My Smoked Cowboy Beans are guaranteed to disappear fast at your next barbecue. This bold side (or main) combines Great Northern and navy beans with bacon, smoked sausage, ground beef, and chorizo, all simmered in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. You can make this on a smoker or pellet grill for a deep smoky flavor, but there’s also an oven or slow-cooker option if you don’t have a smoker.
Spicy Cowboy Beans
There’s a big difference between doctoring up canned baked beans and making them from scratch. When you build the sauce and combine fresh ingredients, you control the balance of sweet, tangy, spicy, and smoky. These cowboy-style baked beans are a heartier, meat-forward version of traditional smoked baked beans, with multiple textures and layers of flavor.
The recipe below was developed for a pellet smoker, but you’ll get excellent results using any smoker, your oven set low, or a slow cooker. Adjust spice and meat choices to match what you like—this is a very forgiving, highly customizable dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Hearty and filling: Beans plus several types of meat make this a substantial side or a stand-alone dish.
- Smoky depth: Low-and-slow cooking adds a rich, layered smoke flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweet and tangy sauce.
- Versatile: Swap sausages, skip the chorizo, or change the beans to suit your pantry.
- Feeds a crowd: Designed to serve eight, it’s a great recipe for gatherings and potlucks.
- Hands-off cooking: After initial prep, most of the cook time is unattended.
Recipe Shopping List
Below is a convenient shopping list. For exact measurements and full instructions, see the recipe card further down the page.
Sauce
- Ketchup
- Dark brown sugar
- Beer (amber or similar)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Spicy pork rub (or your favorite spicy rub)
- Yellow mustard
Beans & Meat
- Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- Smoked sausage with cheddar, sliced
- Ground beef
- Chorizo
- All-purpose or “Everything” rub
- Great Northern beans (canned, drained)
- Navy beans (canned, drained)
- Small onion, diced
- Large jalapeños, sliced
How To Make This Recipe
Here’s a concise overview of the process. Follow the full recipe card steps for details on temperatures and timing.
- Preheat: Bring your smoker to 220°F and prep a grill-safe pan with cooking spray. For oven cooking, set to 220°F.
- Brown the meats: In a sauté pan, brown the ground beef and chorizo with the Everything Rub. Break up the meat as it cooks. Remove and drain if needed.
- Make the sauce: Combine ketchup, brown sugar, beer, apple cider vinegar, spicy rub, and mustard in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar dissolves and the sauce has a smooth consistency.
- Combine: In the grill pan or baking dish, add drained beans, onion, jalapeños, cooked meats, sliced smoked sausage, and crumbled bacon. Pour the sauce over everything and stir gently to combine.
- Cook low and slow: Place the pan in the smoker or oven at 220°F for about an hour. Increase heat to 325°F, stir, and continue cooking 30–60 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens to your preference.
- Finish and serve: Remove when bubbly and thick; let rest briefly before serving.
Recipe FAQ
How should I store leftovers?
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
How do I reheat it?
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You can also microwave in short intervals or return the pan to a warm smoker if you have one running.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Yes — the flavors often improve after a day in the fridge. Make it the day before and reheat in a slow cooker or on low in the oven for easy transport and serving.
What variations are good?
Substitute pinto or black beans, use different sausages, add bell peppers, or adjust the jalapeños and rub amounts to change the heat level.
Serving Suggestions
- Cornbread: Perfect for soaking up the sauce.
- Grilled vegetables: A fresh counterpoint to the rich beans.
- Coleslaw: Adds a cool, crisp contrast.
- Barbecue ribs: Complements the meaty, smoky flavors.
More Traeger and Smoked Recipes
- Smoked Chicken Chile Verde
- Italian Meatballs with Creamed Spinach
- Traeger Bacon Sausage Bites
- Smoked Baked Beans (classic)
- Smoked Baked Beans with Brisket
- Pulled Pork Smoked Baked Beans
- Dr. Pepper Smoked Baked Beans
Spicy Cowboy Beans — Recipe Card
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 cups ketchup
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 can beer (amber preferred)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon spicy pork rub
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Beans & Meat
- 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 links smoked sausage with cheddar, sliced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound chorizo
- 1 tablespoon Everything Rub
- 1 can Great Northern beans, drained
- 2 cans navy beans, drained
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 large jalapeño peppers, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 220°F or your oven to 220°F. Prepare a grill-safe or ovenproof pan with cooking spray.
- Brown the ground beef and chorizo in a sauté pan, seasoning with the Everything Rub. Break the meat apart as it cooks.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Combine beans, onion, jalapeños, cooked ground meats, sliced smoked sausage, and crumbled bacon in the prepared pan. Pour the sauce over the mixture and stir gently.
- Place the pan in the smoker or oven at 220°F and cook for 1 hour. Increase heat to 325°F, stir gently, and continue cooking 30–60 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 633 • Total Fat: 30g • Saturated Fat: 11g • Trans Fat: 1g • Unsaturated Fat: 12g • Cholesterol: 77mg • Sodium: 1079mg • Carbohydrates: 67g • Fiber: 3g • Sugar: 47g • Protein: 23g
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