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Cowboy Beans Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 149 reviews

Cowboy Beans is a hearty, flavorful bean stew featuring a savory mix of bacon, ground beef, three types of beans, and a tangy, smoky BBQ sauce base. This dish combines the richness of smoky bacon and seasoned beef with the comforting heartiness of pinto, black, and red beans. Enhanced with roasted red peppers, pickled jalapeños, and a blend of tangy and sweet condiments including ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and molasses, this classic cowboy-style recipe is perfect for a filling meal that embodies rustic American flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Aromatics

  • 4 oz. bacon, chopped into 1/2” pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeños
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef

Seasonings

  • 2 tsp. taco seasoning
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Beans

  • 2 (14-oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-oz.) can small red beans or dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Liquids and Sauces

  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth or water
  • 1 cup store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
  • 2 tbsp. molasses
  • 1 tbsp. hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Cook the Bacon and Aromatics: In a cold large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 9 to 11 minutes. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chopped roasted red bell peppers, and pickled jalapeños; cook while stirring until the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Brown the Ground Beef: Push the onion mixture to one side of the pot. On the empty side, add the ground beef and taco seasoning, seasoning with kosher salt to taste. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Mix the beef together with the onion mixture thoroughly.
  3. Add Beans and Sauces, Simmer: Stir in the pinto beans, black beans, red beans, beef broth (or water), BBQ sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, molasses, and hot sauce until well combined. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  4. Reduce and Finish: Remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors concentrate, about 15 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional taco seasoning and salt as needed before serving.

Notes

  • Using a large heavy pot or Dutch oven helps ensure even cooking and flavor development.
  • For a spicier dish, increase the amount of pickled jalapeños or hot sauce to taste.
  • You can substitute kidney beans for the red beans if preferred.
  • Homemade BBQ sauce adds a more natural flavor, but store-bought works well for convenience.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and the flavors deepen after a day.

Keywords: cowboy beans, bean stew, ground beef beans, smoky beans, BBQ beans, American cuisine, one pot meal

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/cowboy-beans-recipe/