Ingredients
- Bacon: 8 slices, thick-cut, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces. The bacon is the foundation of our flavor, rendering its fat to cook the other ingredients in and providing salty, smoky notes throughout the dish.
- Ground Beef: 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10 works best). This makes the beans hearty enough to be a main course.
- Yellow Onion: 1 large, finely chopped. Provides a sweet, aromatic base that softens and melts into the sauce.
- Garlic: 4 cloves, minced. For that essential pungent, savory depth. Don’t be shy with the garlic!
- Pinto Beans: 2 (15-ounce) cans, rinsed and drained. The classic cowboy bean, pinto beans are creamy and hold their shape well.
- Kidney Beans: 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained. Adds a different texture and a robust, earthy flavor.
- Black Beans: 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained. They bring a slightly sweeter, firmer texture to the mix, as well as a beautiful color contrast.
- Barbecue Sauce: 1 ½ cups of your favorite BBQ sauce. Choose one you love, as it’s a major flavor component. A smoky hickory or mesquite flavor works exceptionally well.
- Ketchup: ½ cup. Adds a familiar tangy sweetness and helps to thicken the sauce.
- Packed Brown Sugar: ½ cup, light or dark. This is key for that classic baked bean sweetness that balances the savory elements.
- Molasses: ¼ cup. Provides a deep, dark, slightly bitter sweetness that is iconic in old-fashioned baked beans.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: 3 tablespoons. This is the secret weapon! The acidity cuts through the richness and sweetness, brightening all the other flavors.
- Worcestershire Sauce: 2 tablespoons. Adds a complex, umami-rich savory depth that you can’t quite place but would definitely miss.
- Dry Mustard Powder: 1 tablespoon. Gives a subtle, sharp tang that complements the sweet and smoky notes.
- Smoked Paprika: 1 teaspoon. Enhances the smokiness from the bacon and BBQ sauce.
- Black Pepper: 1 teaspoon, freshly ground.
- Beef Broth or Water: ½ cup, or as needed to adjust consistency.
Instructions
1. Cook the Bacon:
Place your large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes brown and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon from the pot and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the pot for the next step. If you have excess, carefully discard it.
2. Brown the Beef and Aromatics:
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef to the hot bacon fat in the pot. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat apart. Cook until the beef is thoroughly browned and no longer pink, which should take about 6-8 minutes. Drain off any excess grease that has accumulated. Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot with the beef and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened and become translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute until it’s fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Build the Flavorful Sauce:
Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir everything together until the brown sugar has dissolved and the sauce is well combined with the beef and onion mixture. Let this sauce base simmer for about 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
4. Add the Beans and Simmer to Perfection:
Gently fold in the rinsed and drained pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans. Add the cooked bacon back into the pot, reserving a small amount for garnish if you wish. Stir until all the beans are evenly coated in the rich sauce. If the mixture seems overly thick at this point, stir in the ½ cup of beef broth or water.
5. The Final Simmer:
Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for at least 1 hour. For the best, most developed flavor, simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir the beans every 20-30 minutes to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. During this long simmer, the sauce will thicken, and the flavors will deepen into something truly magical. Taste the beans before serving and adjust seasoning if necessary—you might want a little more pepper or a tiny splash more vinegar to brighten it up.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One Normal Portion
- Calories: 450-550