Best Baked Beans with Sausage and Ground Beef
Sneak Preview: Well-seasoned Baked Beans with Sausage and Ground Beef (AKA Cowboy Baked Beans), as well as the usual bacon, will take your next cookout to a new level.
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My friend Larry called these hearty baked beans “the best-baked beans I ever had.” I don’t know if he was extra hungry. Maybe he was appreciating food he didn’t have to make himself. Nevertheless, he’s a wonderful cook, so I’m believing it. Here is the recipe, as promised.
Since these baked beans contain sausage, ground beef, and bacon, they are a meal in their own right. They’re also a tasty side for steaks, pork chops, burgers, etc. Take them to a potluck. Or fix them for a sick neighbor or friend.
Happy Cooks Speak Up
“Made this tonight for church pot luck tomorrow. Not sure it will make it to the pot luck! The family has already eaten a fair share of it. YUMMY! Thanks for sharing.”—CHERIE
Ingredients and Substitutions
- BACON: Thin-sliced, thick-sliced, peppered bacon, or even turkey bacon. I can’t think of any bacon that wouldn’t be good in this recipe except for the fake bacon bits that come in a jar. No, thank you.
- GROUND BEEF: I like the 88/12 ground beef at Costco. But really, even the cheapest ground beef is OK if you drain off the excess grease
- SAUSAGE: We are talking about breakfast sausage, not Italian sausage. Hot or regular-spiced is good.
- ONIONS: Use fresh yellow or white onions. Frozen onions are convenient. Dried onions would be my last choice, although they wouldn’t be bad as they have plenty of time to hydrate in the beans.
- BELL PEPPERS: We prefer red, yellow, or orange peppers because of their mild and sweet flavor. The green ones are cheaper if you enjoy the bitter flavor.
- PORK and BEANS: I buy the cheapest beans because they have more “bean juice.” Suit yourself.
- BARBECUE SAUCE: Our favorite brand is “Head Country Original.” Any brand of traditional barbecue sauce should work.
- BROWN MUSTARD: Substitute prepared mustard if that’s what you have.
- BROWN SUGAR: I use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar is good, too. If you use granulated white sugar, add a couple of teaspoons of molasses. If you don’t like your beans to be very sweet, reduce the brown sugar by half or more.
What Should I Serve with Baked Beans?
Our favorite way to eat them is with potato chips, using the beans as a dip. If this practice is not socially acceptable, please don’t tell me and ruin the fun.
They are also good picnic food alongside potato salad and sandwiches.
How To Make Baked Beans with Sausage and Ground Beef
If your skillet is oven-proof and has a lid, you can put it into the oven to bake. Otherwise, transfer the beans to an oven-safe casserole dish. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes at 350˚F. Remove the cover and bake for 10 minutes longer. Allow the beans to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
After assembling the recipe, cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.
Yes. The flavors of the beans seem to marry and get better after spending time in the fridge. However, you may need to add water when reheating them, as the beans will absorb moisture.
Although many recipes recommend rinsing beans, I don’t do it in this recipe. The bean juices keep the beans moist. All the seasonings will completely mask the original flavor of the juices.
Yes. After you stir all the ingredients together, give yourself a small taste. If your beans, barbecue sauce, or ketchup are already sweet enough on their own, you may not need to add the full 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Suit yourself.
There are several reasons this can happen. If you use expensive pork and beans, they tend to have less liquid. That’s why I use cheap ones.
Another reason could be your oven. If the temperature runs a little high, you may need to turn your oven down to compensate.
If the container in which you baked the beans is not very thick, you can easily overbake them or even burn them.
No matter why they are dry, add some hot water and stir until they are the consistency you prefer.
Parting thoughts: I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my friend Larry! Ground Beef and Bacon lovers will also like these recipes for Ground Beef Goulash or this Easy Ground Beef and Bacon One Dish Supper.
What Would You Like To See Next?
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Baked Beans with Sausage and Ground Beef Recipe
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Ingredients
- 5-6 slices (110 g) bacon
- ½ pound (226 g) ground beef
- ½ pound (226 g) sausage I like the HOT variety
- ½ cup (80 g) onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup (74 g) bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 16-ounce (908 g) cans pork and beans
- ½ cup (143 g) barbecue sauce
- ½ cup (120 g) ketchup
- 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons (50 g) brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (170˚C). Fry 5-6 slices (110 g) bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove from pan and discard grease.
- In the same skillet, brown 1/2 pound (226 g) ground beef and 1/2 pound (226 g) sausage, then drain off the excess grease. Add 1/2 cup (80 g) onion, finely chopped and 1/2 cup (74 g) bell pepper, finely chopped. Cook until vegetables soften. Add 2 16-ounce (908 g) cans pork and beans, 1/2 cup (143 g) barbecue sauce, 1/2 cup (120 g) ketchup, 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 4 tablespoons (50 g) brown sugar to the meat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Transfer beans to a greased 2-quart dish. Crumble bacon over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow the beans to stand an additional 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cheap pork and beans work best as they tend to contain more liquid making the beans “juicier” after baking.
- Baking time will vary according to the depth of the baking dish you choose. Flatter dishes require less time. Beans will thicken some after removing from the oven.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.