Calico Baked Beans -

Best baked beans recipe for family reunions, pot lucks, cookouts, and family gatherings.

Calico Baked Beans

This family favorite calico beans recipe is full of flavors and textures, featuring ground beef, bacon, and a medley of four different beans, all bathed in a sweet & tangy sauce that will have you coming back for seconds.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Ingredients

1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/2 lb Bacon chopped
1/2 cup Onion finely diced
1/2 cup Ketchup
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2 tbsps Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Yellow Mustard
1 tsp Black Pepper
16 oz can Pork & Beans
16 oz can Cannellini Beans drained & rinsed
16 oz can Pinto Beans drained & rinsed
16 oz can Black Beans drained & rinsed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a dutch oven brown ground beef, bacon, and onions together in a skillet.
With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked ground beef, bacon, & onions and put off to the side.
Stir the ketchup, brown sugar, sugar, vinegar, mustard, and black pepper into the drippings. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes to create a thick sauce.
Mix the ground beef, bacon, onions, and all the beans into the sauce and combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Place the lid on the dutch oven and place in the oven for about 1 hour or until heated through and bubbly.
Enjoy!

Notes

- I prefer to use 85/15 ground chuck because I find it to be more tender and more flavorful than a leaner ground sirloin, however feel free to use whatever ground hamburger you like.
- When transferring the cooked meat and onions, make sure to use a slotted spoon to leave the drippings in the pot. These drippings are essential for creating a flavorful sauce.
- Allow the sauce ingredients to simmer for a few minutes in the drippings. This helps to meld the flavors and thicken the sauce. You'll know your sauce is thick enough when it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Taste the sauce before combining it with the beans. If you prefer a sweeter dish, add a bit more brown sugar. For extra tanginess, increase the apple cider vinegar or mustard.
- While you can use any beans you like, combining a variety of colorful beans will add color, texture, and flavor.
- If using a slow cooker, brown the meat and onions on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time. The flavors meld together even more when it sits overnight. Just reheat it in the oven or slow cooker before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 22gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 694mgPotassium: 798mgFiber: 14gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 82IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 5mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!