Description
Hearty Cowboy Beans bring rustic southwestern charm straight to dinner tables with smoky bacon and robust flavors. Savory beans simmered low and slow promise a comforting meal that pulls you into ranch-style comfort and culinary adventure.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) ground beef
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
Beans:
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can butter beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can pork and beans (do not drain)
Seasonings and Sauces:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) barbecue sauce
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
Instructions
- Render bacon in a hot skillet until golden and crisp, then extract the meat while preserving the flavorful drippings.
- Sauté ground beef and onions in the residual bacon fat, browning the meat thoroughly and softening the aromatics until they release their fragrant essence.
- Introduce minced garlic to the skillet, allowing its pungent notes to bloom for a brief moment.
- Transfer the savory beef mixture to a spacious cooking vessel, preparing for the bean fusion.
- Incorporate a symphony of legumes: kidney, pinto, and black beans, blending them with tangy barbecue sauce, rich ketchup, caramelizing brown sugar, sharp mustard, umami-packed Worcestershire sauce, smoky paprika, and a pinch of seasoning.
- For stovetop preparation, allow the mixture to gently simmer, uncovered, letting the flavors meld and intensify for approximately 35 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent scorching.
- Alternatively, in a slow cooker, let the beans luxuriate on low heat for 4-5 hours, developing deep, complex flavors.
- Moments before serving, resurrect the crispy bacon pieces, sprinkling them atop the bubbling bean medley for a final textural and flavor accent.
Notes
- Bacon Swap: Use turkey bacon or plant-based bacon alternatives for a lighter, leaner version of the dish that still delivers amazing smoky flavor.
- Bean Variety: Mix different bean types like pinto, black, and kidney beans to create a more complex texture and nutritional profile.
- Spice Control: Adjust red pepper flakes based on heat preference, starting with a pinch and gradually increasing for those who enjoy a spicier kick.
- Make-Ahead Magic: Cowboy beans taste even better the next day as flavors continue to meld, making them perfect for meal prep and potlucks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg