Crazy Beans with Crock Pot Variation
Get ready to elevate your next gathering or family dinner with Crazy Beans, a hearty, flavor-packed dish bursting with a medley of beans, smoky bacon, and perfectly seasoned ground beef. This recipe combines kidney, pinto, butter, and baked beans, all simmered in a rich, tangy-sweet sauce made from ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a hint of mustard. Whether baked in the oven or slow-cooked to perfection using the Crock Pot variation, this crowd-pleasing dish is perfect as a comforting side or a satisfying main served over rice. Easy to make with just 20 minutes of prep and loaded with bold flavors, Crazy Beans is your go-to recipe for barbecues, potlucks, or cozy weeknight dinners.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 16 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 28 ounces baked beans
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
In the same skillet with the bacon drippings, add the ground beef and onion. Cook over medium heat until the beef is browned and the onion is softened, about 7-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
In a large bowl, combine the kidney beans, pinto beans, butter beans, and baked beans.
Add the cooked ground beef and onion mixture to the beans. Stir well to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Pour the sauce mixture over the beans and meat. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish, cover with foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
For the Crock Pot variation, follow steps 1-5, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Once cooked, serve the Crazy Beans warm as a side dish or over rice for a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
794 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 33.2 g | 43% | |
| Saturated Fat | 12.4 g | 62% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 95 mg | 32% | |
| Sodium | 1555 mg | 68% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 86.7 g | 32% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 12.4 g | 44% | |
| Total Sugars | 40.6 g | ||
| Protein | 41.0 g | 82% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.5 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 155 mg | 12% | |
| Iron | 7.4 mg | 41% | |
| Potassium | 1318 mg | 28% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
