Last Updated October 24th, 2021 at 11:24 am by Lisa
Cowboy baked beans have crispy applewood smoked bacon and browned hamburger cooked in a slow cooker or in the oven. An awesome party food recipe to make ahead for a large hungry crowd...
I first tasted these Cowboy beans at a 60th birthday party for close family friends and created this recipe for Cowboy beans, and they were an instant hit.
What are Cowboy Beans?
A popular dish in the western United States Cowboy Beans are made with ground beef and a variety of beans in a slightly sweet and tangy sauce. Other types of meat can be used like bacon! They are like baked beans but not as sweet, and are a meal in themselves. They are made and served from slow cookers or crock-pots, or baked in the oven, depending on the recipe.
Although cowboy appears in the name, the use of canned beans, ketchup, and mustard, means the dish is unlike anything ranch hands would have eaten in the 19th century. Out on the trail, the chuckwagon cook soaked beans in a pot during all day and perhaps combined the beans with small bits of leftover meat, and maybe that is how Cowboy beans got their name? We will never know, but these are amazing!!! And the first time I tried them I couldn't stop eating them...
Ingredients for Cowboy Baked Beans:
apple cider vinegar is in the recipe to help balance the sweetness of the brown sugar, ketchup, and sugar in the canned baked beans. If you want to dial back the sweetness in your baked beans, you can reduce the brown sugar.
How To Make Cowboy Baked Beans:
- Decide if you are going to make your Cowboy Beans in a slow cooker or bake in the oven in a large dish or cast iron dutch oven.
- Chop the sliced uncooked bacon into small pieces, over medium heat, brown the bacon in a heavy cast iron skillet or a large cast iron dutch oven.
- Remove the crispy cooked bacon to a small bowl. Next add the chopped onion and brown for 5-6 minutes until translucent, add the minced garlic, stir for one minute. Remove the onion and garlic in a small bowl with the crispy cooked bacon.
- Next, brown the ground beef, cook for 6-8 minutes. Next, add the bacon, onions, and garlic back with the ground beef. Place into the slow cooker (or large dutch oven or large dish if baking in oven).
- Next, add the beans; 3 cans baked beans (don't drain), 2 cans kidney beans (drain), 1 can cannellini beans (drain), and 2 cans black beans (drain).
- Add brown sugar, cider vinegar, ketchup, and yellow mustard, stir well to combine.
- Cook in slow/cooker crockpot on low for 2 hours OR bake 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours in a large covered dish or dutch oven. Serve hot.
Step 2- Brown the bacon. 
Step 3- Brown onion & garlic. Step 3-7- Brown the ground beef, add the onions/garlic/bacon, and all the beans, and other ingredients. Cook at 350 in large dutch oven 1 ½ hours. OR>> Step 3-7- Brown the ground beef, add the onions/garlic/bacon, and all the beans, and other ingredients. Slow Cook on low for 2 hours.
What Kinds of Beans Can I Use?
Many recipes call for lima beans, and those work very well. Here are some different beans that your family will might like:
- butter beans (lima beans)
- pork and beans
- navy beans
- kidney beans
- black beans
- white beans (cannellini)
Other Baked Bean Recipes:
- Country Style Baked Beans by A Farmgirl's Kitchen
- The Best Baked Beans Ever by Pioneer Woman
- Boston Baked Beans by All Recipes
What To Serve With Cowboy Baked Beans?
Serve them hot in small paper cups with spoons alongside pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, or potato saladd at your next party!
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Cowboy Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon applewood smoked
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 48 ounces baked beans (don't drain)
- 32 ounces kidney beans (drain)
- 16 ounces cannellini beans (drain)
- 32 ounces black beans (drain)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Instructions
- Decide if you are going to make your Cowboy Beans in a slow cooker or bake in the oven in a large dish or cast iron dutch oven.
- Chop the sliced uncooked bacon into small pieces, over medium heat, brown the bacon in a heavy cast iron skillet or a large cast iron dutch oven.
- Remove the crispy cooked bacon to a small bowl, don't use the bacon grease in this recipe. Next add the chopped onion and brown for 5-6 minutes until translucent, add the minced garlic, stir for one minute. Remove the onion and garlic in a small bowl with the crispy cooked bacon.
- Next, brown the ground beef, cook for 6-8 minutes. Next, add the bacon, onions, and garlic back with the ground beef. Place into the slow cooker (or large dutch oven or large dish if baking in oven).
- Next, add the beans; 3 cans baked beans (don't drain), 2 cans kidney beans (drain), 1 can cannellini beans (drain), and 2 cans black beans (drain).
- Add brown sugar, cider vinegar, ketchup, and yellow mustard, stir well to combine.
- Cook in slow/cooker crockpot on low for 2 hours or bake 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours in a large covered dish. Serve hot.
Notes
apple cider vinegar
Is in the recipe to help balance the sweetness of the brown sugar, ketchup, and sugar in the canned baked beans. If you want to dial back the sweetness in your baked beans, you can reduce the brown sugar.What kinds of beans can I use?
Many recipes call for lima beans, and those work very well. Here are some different beans that your family will might like:- butter beans (lima beans)
- pork and beans
- navy beans
- kidney beans
- black beans
- white beans (cannellini)
Hello,
I am thinking of making this for a side for a 50th bday.
How many people does this feed? I looked but didn't see it anywhere but knowing me could have looked it over. I need to feed 80 people.
Sincerely, Tammie
Hi Tammie, The recipe lists the servings for you right by the prep time, and you can slide the bar which adjusts the ingredients for your party servings. These are always a hit at parties!
Thank you so much!!!!!! 🙂
These are a crowd pleaser for sure. They are delicious! I tweaked mine a little though. I used garlic powder while cooking the beef. I didn’t t use fresh garlic. I also added a finely diced bell pepper and a peeled and chopped Granny Smith apple to the onion and sautéed. Also increased the brown sugar to 3/4 cup. My folks aren’t fans of kidney, black or cannolini beans. I used 2 large cans of baked beans, 2 cans drained pinto beans and 2 small cans pork and beans drained. Definitely will make this many more times ❤️
Kelly thank you so much for your nice comments! That is the thing about this recipe is you can customize it for how your family likes it...great suggestions!!! Have a Happy July 4th weekend!
Made these for Father’s Day . These were a big hit with my family. I made these exactly like the recipe said only I cut the recipe in half using five cans of beans. I will be saving this recipe for sure!!!
Oh, Chris, that is fantastic! Aren't they tasty? I had these at a family event and just couldn't stop eating them. So glad that everyone loved them and for your nice comment!
Hey Lisa, Can I freeze this recipe? Want to take it in a cooler overnight and serve it at a party the next day.
Yum!, these were so good. They have such a great tangy-sweet flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
This is the recipe my mom had always used for her beans. So easy. My daughter uses this for her family now.66 I remember liking it so much that I usually had beans on toast for breakfast before going to school !! LOL!
Oh I LOVE to hear that...I got this recipe from a good dear family friend in Minnesota, and have loved it for years. I have heard of beans on toast! My friends in England introduced me to baked beans as part of the classic English breakfast...so interesting to hear your family served them too. Hey, they are delicious, and a great protein source. Thanks for your fun comment!
We have made it twice! 1 time with sausage and 1 time with hamburger. It has turned out fantastic both times!
Hey Abby, Thank you! We love them too....so easy. I first had these at a potluck birthday party and couldn't stop eating them...appreciate your comment so very much. And I LOVE the idea of sausage!!
Love that there's hamburger in this recipe! And the bacon! Can't wait to make this recipe!
Girl, these cowboy beans sound like a really AMAZING side dish for a picnic or gathering! What amazing flavors!! So saving this recipe!