Cowboy Beans (Calico Beans)
Hearty Cowboy Beans, also known as Calico Beans, are loaded with ground beef, smoky bacon, four kinds of beans, and a sweet and tangy barbecue-style sauce. They're perfect for cookouts, potlucks, family dinners, or an easy make-ahead side dish.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 medium yellow or sweet onion, diced
- 1 28-ounce baked beans undrained
- 1 15-ounce kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce butter beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain off most of the bacon grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Add ground beef and diced onion. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is tender, breaking the beef into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
- Add baked beans, kidney beans, butter beans, pinto beans, and most of the cooked bacon. Reserve some bacon for the top.
- Add ketchup, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
- Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Transfer to a large baking dish if your skillet isn't oven-safe. Sprinkle reserved bacon over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and thickened around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
When it comes to the nutrition information provided for recipes, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s just an estimate. The actual nutritional values can vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Be mindful that any nutritional information provided is intended as a general guideline rather than exact values.
Notes
Do not drain the baked beans. Drain and rinse the kidney beans, butter beans, and pinto beans.
For less sweetness, choose a smoky or original barbecue sauce instead of a very sweet variety.
Substitute black beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans for any of the drained beans.
For a little heat, add diced jalapeño, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 10gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 359mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 136IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
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