Ask Betty!

Do you have any cooking questions
or need a cooking tip?
Send a question and I will try to answer.

Ask Betty

October 3, 2011
logo-badge

Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans

Hearty Meat Dishes
Prep time:
15 minutes
slow-cooker time:
3 to 8 hours

Grandma had no problem feeding her crowd of hungry cowboys with this big and bold bean dish; it corrals lots of flavor in every Texas-sized spoonful.

Grandma had no problem feeding her crowd of hungry cowboys with this big and bold bean dish; it corrals lots of flavor in every Texas-sized spoonful.

Ingredients

Serves 16 

  • 1/2 pound maple-flavored bacon (about 8 strips)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
  • 2 cans (15–16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15–16 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (28 ounces) maple-flavored baked beans
  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 3 tablepsoons maple syrup or firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
  1. 1

    Cut the bacon strips into 1-inch pieces. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the fat from the skillet.

  2. 2

    Add the beef and onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain the fat from the skillet. Spoon the beef mixture into a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.

  3. 3

    Add the kidney beans, pinto beans, baked beans, tomatoes, syrup, mustard and garlic powder to the slow cooker. Stir gently to mix. Cover and cook for 6–8 hours on the Low heat setting or for 3–4 hours on the High heat setting. Serve.

Variations(0)
Reviews(0)
Grandma's Secret Tip

Grandma's Secret Tip

All Grandma needed were hamburger buns to turn this recipe into great sloppy joes.

Serving Suggestion

Serving Suggestion

A pan of corn bread is terrific with these beans. What’s for dessert? A great big applepie, of course!

Join Grandma's new Oven-Lovin League

FREE Membership entitles you to
fresh-from-the-oven club privileges:

  • Thousands of Kitchen-Tested Recipes
  • Exclusive Cooking Tips from Grandma Betty
  • Member-Only Merchandise Discounts
Join Now! It's Free!