Cowboy Beans (KOW-boy beens)

Baked Beans

This hearty Cowboy Beans recipe was shared by none other than Henry McCarty, better known to some as Billy the Kid, during his last night with Intiak (Tak). As the fire crackled in the desert night, Henry insisted on preparing this simple yet flavorful dish—one his mother had taught him years ago. It was a fitting end to their time together, the rich, smoky flavors embodying the rugged, untamed nature of their journey.

Recipe Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until partially done. Remove the bacon from the pan.

Pour some of the bacon fat out of the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat into fine crumbles with a spoon.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Season the onions with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the beans, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup and apple cider vinegar to the pan. Stir until well combined.

Pour the bean mixture into the prepared dish. Layer the pieces of bacon all over the top.

Bake for 60-90 minutes or until bean mixture has thickened and bacon is browned and cooked through. - Stir to combine.

Sprinkle with parsley, then serve immediately.

Notes

While this cowboy baked beans recipe is great as-is you can absolutely add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.

Beans: You can use a variety of beans in addition to or in lieu of the baked beans. Some good options include white beans, kidney beans, great northern beans, cannellini beans, black beans, pinto beans or lima beans.

Spicy: Feel free to add some hot sauce for an additional kick. You can also stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Sweetener: If you want a sweeter dish or you don’t have molasses on hand, you can use maple syrup instead of molasses.

Meat: Different types of pork can be used to flavor the beans such as salt pork, smoked sausage or diced ham. You can also swap out the ground beef for sausage or ground turkey.

Seasonings: Feel free to add your favorite seasonings like chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. You can substitute the yellow mustard for Dijon mustard.

History

Cowboy Beans were a staple meal during the late 1800s, particularly among cattlemen and travelers across the American frontier. Often made for special occasions or shared during communal gatherings around the campfire, the dish brought together simple, hearty ingredients that could be cooked easily and sustained long travels. Henry McCarty, who picked up cooking tips from his mother, found comfort in this recipe, making it his go-to for moments when he wanted to share a piece of his past with others.

Servings

Prep Time (hours)

2-3 hours

Items Needed

2 Quart Baking Dish, large skillet, knife, wooden spoon

Ingredients

8 slices bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
1/2 cup onion finely diced
3 15 ounce cans pork and beans partially drained
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Creator

Henry McCarty

Related ethnicities

American

Source

Dinner at the Zoo