Calico Beans (Oven or Slow Cooker)
These hearty calico beans are a jazzed-up version of regular baked beans made with 3 kinds of beans, hamburger & bacon baked in a flavorful sauce. This recipe can be made in the oven or slow cooker, which is a great option for those hot summer days!
Baked beans are a staple at many summer BBQ meals. There's something about them that's so simple but good. With summer quickly approaching, the 4th of July celebrations and cookouts will be in full swing.
I love the informal kind of party with a spread of dishes that you can't possibly fit all on your plate at once. These parties are meant to be relaxing and foster some great conversation (& grazing) while enjoying the beautiful summer weather.
Jump to:
What Are Calico Baked Beans?
I'm not a vet, but I can assume the term calico beans references the various spots of color found on a calico cat. Not the most appetizing reference, but here we are. Each bean brings a different color & shape to the dish. The three kinds of beans used in this recipe are:
- Pork & beans in tomato sauce
- Kidney beans - light or dark red will work fine
- Butter/lima beans - these are the large, white beans that are a signature in this dish
These beans are combined with a hamburger & bacon in a flavorful sauce. Sauce ingredients include ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire & spices and is balanced out by molasses and brown sugar. The sweetness creates the perfect balance to this rich side dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by frying the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove cooked bacon and place on a paper towel to drain.
Add the hamburger to the skillet over medium high heat and season with salt & pepper. Once browned, add the chopped onion and cook until the hamburger is fully cooked and the onions are translucent.
Place the hamburger and onion in a large mixing bowl with the pork & beans, the drained kidney and butter beans, bacon and the rest of the sauce ingredients. Give everything a good stir to combine. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. I like to let them sit for about 10 minutes after taking them out of the oven to allow the sauce to thicken up. Serve them hot!
Slow Cooker Version - Repeat the same steps as you would making them in the oven except throw everything into the crock pot instead of the baking dish. Cook them on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Serving and Storage
Beans are loaded with protein & fiber making them a filling & hearty option to serve alongside anything from ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs to even fried fish.
Although they make a great side dish for a summer party, they can be enjoyed year-round. I've even served them as a casserole (hot dish) with a side salad or steamed vegetable.
Storing - These beans are one of those dishes that is almost better the next day. The sauce continues to soak into the beans, deepening the rich flavor. Leftovers can be refrigerated and enjoyed 3-4 days after making them.
Reheating - Place the pan covered with foil in a 350-degree oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Smaller portions can be microwaved or reheated on the stovetop.
Freezing - Calico beans can be frozen for up to 3 months. Note that the texture of the beans may become slightly mushy after thawing, but the flavor is still great!
Tips & Tricks
- Reserve a tablespoon or two of bacon grease in the skillet before cooking the hamburger. Let's be honest, anything cooked in bacon grease a wonderful thing.
- Drain all the beans except the pork & beans. Their sauce has some extra flavor and will give the beans just enough liquid.
- Easily make a double or triple batch to feed any size crowd. Split into multiple pans or even a roasting pan. Perfect for parties or potlucks!
- Use dried kidney or butter beans, although they'll need to be soaked and precooked before using.
Other Side Dishes You'll Love
Be sure to follow The Darling Apron on Facebook & Instagram along with what I'm pinning on Pinterest!
Have you made one of my recipes? I'd love your feedback on the comment box and star rating below the recipe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Calico Beans (Oven or Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut bacon slices into small pieces. Add to a skillet and cook until bacon is crispy. Place bacon on a paper towel and drain all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet.8 slices bacon
- Place ground beef in the skillet and season with salt & pepper. Break apart and brown over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and continue cooking until beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.1 # ground beef, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ cup yellow onion
- In a large mixing bowl add undrained pork & beans, drained kidney beans and drained butter beans. Add hamburger mixture and bacon.2 - 16 oz. cans pork & beans, 1 - 16 oz. can kidney beans, 1 - 16 oz. can butter beans
- In a small bowl combine ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, vinegar & Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and combine with beans.½ cup ketchup, 1 tbsp. yellow mustard, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. molasses, 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Pour into a 9X13 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes for sauce to thicken before serving.
Try starting with dry 15 bean package. Awesome. And why drain the bacon grease? Flavor there.
Dry beans are so economical! I leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to still get some good flavor in there, but remove the rest as a personal preference.