Mother Nature's Savory Baked Beans

Ingredients 0/15

Step 1

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning it now and then until it’s nice and crispy, about 10 minutes. Once done, drain the bacon on some paper towels, but keep about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet. Crumble the bacon and pop it into your slow cooker.

Step 2

Add the ground beef and chopped onion to the skillet with the bacon drippings. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and crumbly, which should take around 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker with the bacon.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, molasses, liquid smoke, black pepper, and chili powder. Pour this sauce over the meat mixture in the slow cooker and give it a good stir.

Step 4

Now add all the beans—the baked beans, kidney beans, Great Northern beans, and pinto beans—and mix everything until it’s well combined. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours. For even better flavor, let it chill in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the slow cooker for at least an hour until it’s warmed through. Enjoy!