Chuckwagon Beans
Slow-simmered pinto beans with bacon, onion, and a touch of molasses, cooked low and long the way roundup cooks fed ranch hands from the back of a chuckwagon.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Total
- 255 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Equipment
- •Dutch oven or heavy pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- fat
- 11
- carbs
- 38
- protein
- 15
- calories
- 310
Instructions
- 1
Drain the soaked beans. Set them aside.
- 2
Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp. Take it out and save it, leaving the fat in the pot.
- 3
Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon fat until soft.
- 4
Add the beans, water or broth, molasses, brown sugar, and mustard.
- 5
Bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cover.
- 6
Simmer for 3-4 hours until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
- 7
Stir in the saved bacon, salt, and pepper during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- 8
Taste the beans and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Chef's tips
Soak the beans overnight for even cooking, and add salt only after the beans have softened to keep skins tender.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days; beans freeze well up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen, stirring occasionally.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding salt too early, which toughens bean skins
- •Cooking at too high heat, causing beans to scorch
Serving suggestions
Cooked Chuckwagon Beans?
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