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These Beef & Bacon Baked Beans, also known as Cowboy Beans, are a hearty and flavorful dish made with ground beef, smoky bacon, and tender beans simmered in a rich BBQ sauce. Whether you serve them as a side dish, main course, or appetizer, they’re always a hit.
Try This Next: My Slow Cooker Baked Beans or Cheesy BBQ Chicken Sliders are awesome options if you’re looking for more hearty crowd-pleasers.
Why I Love This Recipe
- One-pot dish that feeds a crowd!
- Combines sweet, smoky, and savory flavors.
- Uses simple pantry staples that you probably have on hand right now!
- Great for potlucks, cookouts, or weeknight dinners.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Before You Begin
Assemble all of your ingredients and any bowls, spoons, or measuring equipment you need. It speeds up the whole process substantially!
Ingredients
- Pork & Beans: Do not drain; they add a flavorful base.
- Liquid Smoke: Adds deep, smoky flavor without needing a smoker.
- Barbecue Sauce: Use your favorite brand to personalize the flavor.
How To Make Cowboy Beans
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add ground beef, diced bacon, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain most of the grease.
Stir in the pork & beans (undrained), drained and rinsed beans of your choice, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, and garlic powder. Mix well.
Cover the pot and bake for 45 minutes, until bubbling and thickened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, these beans reheat well and taste even better the next day. Make them a day in advance and reheat before serving.
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
Absolutely. Brown the meat and bacon first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
What other beans can I use?
You can mix in kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, or navy beans for variety.
Is liquid smoke necessary?
It’s optional, but it adds a nice smoky depth. If you skip it, consider using a smoky BBQ sauce instead.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these beans with cornbread, coleslaw, or over rice.
For a spicier version, add diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
To make it a complete meal, serve with a green salad or grilled veggies.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Storage: Leftover cowboy beans should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave for individual portions or the oven or stovetop for larger portions.
Freezer Storage: They can be frozen in a plastic freezer bag or storage container for up to 4 months. Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the bacon and beef together to save time and build flavor.
- Use a mix of beans for texture variety—kidney, black, or pinto work well.
- Let the beans rest for 10 minutes after baking to thicken the sauce.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- 27 Simple Ground Beef Recipes
- Ground Beef Enchilada Dip
- Smoky Vegetable Beef Soup
- Crockpot Spaghetti
- Tex Mex Ground Beef and Rice Skillet
Cowboy Beans)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 pound Bacon diced
- 1 Medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon Minced garlic
- 28 ounce Can Van Kamps Pork & Beans Do not drain.
- 15 ounce Can Beans Any kind, or a blend. Drain and rinse.
- 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 18 ounce Bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat a 5 quart dutch oven or other oven safe, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat for one minute. Add ground beef, bacon, garlic and onion. Stir, cooking until ground beef is no longer pink. Drain most of the liquid from the pan.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover dutch oven and bake beans in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Made this very good
That’s awesome John! Thanks for stopping by.
Great recipe with some notes. I used 12 ounces of thick cut bacon. Put in the freezer for 30 minutes as it cuts better when par frozen. Cut across the slices about 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide. Render down until it’s crispy then toss in the onions to cook them. Don’t drain that bacon fat! I used 80/20 ground beef browned in a separate pan then drained well. Pinto beans rinsed well and thoroughly drained. KC Masterpiece original sauce (no garbage ingredients in it). No garlic powder, up the minced garlic to 3 tablespoons. Best beans I ever tasted. Do it.
Awesome feedback Glen! Thanks for stopping by to share.
Made double the amount for a party and ran out with people asking wear the beans went . I have to say I myself enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe.
You are so welcome Ray! Thanks for stopping by.
Everyone who eats these beans love them. Making them again for a cookout tomorrow. We always use the smoker and omit the liquid smoke.
Delish.
Awesome feedback Steph! Thanks for stopping by.
The recipe looks very nice and I intend to try it. What would you think about adding a couple of tablespoons of molasses to the it?
hi Alan, I think it would be a nice flavor.
Kristen, I actually made the cowboy beans yesterday and I totally forgot I was going to add the molasses, but the dish was wonderful without it. The recipe is a keeper, so next time I’ll try to remember to add the molasses.
I’m getting ready to put these on the smoker right now! I’m pretty excited!
Nice! Let us know here in the comments how well it turned out, thanks for stopping by Riki.
Well since May 13th when I posted this, this is the third time I’ve made them in the smoker. This is definitely a keeper for a recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it!
You are so welcome Riki! Thanks for stopping by.
This is very good! I hate onions so I left them out, but it was really good. We just love beans, and this was yummy. Thank you.
You are so welcome Cheryl! Awesome feedback, thanks for stopping by.
I made this as a side dish for Sunday dinner, but it could have been the main course. I added one more can of beans ( as we like beans ) and I used a no sugar added BBQ sauce. The flavor was tremendous. Everybody loved them! Will definitely be making them again!
Love the feedback Preston! Thanks for stopping by.
Recipe was well received at our weekly Pot Luck. In future, I would use less sugar or no sugar. It was too sweet for our tastes but the sweetness did balance out a bit better after baking time finished. The brands of beans and BBQ sauce used will also play into the amount of brown sugar needed.
Love your feedback Linda! Thanks for sharing.
Love these beans! But definitely cook the bacon first. I ended up picking out bacon and putting it in the microwave. It was way too undercooked otherwise. Otherwise perfect!
Love the feedback Deb! Thanks for stopping by.
I do the same thing Deb but other than that, I make them exactly like it says. They are so good!
This was the bomb, I’m going to try adding some sausage and hamburger next time, and a little more smoke
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Jim.
What would be the recipe if I use a #10 can of van kamps ????
hi Fred, you can use the slider bar for the servings to adjust the amount.