Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Summer is incomplete in Texas without this flavorful and hearty baked bean with ground beef dish inspired by the famous cowboy beans. It’s rich and has the right sweet, spicy, and tang balance. Enjoy this side dish year-round or at your next potluck, barbecue, or Thanksgiving soirée.
Servings: 6 - 8 people
Calories: 585kcal
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or Dutch oven
- chopping board
Ingredients
- 5 slices thick bacon chopped
- 1 large sweet onion diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 jalapeño seeded and diced (about ¼ cup)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste (I used 1 teaspoon each)
- 1 green pepper seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar (optional or more if you want it sweeter)
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup tomato purée (from 29 ounce can)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 (28 ounces) cans baked beans (such as Bush’s)
Instructions
- Place bacon in a large cast iron braiser, dutch oven, or oven-safe skillet. Cook the bacon over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s slightly browned and crisp around the edges. Be careful not to overcook, as this will be baked further in the oven. Transfer the cooked bacon onto a paper towel, leaving the fat in the skillet.5 slices thick bacon
- In the same skillet, sauté the onion for about a minute, then add the Jalapeños, stirring frequently until it’s fragrant (about 2 mins).1 large sweet onion, 1 jalapeño
- Add the ground beef, breaking it down using a wooden spoon or spatula. Season with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients are incorporated. Cook for 6 minutes or until browned, and oil settles on the bottom of the skillet.1 pound ground beef, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, salt and black pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Meanwhile, reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider, mustard, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, and bell pepper. Stir to combine.1 green pepper, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ¾ cup BBQ sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup ketchup, ½ cup tomato purée, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Add the slightly drained baked beans and cooked bacon from earlier. Gently stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, then transfer to the oven.2 (28 ounces) cans baked beans
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the beans are cooked and browned on top, with a bit of oil settling around the edges of the pan.If your skillet doesn’t have a lid, cover it with aluminum foil, crimping the edges to seal.
- Remove from heat (remember your mittens; the pan will be hot). If you prefer, use a spoon to scoop out the excess oil. Stir and serve with hot dog buns, rice, or cornbread ( see post for more suggestions). Enjoy!
Notes
- Drain most of the sauce from the beans. We don’t want it runny, so we’ll compensate with the remaining liquid ingredients on the recipe card.
- If served as a side dish, it should feed 10-12 people. If served as a main, it should feed 6-8 people.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1326mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 999IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 5mg
