Cowboy Bacon Beans Recipe

• Difficulty: Simple
• Makes: 8 to 10 servings
• Nutritional Information, Per Serving
  Serving Size: 1 of 10
  Calories: 524
  Total Fat: 18 g
  Saturated Fat: 6 g
  Carbohydrates: 68 g
  Dietary Fiber: 13 g
  Sugars: 18 g
  Protein: 24 g
  Cholesterol: 30 mg
  Sodium: 467 mg
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Active Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups dried pinto beans
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 2 whole green bell peppers, diced small
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)
• 2 teaspoons salt, or more as needed
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, or more to taste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

1. Rinse the dried pinto beans under cool water, picking out any debris or stones. Set them aside to await their smoky transformation.
2. In a sturdy cast iron pot over medium heat, cook the chopped thick-cut bacon until halfway done and the fat renders beautifully. Toss in the diced green bell peppers and finely chopped onion, sauting until they caramelize with golden edgesabout 3 irresistible minutes.
3. Add the rinsed beans to the pot, then pour in water to cover by an inch. Bring to a lively boil before stirring in the brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, chili powder (for that optional kick), salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Let the flavors dance!
4. Reduce to a gentle simmer, lid on, and cook for 3 to 4 hours. Stir now and then, until the beans are luxuriously tender and the sauce thickens into pure comfort.
5. Taste and tweak with extra salt or pepper. Serve hotthis hearty, bacon-infused delight shines as a side or satisfying main that'll have everyone reaching for seconds!

Activate Cook Mode to keep your screen awake and dive into this crowd-pleasing recipe.