Slow Cooker Cowboy Baked Beans

These Slow Cooker Cowboy Baked Beans are a delicious option for your next potluck. Packed with ground beef, bacon and three different beans, they are super simple to prepare.

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Have you ever had cowboy beans? You may also know them as calico beans or hamburger beans.

Basically, we have a trio of beans combined with ground beef, bacon and a delicious barbecue-esque sauce. The combination of sweet and smoky ingredients creates so much delicious flavor.

They make for a hearty, filling side dish or even a main dish with a side of cornbread.

Bowl filled with cowboy beans with slow cooker in the background.

Ingredients for Cowboy Baked Beans

Here’s what you are going to need for these beans:

  • Bacon: You’ll need 1/2 pound for this recipe.
  • Ground beef: I prefer using 85/15 ground beef for this recipe. It yields more flavor to the beans. If you prefer, you can use a leaner beef but it may dry out a bit.
  • Yellow onion: Adds lots of flavor to the recipe.
  • Pinto beans: You’ll need a large 30 ounce can or 2 smaller cans.
  • White northern beans: You’ll need one 15 ounce can of these beans. I like the different flavor, size and texture they provide to the recipe.
  • Pork and beans: These add more baked bean flavor.
  • Barbecue sauce: This makes up part of the sauce for the beans. It’s flavor will come through in the beans so use your favorite variety.
  • Worcestershire sauce: Adds depth and richness.
  • Yellow mustard
  • Ketchup
  • Brown sugar
  • Chili powder
Straight down shot of bowl of cowboy baked beans.

Cook the Bacon and Ground Beef

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. While it’s heating, cut the bacon into small pieces. This makes cooking the bacon way easier and quicker too.

Add the bacon to the hot skillet and cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Leave about a tablespoon of bacon grease in the skillet then add the ground beef and chopped onion. Break up the beef and cook until no longer pink.

Wooden ladle in slow cooker filled with cowboy baked beans.

Prepare Cowboy Baked Beans

Using a slotted spoon, add the ground beef and onion mixture to your slow cooker. Add the bacon on top.

Drain and rinse the pinto beans and great northern white beans. Add to the slow cooker along with the can of pork and beans. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.

Slow Cook or Bake

You can cook these beans on low for 4 hours or on high for about 2 hours.

If you need them done quicker, you can also bake them in the oven. Follow the directions above except add the ingredients to a roasting pan instead. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Close up of bowl filled with cowboy beans.

More Potluck Recipes:

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Slow Cooker Cowboy Baked Beans

These Slow Cooker Cowboy Baked Beans are a delicious option for your next potluck. Packed with ground beef, bacon and three different beans, they are super simple to prepare.
Prep Time5 minutes
Active Time2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cowboy baked beans
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Meghan Payne-Hensley

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 1 pound 85/15 ground beef
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 30 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can white northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can pork and beans
  • 1 1/4 cups barbecue sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease. Add the ground beef and onions to the skillet. Break up the beef and cook until no longer pink.
  • Using a slotted spoon, add the ground beef and onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add bacon and all remaining ingredients. Stir until combined. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Or bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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