Mother Earth's Baked Beans

Baked beans loaded with bacon, ground beef, and plenty of spices and seasonings are simmered in the slow cooker for hours for a hearty side dish. For best flavor, refrigerate cooked beans overnight and reheat the next day.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 7 hr
• Total Time: 7 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 394 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 ⅓ cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon
• 2 (16 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup barbeque sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray's® Honey)
• 1 (28 ounce) can baked beans (such as Bush's Original®)
• 2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (16 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels; reserve about 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in the skillet. Crumble bacon and transfer to a slow cooker.

Step 2

Cook and stir ground beef and onion in bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer ground beef mixture to the slow cooker.

Step 3

Mix brown sugar, barbeque sauce, ketchup, mustard, molasses, liquid smoke flavoring, black pepper, and chili powder in a bowl; pour over ground beef-bacon mixture. Stir well. Add baked beans, kidney beans, Great Northern beans, and pinto beans; mix well.

Step 4

Cook on Low for 6 hours; refrigerate overnight for 8 hours. Reheat in slow cooker until warmed, at least 1 hour.