Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans (Baked Beans with Ground Beef)

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Serve up meaty delicious cowboy beans with ground beef at your next BBQ. They are a hearty and easy to make side dish that is made right in your slow cooker!

close up bowl of thick baked beans with meat

Nothing says summer BBQ like some slow cooked southern baked beans. These meaty cowboy beans have a thick sauce that has the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

They feature ground beef and green peppers making them a delicious and hearty side dish. These beans are a perfect side for potlucks, BBQs and carry ins too!

MiMi has been making this easy recipe for years. In fact we have been saying we need to get pictures almost from the beginning of the blog.

The problem is she usually makes them when we are preparing for a crowd and it’s hard to slow down and take pictures.

So when I was thinking of sides to make for our 4th of July get together, these instantly came to mind. They are quick to throw together, they feed an army and the leftovers freeze well so they win on all fronts.

ground beef and diced green peppers on top of beans in slow cooker.

The original cowboy beans recipe was from South Your Mouth, but MiMi has adjusted it over the years to adapt for our large gatherings and we add black beans and green pepper for color and variety.

Cowboy beans are almost hearty enough to be a meal on their own, but we normally serve them with pulled pork or hamburgers and hot dogs.

So take it easy on yourself and make some cowboy beans for your next gathering!

plate with burger, beans and tomato cucumber salad.

How do you store leftover baked beans?

Allow beans to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze leftover baked beans?

Yes! I have had great luck freezing these hearty baked beans. Portion them into containers the appropriate size for a meal later and freeze for up to six months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then microwave or reheat in a saucepan on the stove.

Some More Easy Side Dishes for a Barbecue:

Homemade maple bacon baked beans in the instant pot makes for a great sweet and savory side dish. it starts with maple syrup and dried beans and can still be made in a couple of hours with the help of a pressure cooker.

Crockpot corny macaroni and cheese is made right in the slow cooker, there is no boiling the noodles first. Plus there is some corn mixed in for an all in one perfect side dish!

Frito salad is a fun twist on a taco salad. It is loaded with flavor and is perfect for potlucks, but also makes a fun dinner main dish. The homemade Catalina salad dressing is easy to make and the salad is packed full of goodies.

BBQ ranch pasta salad has it all, fresh herbs, ranch, tomatoes, avocados, corn and more! It’s perfect for picnics, BBQs, potlucks and more!

Did you make this easy side dish recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!

Yield: 36 Servings

Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Nothing says summer bbq like some slow cooked beans. These meaty cowboy beans have a thick sauce that has the perfect balance of sweet and savory. They are a perfect side for potlucks, bbqs and carry ins too!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
7 pound can of pork and beans (large industrial can)
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons yellow mustard*

Instructions

Dice the onion and pepper into small pieces.
In a large skillet, brown the pound of ground beef, salt and pepper over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper until softened slightly.
Drain any free liquid off the top of the pork and beans and then pour into a 6 quart slow cooker. Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the pot.
Stir in the remaining ingredients including the cooked ground beef and veggies.
Cook on low for at least 4 hours, but as long as 8.

Notes

*This recipe also works great with ground venison in place of the beef.

Feel free to use spicy brown mustard or Dijon mustard in place of the yellow mustard if that is what you have.

I like to have a bottle of hot sauce nearby when I serve these beans in case anyone wants a little more spice.