How to Make Cowboy Beans or Chuckwagon Beans - A Southern Delight

Cowboy Beans or Chuckwagon Beans are a classic dish that perfectly encapsulates the rich flavors of the American Southwest. Filled with ground beef, bacon, and various types of beans, this hearty side dish is ideal for gatherings, barbecues, and cookouts. This recipe details how to prepare a delicious and authentic Cowboy Beans in your slow cooker, ensuring that you create a rich and flavorful dish that will be the talk of the barbecue!

Origin and History

Cowboy Beans or Chuckwagon Beans have deep roots in the culinary history of the American West. Cowboys and settlers often relied on hearty, filling meals while traveling through harsh terrains. These beans were frequently cooked in chuckwagons, the mobile kitchens used by pioneering herders. The combination of savory meats and a sweet and tangy sauce made them a popular choice.

Key Ingredients and Variations

Key ingredients for this recipe include:

Pinto beans and other types of beans (not dried ranch beans) Ground beef Bacon Smoked sausage Barbecue sauce Ketchup Molasses Brown sugar Spicy brown mustard Garlic powder Chili powder Red pepper flakes (optional)

There are many variations to this dish, allowing you to adjust the recipe to your personal taste preferences. From using different types of beans to adding unique spices, the possibilities are endless!

Preparation

Ingredients:

1 20-oz. bag Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup dried bean mix 6 cups water 1 large onion, diced 1 pound ground beef 1 pound bacon 2 pounds smoked sausage 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 6 hours Total Time: 6 hours and 20 minutes This slow cooker BBQ bean recipe with smoked sausage, bacon, and ground beef is the perfect side dish for feeding a crowd!

1. Add beans with seasoning packet and water to a large crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until beans are tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook onions with ground beef until beef is cooked through, seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Cut bacon into small strips and cook until crispy and browned. Remove bacon from pan and set aside.

4. Cut smoked sausage into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

5. Once beans are tender, ladle out any excess liquid and set aside to use later if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste, barbecue sauce, and remaining ingredients, including the ground beef, bacon, and smoked sausage. Gently stir to combine.

6. Add reserved liquid from cooking the beans 1/2 cup at a time to ensure the contents of the crock pot have a nice thick sauce. You don’t want things to be runny but you do want to make sure there’s enough sauce to coat everything nicely, as with baked beans.

7. Continue cooking for 1-2 hours on high or until sausage is heated through and everything is hot and bubbly.

Notes and Tips

Note: This recipe is intended as a side dish. It was created to taste a lot like Southern-style baked beans. However, if you find the dish too rich, you can reduce the amount of barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and/or molasses.

If you can’t find Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup in your market, ask your grocer for them. Until then, you can order them online!

Crumbled sausage would be amazing in this too! Diced green peppers and/or jalapenos would also be great additions!

For a recipe this size, there really isn’t a lot of fat; I drain my bacon because bacon grease is life, and I save every drop. However, I do not drain the ground beef, as there isn’t much fat in the recipe. I like the extra flavor and richness from the beefy pan drippings.