Bourbon Barbecue Slow Cooker Beans

I am asked to bring these 'trucker beans' to almost every summer bbq! Rich, meaty and satisfying. These beans make a great side dish, are perfect to bring to a pot luck picnic, or hearty enough to be eaten as a meal.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 hr
• Total Time: 10 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 466 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup real maple syrup
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced
• 3 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (16 ounce) package dry 15 bean mix for soup
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle hickory flavored barbeque sauce (such as Open Pit®)
• ⅔ cup bourbon whiskey

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Rinse the beans, and place in a very large pot. Cover beans with water, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Simmer until all of the water is absorbed, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf.

Step 2

Place the chopped bacon in a large, deep skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Return the skillet to the heat, and add the ground beef; cook until the beef is cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes. Drain fat.

Step 3

Combine the beans, bacon, ground beef, sliced kielbasa, onion, green pepper, red pepper, chicken broth, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, maple syrup, bourbon, and mustard in the crock of a slow cooker, and stir well to combine. Turn the slow cooker to Low heat, and cook until the beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours.