce for extra flavor.
Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if needed.
Yes, just make sure your slow cooker can handle the volume. Use an 8-quart for a double batch.
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Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans
Ingredients
- ½ pound Bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 28 ounces Canned Pork and Beans
- 15 ounces Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces Pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon Chili powder
- 1 cup Barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup Brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until fully cooked and crisp. Place two layers of paper towels on a plate. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully remove the bacon from the hot oil placing it on the paper towel to help remove excess oil.
- Pour the oil out of the skillet leaving only 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the skillet back on the heat and add the onions, ground beef, salt, and garlic powder. Cook for 7-10 minutes, using a spatula to break apart the ground beef into small pieces, until ground beef is cooked through. Place ground beef and onions in a strainer to remove excess oil.
- Place ground beef and onions, bacon, and all remaining ingredients in your crock pot and stir together.
- Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours and then set to warm before serving.
Nutrition
