Crockpot Ground Beef & Baked Beans

 Ingredients

• 1½ pounds ground beef
• 2 cans baked beans, 28 ounces each
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4–6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional

 Instructions

1. Brown the beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Break the beef apart with a spoon and cook until completely browned and no longer pink.

Drain off any excess grease. This keeps the finished beans from becoming oily.

2. Make the sauce

Add the ketchup, yellow mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt to the cooked beef.

Stir well and cook for about 2–3 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together.

3. Add everything to the Crockpot

Pour the baked beans, including their sauce, into a 6-quart slow cooker.

Add the seasoned ground beef mixture and stir gently until everything is evenly combined.

4. Add bacon

If using bacon, crumble the cooked bacon over the top. You can also reserve some for serving.

5. Slow cook

Cover and cook on:

• LOW for 4–6 hours
• HIGH for 2–3 hours

The beans should be hot, bubbling around the edges, and thick and flavorful. Similar slow-cooker versions use a 4–6 hour Low cooking window.

6. Final touch

Give everything a good stir before serving. For thicker beans, leave the lid slightly ajar during the last 20–30 minutes.

 Serving

Serve these hearty beans hot with cornbread, biscuits, burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, or BBQ. They’re also filling enough to enjoy as a simple one-bowl meal.

Tip: For a smoky, BBQ-style flavor, add extra barbecue sauce or a little smoked paprika. If you prefer them less sweet, reduce the brown sugar slightly.