Cowboy Beans--Then and Now!

Chuck wagon cowboy beans - then!

(And don’t miss my Cowboy Beans recipe!)

It’s a crisp morning. You stash your sleeping roll, and head to the chuckwagon for hot coffee and the morning staple—beans, of course. The cook soaked ’em all night so they could be served up early morning. Beans (usually pinto beans) and water. Hot, thick, stick-to-your-ribs beans. The taste didn’t matter much. They got you through the day.

And while this morning’s beans were cooking, guess what? There’s another pot of beans soakin’ in the wagon for later in the day!

Beans were easy to transport and prepare. If you were going to be on the trail for weeks at a time, you ate beans, and you had hot coffee to wash’em down.

Today’s fare is considerably different. Lip-smackin’ good! Like my scrumptious Cowboy Beans. They’re terrific and there’s no soakin’ involved! I promise you’ll love’em!

Rebecca's Cowboy Beans - Now!

REBECCA’S COWBOY BEANS

1 ½ lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 tsp. minced garlic (or 2 cloves, diced)

8 oz. cooked bacon, diced (hickory-smoked preferred)

1 16-oz. can kidney beans

1 16-oz. can pinto beans                  

1 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans

½ tsp. paprika

1 T. chili powder

1-2 dashes red pepper chili flakes (don’t burn’m out too early!) (optional)

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

1 ½ c. water

½ c. tomato-based BBQ sauce (hickory-smoked preferred)

½ c. brown sugar, or substitute

Brown ground beef in stock pot, breaking into small pieces while it’s cooking; drain. Add next 3 ingredients to stock pot; stir until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer a minimum of 30 minutes. A couple of hours on low is preferred to distribute flavor. Enjoy the eatin’!

P.S. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled—a crowd pleaser!

I hope you enjoyed my post. Be talking to you soon!

Rebecca