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Cowboy Beans

Double-Batch Cowboy Beans

BlueSmokeFire
A massive double-batch of rich, bacon-infused cowboy beans baked from scratch in a shallow foil catering pan.
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Ingredients
  

  • FOR THE MEATS & AROMATICS:
  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 2 large yellow onions finely diced
  • 2 large bell peppers finely diced
  • FOR THE BEAN BLEND:
  • 2 cans 28 oz each Bush's Best Brown Sugar Hickory Beans (undrained)
  • 2 cans 15 oz each Pork and Beans (drained)
  • 2 cans 15 oz each Black Beans (drained)
  • 2 cans 15 oz each Kidney Beans (drained)
  • FOR THE SCRATCH SAUCE:
  • 12 oz tomato paste
  • 1 cup bourbon dark beer, or black coffee
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 6 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground dry mustard

Instructions
 

  • Instructions:
  • Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lay the thick-cut bacon in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 18–22 minutes until crispy. Chop the bacon and set aside, reserving 4 tablespoons of the liquid bacon fat.
  • Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat with the 4 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat. Add the ground beef, diced onions, and bell peppers. Cook until the beef is browned and veggies are soft, then drain excess grease if needed.
  • Turn heat to medium and pour in the bourbon, beer, or coffee to deglaze the pot. Scrape up all the caramelized browned bits from the bottom and simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tomato paste, brown sugar, molasses, cider vinegar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and dry mustard until a thick, glossy paste forms.
  • Fold in all 8 cans of beans (keeping the sauce from the Bush's Brown Sugar Hickory, but draining the other 6 cans) and all of the chopped crispy bacon. Stir until combined.
  • Slide a rigid sheet pan under a 15.5" x 11.5" disposable foil catering pan for support. Pour the bean mixture into the pan and bake uncovered at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes until bubbling around the edges and dark-caramelized on top.

Notes