A popular dish in the southwestern United States, cowboy beans are a big pot of comfort. Not quite baked beans and not quite chili, this dish is a marriage of beans, bacon, and beef in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. What could be better? Flavored with smoky spices, peppers, and onions, these beans are a perfect side dish for any barbecue, cookout, or potluck. Pair with spicy smoked brisket, a big bowl of cool and creamy potato salad, some crunchy coleslaw, and all your favorite summertime desserts for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or anytime you get a hankering for barbecue classics. Dig in!
What's in cowboy beans?
As with any great dish, this recipe starts with bacon; thick cut, preferably. After getting it a little crispy and rendering that precious fat, the bacon takes a break from the pot and makes room for lots of onions and bell peppers. Once those are soft and golden, lean ground beef and garlic get cooked down and flavored with smoky chili powder and paprika.
Then, the star of the show: beans. Lots of beans. 4 different kinds of beans, in fact! Not only do they take a fraction of the time (compared to dry), canned beans open up the possibility of multiple types of bean! Usually, cowboy beans are made up of pinto beans or even the nifty pork n beans. For a variety of colors and textures, this recipe calls for pinto, cannellini, kidney, and black beans. Feel free to substitute anything that suits your fancy, as long as it ends up being 4 (15-ounce) cans.
One of the most prominent flavors in this dish is a homemade barbecue sauce mixture. This is made of the usual ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Feel free to add an extra dab of mustard or hot sauce if the mood strikes. Mix it all up with the reserved bacon and pop it in the oven. This is very important: Don’t. Forget. The Bacon.
Why are they called cowboy beans?
According to internet lore, the answer to this question is a big ol' shrug. Beans are economical, filling, delicious, and great for traveling long distances. This dish is likely named for the cowboys and pioneers that traveled across the land, fueled by the musical fruit.
Can cowboy beans be made ahead?
Cowboy beans are an excellent dish to make ahead of time. They will do especially well when warmed in a slow cooker for a potluck. As the old adage goes, stews and chilis only deepen in flavor over time so feel free to whip these beans up the night before. Stir in 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of water to loosen the sauce, if desired.
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- Yields:
- 6 - 8 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb.
thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2
green bell peppers, chopped
- 1
sweet onion, diced
- 1 lb.
lean ground beef
- 4
cloves garlic, minded
- 1 tbsp.
ground chili powder
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 tsp.
ground paprika
- 1 tsp.
ground black pepper
- 1
15-ounce can pinto beans
- 1
15-ounce can cannellini beans
- 1
15-ounce can kidney beans
- 1
15-ounce can black beans
- 3/4 c.
ketchup
- 1/4 c.
packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp.
apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp.
Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp.
yellow mustard
- 2 tsp.
hot sauce
- Nutrition Information
- Per Serving (Serves 8)
- Calories558 Fat24 gSaturated fat8 gTrans fat1 gCholesterol59 mgSodium966 mgCarbohydrates46 gFiber13 gSugar17 gProtein28 gVitamin D0 mcgCalcium156 mgIron6 mgPotassium1140 mg
- Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Powered by
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 350.
- Step 2In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon drippings. Add the bell peppers and onion to the bacon drippings and saute them until tender and lightly golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the ground beef and garlic, and crumble the beef until it is no longer pink. Stir in the chili powder, salt, paprika, and ground black pepper.
- Step 3Drain and rinse the pinto, cannellini, kidney, and black beans. Stir the beans, ketchup, 3/4 cup water, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, hot sauce, and cooked bacon into the ground beef mixture. Cover and bake the beans in the oven until the liquid has thickened, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.
Tip: Swap a green bell pepper with a poblano or jalapeno for a spicier kick!
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