Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
If you need an economical and tasty meal to share, serve slow cooker cowboy beans for a generous meal that is perfect year-round!
Servings 12
Equipment
- Slow cooker (or multi-cooker)
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 slices of precooked bacon
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 15 oz cans pinto beans drained
- 2 15 oz Great Northern beans drained
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in skillet until fully cooked then add to slow cooker
- Chop bacon and add to beef in slow cooker
- Finely dice pepper and onion and add to slow cooker
- Rinse and drain canned beans
- Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover, and cook on high for 1-2 hours or low for 2-4 hours until hot and bubbly
Notes
- How many people will this serve? This should be plenty for about 12 people - especially if served with additional sides! The serving size will be approximately ½ cup.
- Can this recipe be made in the oven? Yes, this can also be made in the oven! Brown meat and sauté peppers and onions, then mix all ingredients in a deep oven-safe casserole dish or Dutch oven. Bake at 350 degrees for around 45 minutes until cooked through and bubbly.
- Can I use dried beans? You can certainly cook your dried beans from scratch - just be sure to factor in additional soaking and cooking time. Prep your dried beans according to your preferred recipe, then drain the cooking liquid and add the correct portion to the slow cooker cowboy beans.
- How can I thicken the cowboy beans? If your BBQ sauce is thin, use ½ cup, if thick use ¾ cup or begin with a smaller portion and add as needed to prevent the beans from getting too watery. After cooking, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch, tapioca flour, or all-purpose flour with equal water until smooth and stir into the bean mixture.
- Recipe variations -
- Beans - Any combination of canned beans will work for this recipe. You can also add additional spice, jalapeno, or a bit of hot sauce to give it an extra kick!
- Sauces and Sweetness - For added sweetener, you can always add a bit of brown sugar if desired, or look for a honey-BBQ sauce or flavored ketchup. Tip: Sauces with higher sugar content can cause the mixture to burn more easily while cooking.
- Meat - Try ground turkey or ground pork sausage as a swap to ground beef.