Mom's Chuckwagon Beans

Savor the heartwarming flavors of Mom's Chuckwagon Beans, a comforting one-pot dish that's packed with rich, smoky, and tangy goodness. This crowd-pleasing recipe combines tender ground beef, crisp bacon, and a medley of pinto, kidney, and black beans, simmered to perfection in a mouthwatering sauce made with barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Infused with aromatic onions, garlic, and a hint of chili powder and smoked paprika, this dish offers the perfect balance of savory and sweet. Ready in just under two hours, it’s a versatile choice for potlucks, family dinners, or backyard gatherings. Serve it as a hearty main dish or pair it with cornbread and a crisp green salad for a satisfying side that will have everyone coming back for seconds. Perfect for feeding a crowd, this recipe is a true homestyle classic!

Nutriscore Rating: 78/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:90 mins

Total Time:110 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 6 slices Bacon
• 1 pound Ground beef
• 1 medium Yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 15-ounce cans Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can Black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup Barbecue sauce
• 0.5 cup Ketchup
• 0.25 cup Brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet, crumble it, and set aside. Leave about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the pan.

Step 2

In the same skillet, add the ground beef and cook over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease if necessary.

Step 3

Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 4

Reduce the heat to low. Add the pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Step 5

Crumble the cooked bacon and stir it into the bean mixture.

Step 6

Simmer the mixture over low heat, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. This allows the flavors to meld together and thicken the sauce.

Step 7

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving.

Step 8

Serve hot as a main dish or side dish. It pairs wonderfully with cornbread or a fresh green salad.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(2814.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3599.6

Total Fat 105.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 39.4g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.2g
Cholesterol 328.5mg	0%
Sodium 7173.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 484.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 99.7g	0%
Total Sugars 172.8g
Protein 182.3g	0%

Vitamin D 7.7IU	0%
Calcium 752.1mg	0%
Iron 39.7mg	0%
Potassium 7341.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 26.3%

Protein: 20.1%

Carbs: 53.5%