Description
Hearty Calico Baked Beans is a classic American side dish featuring a flavorful combination of ground beef, bacon, and mixed beans baked in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. This comforting casserole is perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or any occasion that calls for a satisfying and savory bean dish with a smoky twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
Beans
- 1 can pork and beans, drained slightly
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Sauce
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F to prepare it for baking the beans.
- Cook the bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until it becomes crisp. Remove the bacon pieces, leaving a little bacon grease in the skillet to cook the other ingredients.
- Sauté onion and brown beef: Add the diced onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and then add the ground beef. Cook until the beef is nicely browned and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Combine beans and meat: In a large baking dish, mix the cooked ground beef and onion, crisp bacon, pork and beans, kidney beans, butter beans, and black beans.
- Prepare the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper until well combined.
- Mix sauce into bean mixture: Pour the sauce over the combined beans and meat in the baking dish. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat all ingredients with the sauce.
- Bake: Place the baking dish uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the casserole is hot and bubbly throughout.
- Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and let the baked beans stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly and develop flavors before serving.
Notes
- For extra smoky flavor, use smoked bacon or add a few drops of liquid smoke to the sauce mixture.
- This casserole can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat thoroughly before serving for convenience.
