Made some very tasty cowboy beans this weekend with a little twist...I smoked the hamburger for 2 hours before putting into the bean dish and baking, and oh man was it good! The smoked hamburger just took it to a whole other level.

 

For those that may be unfamiliar, cowboy beans are a hearty dish where some sort of bean or combination of beans are used, a meat(s) added, and spices. Lots of different recipes, some more savory, some sweet, I like the sweet ones and tweak my own recipe. I use a dry 16 bean mix package and soak the beans first, then cook. While that was going on I was smoking the hamburger. Brown sugar, kosher salt, pepper, sriracha sauce, garlic and onion powder, ancho chili powder, bourbon smoked paprika and a ginger spice mix I have go into the cooked beans with the crumbled up smoked hamburger mixed in (I used about 1 1/2 pounds). Then cook 6-7 strips of bacon (don't cook all the way) cut up and put on top of beans, pop in oven about 15-20 minutes 375. Finish off under the broiler 500 deg for 2-3 minutes to get the bacon on top crisp. Super hardy dish that goes a long way and can feed several people. This picture doesn't really do the dish justice, but looks something like this.

 

Would have cut up an onion and put in along with some minced garlic, but was out of both and wasn't going to run to the store as it was late when I started putting this together.