Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans

Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans recipe – hands-down the BEST baked beans I’ve ever eaten! Baked beans slow-cooked all day in a homemade barbecue sauce and loaded with beef and bacon. SO easy to make! This makes a large pot of beans. It is the perfect option for potlucks and cookouts. Ground beef, bacon, onion, baked beans, ketchup, mustard, beef broth, garlic, brown sugar. I took these to a cookout and everyone asked for the recipe. A new family favorite!!

spoonful of baked beans

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Easy Cowboy Bean Recipe

I love baked beans. They are my go-to side dish when we eat at BBQ joints. These Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans are hands-down the BEST baked beans EVER! Baked beans simmered all day in a quick homemade bbq sauce with ground beef and bacon. They have just the right amount of sweetness and are loaded with bacon and ground meat. This is a hearty side dish. It could honestly be a main dish. This easy recipe is perfect for a summer cookout or family dinner.

stirring a pot of beans in the slow cooker

How to Make Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans

These beans are super easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain excess fat. Cook bacon slices in the skillet over medium heat. Drain on paper towels and chop. Place the cooked ground beef and bacon in a 6-qt crock pot. Add baked beans, ketchup, yellow mustard, garlic cloves, brown sugar, and beef broth. Stir the bean mixture. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW until warm. Serve beans with a wooden spoon or slotted spoon.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • I use Bush’s baked beans. You can use any flavor that you enjoy,
    • Bush’s uses navy beans in their canned beans.
    • Feel free to use a combination of navy beans, black beans, and pinto beans.
  • Can substitute turkey bacon.
  • What can I add to baked beans?
    • bell pepper
    • chili powder
    • chopped onion
    • ham hock
    • liquid smoke for a smoky flavor
  • Can I cook these beans on the stove top? Yes! Cook the ground beef and bacon. Place all of the ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Bring the beans to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until the beans are hot and the sauce has thickened.
  • Can I cook the beans in the oven? Yes. Place all of the ingredients in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350ºF until warm.
  • To cut down on prep time, you can cook the ground beef and bacon a day or two in advance.
  • I cook the beans low and slow all day in the crockpot. If you are in a hurry, you can cook them on HIGH for a few hours and they will be good to go.
  • If you don’t need to feed a crowd or have a smaller family, you can cut the recipe in half.
  • Store leftover cowboy beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
scooping cowboy beans from crockpot

What to Serve with Chuck Wagon Beans

This hearty recipe makes a TON of baked beans. It is a great recipe for any upcoming Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day cookouts. These beans go great with chicken, pork chops, pulled pork sandwiches, baby back ribs, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Whip up some potato salad and macaroni salad and you are set! I promise these beans will be a huge hit!

Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this great side dish:

Best Burgers EVER!

Best Burgers EVER! – these are hands down the best burgers I’ve ever eaten! SO good!!! Hamburger, onion, basil, teriyaki…

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spooning cowboy beans from slow cooker with text overlay

Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans

Yield: 12 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans – seriously the BEST baked beans I've ever eaten!!! Loaded with beef and bacon. SO easy to make! Great for potlucks and cookouts. Ground beef, bacon, onion, baked beans, ketchup, mustard, beef broth, garlic, brown sugar. I took these to a cookout and everyone asked for the recipe. A new favorite!!

Ingredients:

  • lb ground beef
  • 1 lb bacon
  • 2 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
  • 2 (55-oz) cans baked beans (Bush's)
  • cups ketchup
  • 3 Tbsp mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup beef broth

Instructions:

  • Cook ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Drain.
  • Cook bacon until crispy. Drain and chop.
  • Add cooked beef and bacon to a 6-qt slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Stir.
  • Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours.

Notes:

  • I use Bush’s baked beans. You can use any flavor that you enjoy,
    • Bush’s uses navy beans in their canned beans.
  • Can substitute turkey bacon.
  • What can I add to baked beans?
    • bell pepper
    • chili powder
    • chopped onion
    • ham hock
    • liquid smoke for a smoky flavor
  • Can I cook these beans on the stove top? Yes! Cook the ground beef and bacon. Place all of the ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Bring the beans to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until the beans are hot and the sauce has thickened.
  • Can I cook the beans in the oven? Yes. Place all of the ingredients in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350ºF until warm.
  • To cut down on prep time, you can cook the ground beef and bacon a day or two in advance.
  • I cook the beans low and slow all day in the crockpot. If you are in a hurry, you can cook them on HIGH for a few hours and they will be good to go.
  • If you don’t need to feed a crowd or have a smaller family, you can cut the recipe in half.
  • Store leftover cowboy beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steph

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crockpot of cowboy baked beans with text overaly

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Comments

  1. I've made a variation of this recipe for about 40 years, without beef. Call it 'Sweet-Hot Baked Beans.' For a 55 oz can of Bush's or B & M beans I add in: 2 TBLS Molasses, 5 TBLS tomato catsup, !/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp Worchester sauce, 1/4 tsp each of chili powder, mustard powder, cinnamon, and Tabasco sauce and diced cooked bacon. Then bake in cast iron, covered, Dutch Oven for a few hours at 325 degrees. Uncover and cook down to desired consistency. 5 hours on low in a slow-cooker would probably do as well.
    I've made this for up to 125 people, served with Tri-tip, BBQ chicken and a green or pasta salad. Always a hit.

  2. Beings I am the only one in the house, I figured out how to do the ingredients in half. Would the directions be as the full batch? Could I all do a full batch and freeze half of it for later; thaw the day before needing it in refrigerator and slow cook as directed. Always trying to figure out less time in the kitchen. Thank You.

  3. Made this tonight for dinner. I have made versions of this dish in the past, but this recipe is very good!

  4. Fluffy probably went and blew her bacon breath at the other cats. These beans looks fantastic!

  5. I've made this recipe for years and years except for the bacon….I've never tried that and it sounds good. The only time I make this is on family camping trips. We call it Hobo Stew. The kids love it so does hubby. It's a tradition for us. Since I only make it at the campground, it keeps it "special". ????

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