Baked beans with ground beef and bacon are a satisfying side dish for BBQ dinners and cookouts! Baked beans are made sweet with brown sugar. They are made even better with added smoky flavors from hickory-smoked bacon and liquid smoke!!
Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and set out a large casserole dish.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef and allow it to cook until browned. Break the ground beef up while cooking. *If you want to add onion or green peppers, cook with the ground beef.
Once the hamburger is browned and the grease has been drained, add the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Wright's hickory liquid smoke, and season with ground black pepper. Stir well to combine. *You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, if you have dark brown sugar on hand it will add a deeper flavor from the higher molasses content.
Open your cans of Bush's Original Recipe Baked Beans and drain off the liquid that is settled at the top of the can. Add the beans to the ground beef mixture, stir just enough to mix well then transfer into your casserole dish.
Cut your bacon into ½ wide strips and place cut bacon onto baked beans, or use kitchen shears and cut the strips directly onto the beans in the casserole dish.
Bake uncovered at 400°F (205°C) for 30 minutes if you want extra crispy bacon, broil for 5 minutes after baking.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ground Beef and Bacon
To make your baked beans in the slow cooker, cook up the ground beef as directed above and drain off the excess grease. Cook your bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes.
Combine the ground beef, cooked bacon, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the beans to the ground beef mixture, stir just enough to mix well then transfer into your crock pot.
Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 -5 hours, or on high for 2 -3 hours.
Notes
If you'd like, you can add diced onion or green bell peppers and cook them with ground beef.
I recommend using hickory smoked bacon for the best flavor results, however, you can use any bacon that you like!
You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, if you have dark brown sugar on hand it will add a deeper flavor from the higher molasses content.
If you are serving these beans at a party or gathering, you can keep them warm by covering the beans with foil as soon as you take them out of the oven. Alternatively, if using your slow cooker, you can keep the setting on warm for up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally.