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Cowboy Baked Beans the Chuckwagon Way

Cowboy Baked Beans

This is the skillet-to-oven version of Cowboy Baked Beans I leaned on for years cooking ranch suppers. Smoky bacon and beefy chili-spiked pintos simmer in a sweet-tangy sauce of ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and cider vinegar until the edges caramelize and the pot smells like a Texas porch in summer. It is thick, meaty, and built for a crowd.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 People
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz thick-cut bacon diced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 lb ground beef 80/20 blend
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 cans pinto beans 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
  • 0.75 cup ketchup
  • 0.5 cup barbecue sauce a smoky style works best
  • 0.5 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven oven-safe, 5 to 7 quart
  • 1 Wooden spoon
  • 1 Chef’s knife
  • 1 Cutting board

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and set a rack to the middle position.
  2. Set a large oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp at the edges, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift the bacon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef to the bacon fat and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to build a crust, then stir and continue browning until no pink remains, about 6 minutes total. Tilt the pot and spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.
  4. Add the diced yellow onion and green bell pepper to the beef. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the drained pinto beans, ketchup, barbecue sauce, dark brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Return the crisped bacon to the pot and fold everything together until the beans are evenly coated in sauce.
  6. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, about 3 minutes, then slide the uncovered Dutch oven into the preheated oven.
  7. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the sauce has thickened, darkened, and bubbles slowly with caramelized edges around the rim of the pot. Stir once at the halfway mark to keep the top from drying out.
  8. Remove from the oven and let the beans rest for 10 minutes so the sauce tightens around the beans. Taste, adjust salt, and serve hot straight from the pot.

Notes

  • Serve alongside warm cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, sliced brisket, or a sharp coleslaw for the full chuckwagon spread.
  • For a smokier pot, swap half the chili powder for chipotle powder or stir in a tablespoon of adobo from canned chipotles.
  • Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated and freeze beautifully for 3 months; the sauce gets even better on day two.
  • If you prefer a slower bake, lower the oven to 300 F and let it go uncovered for 2 hours, stirring once.