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A bowl of cowboy beans topped with parsley and served with cornbread.
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Cowboy Beans

This cowboy beans recipe is made with ground beef and bacon, all baked together in a sweet and savory sauce. A hearty side dish that pairs perfectly with grilled meats and seafood.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 365kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
  • 1/2 cup onion finely diced
  • 3 15 ounce cans pork and beans partially drained
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
  • cooking spray
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until partially done. Remove the bacon from the pan.
  • Pour some of the bacon fat out of the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat into fine crumbles with a spoon.
  • Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Season the onions with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the beans, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup and apple cider vinegar to the pan. Stir until well combined.
  • Pour the bean mixture into the prepared dish. Layer the pieces of bacon all over the top.
  • Bake for 60-90 minutes or until bean mixture has thickened and bacon is browned and cooked through. Stir to combine.
  • Sprinkle with parsley, then serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 485mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.8mg