Crock Pot Cowboy Beans are a family friendly slow cooked recipe of browned ground beef, ham, crispy bacon, pinto beans, black beans and onions all in a sweet tomato based sauce.
I am in love with these mouthwatering Easy Crock Pot Cowboy Beans. They are just that good. Made them again last night and I thought hubby and I were going to have to play rock paper scissors for the last little bit in the crock pot. They are the perfect busy family meal. They simmer in the crock pot for four hours on high or six to seven hours on low. They are a complete meal unless you would want to add a salad and/or rolls. Are you always in a hurry do the skillet step the night before, store in the fridge and then dump in the crock in the morning.
How do you make Crock Pot Cowboy Beans Recipe.
In a large skillet over medium heat add your bacon and cook until it starts to brown on the edges. Add your ground beef and onion. Cook until the beef is browned and the bacon is crispy. Add ham and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Place in crock pot.
Add beans, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Want to add a little kick? Sure why not! I know not all my readers like heat but those who do will appreciate this. Add a couple pinches of crushed red pepper.
What to serve with Cowboy Beans
If you are doing a very simple quick weeknight meal you need not serve anything as it really is a pretty complete meal but if you are looking for some ideas. Here are just a few.
- Vinegar Coleslaw
- Easy Sweet Maple Dinner Rolls
- Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Easy Buttermilk Cornbread
- Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Beer Bread
Helpful tips on making this the best Cowboy Beans Recipe ever!
- Purchase good quality smoked nitrate free bacon, use lean ground beef and sweet smoked ham.
- Get the bacon and ham good & crispy. If need be turn the heat up a touch.
- Drain any excess grease from the meats. No one wants a layer of grease on their cowboy beans.
- If you like a little bit of heat turn it up some by adding a couple pinches of crushed red pepper, a little bit of siracha or a 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Go slowly, taste it and see if you need more.
This post was originally published June 30, 2018 and was republished August 22, 2019 with new content.
PrintEasy Crock Pot Cowboy Beans
A super easy family friendly recipe of slow cooked to perfection ground beef, ham, crispy bacon, beans and onions all in a slightly sweet tomato based sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main meal
- Method: Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6 slices smoked bacon coarsely chopped
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 slices (1/4 inch thick) smoked ham diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can (16 ounces) pinto beans
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with hatch green chilies (see notes)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Kansas City style barbecue sauce (see notes)
Instructions
- In large skillet over medium heat cook bacon until it starts to crisp on the edges. Add ground beef and onion; cook until beef is browned and bacon is crispy. Add ham and cook another 1-2 minutes to get it a little crispy. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, drain any excess grease and add to crock pot.
- To crock pot add beans, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, yellow mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Notes
If you can not find that kind of diced tomatoes you can use any kind of diced tomato with green chilies in it our even just plain diced tomatoes.
It does not have to be Kansas City style barbecue sauce it just tastes better with it but you can use any brand.
Keywords: cowboy baked beans, old fashioned cowboy beans recipe, chuckwagon cowboy beans recipe
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