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A cast iron pan with a baked bean dish topped with crispy bacon.
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4.72 from 7 votes

Baked Beans with Ground Beef

This baked beans with ground beef and bacon dish will be a show stopper at your next barbecue. Loaded with ground beef, peppers, and topped with crispy bacon. Don't serve boring baked beans again.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Bake40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 People
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Kristin

Ingredients

  • 8-12 Slices of Bacon Diced
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion Diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Jalapeño Pepper, or other hot pepper of your choice Diced
  • 2-3 Garlic Cloves Minced or pressed.
  • 1.5 pounds Ground Beef
  • 2 28 oz Cans of Pork and Beans Drained

Sauce

  • ¾ Cup Barbecue Sauce
  • ½ Cup Ketschup
  • 2 Tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the Sauce

  • In a small saucepan add all the ingredients for the BBQ sauce and warm over medium-low heat until bubbly. Reduce to a low and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes while the ground beef is cooking.

Making the Meat and Beans

  • Dice the bacon into bite size pieces and start cooking over medium heat on the stove in a large, heavy bottom pan. 
  • Once bacon is fully cooked and crispy, transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside.
  • Carefully remove the grease. Do to wipe the pan! The remaining grease will give this dish so much flavor.
  • Once the bacon is removed from the pan, safely dump out the grease leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add yellow onions and sauté until soft and translucent.
  • Add in green pepper and jalapeño and continue to sauté until soft. Add in garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
  • Add in the ground beef, break up with a wooden spoon, and cook until it is completely browned and fully cooked.
  • Add the BBQ sauce mix and beans to the ground beef. 
  • Stir everything together. Bring to a light boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Spread the bacon over the beans, cover and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly. 

Notes

Baking Notes
The easiest way to make this dish is to use a stove to oven-safe baking dish. That way it can be cooked on the stove and easily transferred to the oven. 
If you don't have a large skillet that is oven safe it can easily be transferred to a 9"x13" baking dish, then topped with bacon, covered and baked. 
Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe is easily adaptable to your preferences and needs. Different peppers and beans can easily be replaced.
  • Black Beans: Black beans could be used in place of pork and beans but you will not get the same classic BBQ baked beans flavor.
  • Red Bell Peppers: Red bell pepper could be used in place of the green without altering the flavors too much. The red bell pepper can give this dish a sweet flavor.
  • Ground Turkey: Use ground turkey instead of ground beef
Storage
This baked bean dish will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat add to a skillet or small pot and heat over medium-low heat until bubble. Or place in baking dish and bake in the oven at 350 until bubbly.
They can also be made a day or two ahead of time. Just skip the baking part and throw them in the oven right before serving.
How to Freeze 
These also freeze really well! Keep in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Do not do the final bake before freezing.
To cook from frozen: Remove from freezer 1-2 days and allow to thaw in the refrigerator. When ready to serve follow the baking instructions above.

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg