Calico Beans is a hearty dish made in a Crockpot with a number of cans of beans, bacon, floor beef, and brown sugar tomato sauce. It is rather straightforward to place collectively dinner. This facet dish doesn’t take a very long time to organize, and you’ll maintain it heat in a sluggish cooker, it’s the excellent addition to summer time picnics or recreation day watch events!
This publish incorporates affiliate hyperlinks. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cowboy Calico Beans
It really is a disgrace that beans get such a nasty rap. Nicely-prepared bean dishes are nutritious, cheap, and, most of all, scrumptious. This Calico Beans recipe showcases an enormous number of beans in a candy and tangy gentle sauce that, when mixed, delivers a one-of-a-kind style.
Including bacon and floor beef, you’ll be able to simply serve Calico Beans as an entire one-pot meal or pair it along with your favourite starch for an much more satisfying supper.
A Bean Lover’s Journey
Rising up within the Midwest, potlucks weren’t full and not using a large sluggish cooker stuffed with Calico Beans. Named after the multicolored calico cat, this hearty dish combines a rainbow of beans with savory meats and a sweet-tangy sauce that transforms humble components into pure consolation meals. What began as a cattle drive staple has developed right into a beloved household meal that’s each economical and scrumptious.
Why This Recipe Works
- Excellent for potlucks and enormous gatherings
- One-pot meal that’s excellent for busy weeknights
- Finances-friendly but protein-rich
- Make-ahead pleasant and freezer appropriate
- Customizable warmth and taste ranges
Meat Makes It a Meal
The bottom beef and bacon flip this facet dish into one thing hearty to function the principle course. When choosing the meat for this recipe, search for one thing that brings numerous taste to the pot.
Purchase thick-cut or, higher but, slab bacon and lower it into medium-sized chunks. Huge items not solely maintain as much as lengthy and sluggish simmering however provide diners substantial bites of smoky goodness.
You don’t have to stay with floor beef. Pork, rooster, turkey, or wild recreation wouldn’t be misplaced on this recipe. A very good substitution is Cajun-style bulk sausage meat for many who need an additional spicy kick.
Making This Calico Beans Recipe Vary-Worthy
Calico baked beans are generally known as cowboy beans as a result of they had been a staple on lengthy cattle drives. Since water was generally scarce on the plains, cooks began utilizing leftover espresso to boil their beans. This waste-not-want-not method not solely solved the issue at hand however imparted a fancy style to the recipe.
You’ll be able to recreate this taste through the use of prompt espresso. Add half the quantity of prompt espresso essential to make one cup of espresso to the beans after they go into the crockpot. Stir to mix.
Suggestions for Making, Serving, and Storing Calico Beans
- Sure, you’ll be able to freeze this calico bean recipe! Put leftover beans in a freezer-safe container. Ensure that to go away a bit of further room to permit for the meals to broaden when frozen. Don’t overlook to label the container with the date. Beans ought to final for about three months.
- Reheat the beans within the oven. Let the beans thaw within the fridge in a single day. Put thawed beans in an oven-safe container, cowl with aluminum foil and reheat in a 250-degree oven for about 45 minutes.
- Don’t overlook your favourite toppings and sides. Sprinkle on shredded cheese, chopped onions, pickled jalapeno slices, or sliced inexperienced onions. Serve with a bit of cornbread, collard greens, coleslaw, white rice, or corn on the cob.
- Do you must drain the beans first? No, you do not want to empty the beans first. The ultimate beans are very thick, and you might need to add some further water. I usually open a can of beans, and I look and see if the water within the can tremendous starchy (the liquid might be cloudy), if sure, I drain. If not, I don’t drain the beans.
Take a look at our different fabulous bean dishes on YouTube!
Calico Beans Crockpot Recipe
A colourful medley of tasty beans is smothered in a simple, made-from-scratch BBQ-ish sauce and cooked to flavorful perfection in a crockpot.
I desire to prepare dinner my beans in a crockpot, in order that they don’t burn. The feel appears to be higher as effectively this fashion.
Recipe Elements
Right here’s an inventory of what you want:
- Floor beef – offers a hearty texture and wealthy taste
- Bacon – provides smokiness and depth
- Onion – creates fragrant basis
- Garlic – provides important savory notes
- Canned baked beans – present candy base and thick sauce
- Canned kidney beans – add agency texture and earthy taste
- Canned pinto beans – contribute creamy texture
- Canned butter beans – present delicate, buttery taste
- Canned navy beans – add gentle, tender texture
- Canned three bean salad – contributes ta angy selection
- Brown sugar – creates caramelized sweetness
- Ketchup – provides tomato tang and thickness
- Honey – offers pure sweetness
- White vinegar – balances sweetness with acidity
- Dry mustard – provides delicate warmth and depth
The right way to Make Calico Beans
Calico beans don’t take a lot time to prep. They may also be made forward of time and style even higher the subsequent day. Go me the new sauce and an enormous plate of those beans!
- In a skillet over medium warmth, sauté floor beef, chopped bacon, chopped onion, and minced garlic till the bottom beef has browned. Drain if desired.
- Add all of the beans to the crockpot.
- Add brown sugar, ketchup, honey, vinegar, and dry mustard to the crockpot. Stir effectively.
- Cook dinner on low warmth for two hours.
Recipe Suggestions and Variations
Bean Choice Suggestions
- Don’t drain beans until liquid could be very cloudy
- Be happy to swap bean varieties primarily based on desire
- For further warmth, add Ranch Type Beans with jalapeños
Meat Variations
- Substitute Italian sausage for floor beef
- Use recent Mexican chorizo for a spicy twist
- Attempt floor turkey or pork for lighter choices
The Cowboy Contact
- Take into account wild recreation meat for rustic enchantment
- Add 1/2 tablespoon prompt espresso for genuine vary taste
- Use thick-cut bacon for heartier texture
Storage and Reheating Leftovers
Fridge Storage
- Retailer in an hermetic container
- Retains for 3-4 days
- Flavors enhance in a single day
Freezer Storage
- Freeze for as much as 3 months
- Go away growth room within the container
- Label with date
- Thaw in a single day within the fridge
Reheating Directions
- Oven methodology (most well-liked):
- Thaw utterly
- Cowl with foil
- Warmth at 250°F for 45 minutes
- Gradual cooker methodology:
- Low warmth for 1-2 hours
- Stir sometimes
- Add water if wanted
Hungry for extra bean recipes? Give these a strive!
Favourite Crockpot Gradual Cooker Recipes
Take a look at extra of my straightforward recipes for dinner and one of the best Crockpot recipes right here on CopyKat!
Calico Beans
These Calico beans a hearty sufficient to make an entire meal.
Print
Pin
Price
Add to Assortment
Servings:8
Energy:647kcal
Elements
- 1poundfloor beef
- 1/2poundbaconsliced into small items
- 1cupchopped onion
- 3teaspoonsminced garlic
- 14ouncesbaked beans
- 14ounceskidney beans
- 14ouncespinto beans
- 14ouncesbutter beans
- 14ouncesnavy beans
- 14ouncesthree bean saladuse half the juice
- 1/2cupbrown sugar
- 1/2cupketchup
- 1teaspoonhoney
- 1teaspoonvinegar
- 1teaspoondry mustard
Directions
In a skillet over medium warmth,sauté floor beef,chopped bacon,chopped onion,and minced garlic till the bottom beef has browned. Drain if desired.
Add all of the beans to the crockpot.
Add brown sugar,ketchup,honey,vinegar,and dry mustard to the crockpot. Stir effectively.
Cook dinner on low warmth for two hours.
Notes
Variations:
- You’ll be able to add Ranch Type Beans with jalapeno peppers this can add a pleasant bit of warmth to the recipe.
- You’ll be able to omit the ketchup and honey if need.
- Swap the bottom beef for Italian sausage.
Vitamin
Energy:647kcal| Carbohydrates:89g| Protein:32g| Fats:19g| Saturated Fats:6g| Ldl cholesterol:42mg| Sodium:556mg| Potassium:1446mg| Fiber:23g| Sugar:20g| Vitamin A:85IU| Vitamin C:5.4mg| Calcium:147mg| Iron:8mg
