Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground chuck (85/15)
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced into ½-inch lardons
  • 56 oz canned baked beans (2 cans, 28 oz each), with liquid
  • 15 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 15 oz canned Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup smoky barbecue sauce
  • 0.5 cup ketchup
  • 0.5 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your large cast-iron skillet or 6-quart Dutch oven.
  2. Add diced bacon to the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Fry until bacon is crispy and fat has rendered. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon and set aside, retaining the rendered fat in the pan.
  3. Add the ground beef to the pan with the bacon fat. Sear the beef until it develops a deep mahogany crust, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain any excessive grease, leaving approximately 1-2 tablespoons for flavor.
  4. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the beef. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and translucent.
  5. Stir in the canned baked beans (with their liquid), the rinsed pinto beans, and the rinsed Great Northern beans.
  6. In a separate small bowl or directly in the pot, whisk together the barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir into the bean mixture until thoroughly combined.
  7. Fold the reserved crispy bacon bits back into the mixture.
  8. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake uncovered for 60 minutes. This allows the liquid to reduce and the surface to achieve a caramelized, 'cowboy' thickness.