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Slow-Cooked Cowboy Beans Recipe with Smoky Bacon and BBQ Flavors

These cowboy beans are hearty, smoky, and full of flavour. Whether you cook them over an open fire or on the stovetop, they make an easy, comforting one‑pot meal.

Tall, close-up, overhead image of cowboy beans in a white casserole dish with a metal spoon sticking out.

Baked beans, minced beef and bacon come together to create a satisfying, warming dinner — perfect for chilly, rainy days.

For added colour serve with steamed green beans, or keep it cozy with a chunk of buttered crusty bread for dipping.

Table of Contents

  • 📋 Ingredients
  • 📺 Watch how to make it
  • Pro Tip
  • 🍽️ What to serve it with
  • 🍲 More fantastic one-pot recipes
  • Cowboy Beans Recipe

📋 Ingredients

Ingredients for cowboy beans laid on on wooden board
  • Beans – 3 tins baked beans in tomato sauce (use your favourite variety) and 1 tin drained kidney beans.
  • Bacon – streaky smoked bacon strips for the best flavour.
  • Minced beef – 10–12% fat is ideal; very lean or very fatty mince will change the texture.
  • BBQ sauce – use your preferred brand.

📺 Watch how to make it

Full recipe with step‑by‑step instructions is in the recipe card below.

  1. Fry the bacon until crisp, remove and chop into pieces.
  2. Sauté the onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat until softened.
  3. Add the minced beef and brown, then stir in the stock, baked beans, kidney beans and sauces (leave out the brown sugar for now).
  4. Simmer to blend the flavours, then taste and add brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter finish.
  5. Stir the chopped bacon back in, warm through and serve.

Pro Tip

Reserve a little of the crispy bacon to sprinkle over each serving just before serving — it stays crisp and adds texture.

That’s cosy autumn food in a bowl.

Tall close up image of a spoonful of cowboy beans being lifted out of a white casserole pan.

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🍽️ What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread or garlic bread for dipping
  • As a topping for a baked potato
  • Alongside air fryer chips or roasted vegetables

This dish reheats beautifully, making it ideal to prepare ahead or to take camping.

Tall, close-up image of cowboy beans in a white casserole dish with a metal spoon sticking out. The dish is on a wooden table.

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Square, close-up, overhead image of cowboy beans in a white casserole dish with a metal spoon sticking out.

Cowboy Beans

By Nicky Corbishley
Hearty, smoky cowboy beans that work over a campfire or on the stovetop — simple ingredients, big comfort.
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:30 mins
Total Time:40 mins
Servings:4 – 6
Course:Dinner
Cuisine:American

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 8 rashers streaky smoked bacon
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) minced beef (10–12% fat)
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) beef stock
  • 3 x 400 g (14 oz) tins baked beans in tomato sauce
  • 400 g (14 oz) tin kidney beans, drained
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry for 6–7 minutes until crisp, turning once. Remove and chop.
  • Add the onion to the pan with the bacon fat and fry for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic.
  • Add the minced beef, increase heat to medium‑high and fry for 5–6 minutes until browned, breaking up any lumps. Reduce heat to medium.
  • Stir in the stock, then add the baked beans, kidney beans, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, black pepper and BBQ sauce.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
  • Taste and add the dark brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter dish. Stir the chopped bacon back in and cook for a further minute to heat through.
  • Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Can I make cowboy beans ahead?
Yes. Cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan, adding a splash of water if it needs loosening.

Can I freeze cowboy beans?
Yes. Cool, portion into airtight containers and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat thoroughly before serving.

Swaps and additions
Add a tablespoon of Cajun spice when frying the onion for heat, use kidney beans in chilli sauce for extra kick, or stir in diced bell peppers or mushrooms for more veg.

Nutritional information is approximate, based on this recipe serving 6 people.

Nutrition

Calories: 584 kcal | Carbohydrates: 66 g | Protein: 36 g | Fat: 22 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Sodium: 1304 mg | Fiber: 16 g | Sugar: 8 g

Nutrition information is an approximation and may vary.

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