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Instant Pot Cowboy Beans are baked beans that have three kinds of meat in them. The flavor is rich and delicious, and a little less sweet than my regular baked beans. These pressure cooker Cowboy beans are hearty enough to be your main dish, or a really amped up side dish. Take them to your next potluck or barbecue and watch them disappear!
Instant Pot Cowboy Beans
In our family I am known for my baked beans. At least when it comes to our get togethers. The fam gets cranky if I don’t bring them. They are very delicious, and have lots of ingredients, and are time intensive, so I only make them a couple times a year. The Instant Pot® has changed that as it’s much faster to cook the beans, and is a one-pot recipe.
This year I’m changing it up and bringing Instant Pot Cowboy Beans! Yee Haw! These are baked beans that are heartier and meatier, with ground beef, bacon, and kielbasa smoked sausage. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but dang me they are good!
Here’s a look at the steps to make ’em:
When you get all of the ingredients in the pot, let the contents heat up before closing the lid and turning off the Sauté setting. This will help the pot come to pressure faster, and help eliminate the BURN warning potential from such a thick mixture.
If the timer starts to count down, and the pin on the lid has not popped up, then you can open the lid and give the beans a little stir, just to scrape the bottom of the pot and make sure nothing is stuck on the bottom. Then reset the timer.
Delicious Instant Pot Cowboy Beans! A super easy recipe with awesome results!
Instant Pot Smoky Sweet Baked Beans
Instant Pot Sausage and White Beans
Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
Instant Pot Cowboy Beans
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Ground Beef (90%-93% lean)
- ½ lb Thick Cut Bacon, chopped (about 6-8 slices)
- 1 large Onion, diced
- 6 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
- ⅔ cup Water*
- 1 lb Kielbasa Sausage, smoked (cut into 1 1/2" pieces)
- 2 28 oz cans Pork & Beans (or baked beans)
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 1 (14 oz) can Red Kidney Beans*, drained & rinsed
- ½ cup Barbecue Sauce
- 1 ½ Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- ⅓ cup Molasses
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Liquid Smoke (optional for a little deeper smoky flavor)
To Finish
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
Instructions
- First, get everything ready. Meat & veggies chopped, spices ready, garlic pressed or minced, measuring cups, etc. This helps the process go smoothly!
- Turn on the pot's Sauté setting and add the ground beef, bacon, and onion. Cook until meat is no longer pink (you shouldn't have to drain it unless you use a fattier meat. Leave some of the fat in there..
- Add the garlic and stir. Let cook for a minute.
- Add the water and kielbasa.
- Add the remaining ingredients in order (except brown sugar), and do not stir, just push them down into the mixture to cover them.
- Put the lid on the pot and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Cancel the Sauté setting.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, and then the + or - button or dial to select 8 minutes.
- Watch the pot until it comes to pressure. This is a pretty thick mixture, so you want to make sure you don't get the burn message. If you do, remove the lid if the pin is still down (otherwise release any pressure first) and get your wood spoon down in there and scrape the bottom. Add another 1/4 cup of water if it looks too thick, close the lid, and reset.
- When the cook time is finished, turn the pot off (so it doesn't go to warming) and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (Natural Release). Then release the remaining pressure in short bursts, until you are sure no sauce will be spewing out with the steam.
- When the pin in the lid drops down, open and carefully mix up the beans. Stir in the brown sugar.
- Serve with corn bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to make this recipe and more
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This is a family favorite. I use beef bacon and I add butter beans. Every event there’s none.
What is the purpose of the molasses?
Flavor!
I have made this for the family a number of times, with different combos of meats and beans and it’s always been a hit.
I prefer to omit the brown sugar and use tomatoes in place if ketchup to reduce the sweetness, but the recipe is excellent and versatile!
This is my 2nd time making this recipe. I cut it in half as we only have 2 in the house. I decided to re-find your website today just so that I could give you a 5 Star rating. Seriously, these are SOOOOOOOOOO good. For years, I made a Calico bean dish however it had way too much sugar in it. I love that I can add as much brown sugar as I wish to your recipe. (I usually go lighter because the other flavors are so yummy already) Thank you for this keeper!!
Hello. Just made this and it was amazing. Great flavor. It did not last long and the family loved it.
these are the best beans ever. It is the only thing my family wants me to bring for get-togethers. They and I just love them.
Very good. I hate admitting it…but it is better than my receipe..
I have tried four times no four times after the burn notice. I can feel the bottom of the pan is clean but it just keeps saying burn when it comes to pressure. Bummer I couldn’t enjoy this.
Ugh, I’m sorry about that. I did create this recipe a couple years ago in one of the older pots that does not have a burn message. When I can get the ingredients again I will retest it in the newer pot. I would say for now, add 1/2 cup of broth to the recipe and see if that works.
Can I use a regular crock pot?
Yes, just dump it all in and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Thank you. This recipe is FANTASTIC! Very hearty and delicious!