The Best Cowboy Calico Beans
Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with *The Best Cowboy Calico Beans*—a hearty, flavor-packed dish that’s perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or backyard barbecues! This crowd-pleasing recipe combines crispy bacon, savory ground beef, and a medley of tender beans—pinto, kidney, butter, and baked—simmered in a tangy, sweet, and smoky sauce made from barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Finished with a touch of Worcestershire and dry mustard for depth, this dish is pure comfort food with a cowboy twist. Whether baked in the oven or slow-cooked to perfection, these calico beans make a satisfying main course or a standout side dish served with cornbread or a fresh salad. Quick to prep and bursting with bold flavors, this recipe is your go-to for easy, no-fuss cooking that promises to impress!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can baked beans (do not drain)
- 0.5 cup ketchup
- 0.5 cup barbecue sauce
- 0.25 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon, crumble it, and set it aside, leaving 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pan.
Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are softened and the garlic is fragrant.
In a large casserole dish or slow cooker, combine the cooked bacon, ground beef mixture, all the beans, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
If using a casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
Stir occasionally during cooking to ensure the mixture is well combined.
Once cooked, serve the Cowboy Calico Beans hot, either as a main dish or alongside cornbread or a crisp salad.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
408 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 14.4 g | 18% | |
| Saturated Fat | 5.6 g | 28% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 44 mg | 15% | |
| Sodium | 849 mg | 37% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 50.0 g | 18% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.2 g | 29% | |
| Total Sugars | 21.2 g | ||
| Protein | 20.6 g | 41% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.1 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 91 mg | 7% | |
| Iron | 4.4 mg | 25% | |
| Potassium | 756 mg | 16% | |
*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.
