Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean)
2 cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans in tomato sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Directions
Place the raw ground beef in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Gently break it up with a spoon or clean hands into large chunks so it cooks evenly but still has some texture.
Scatter the chopped onion evenly over the ground beef, covering as much of the surface as you can. This helps the onion soften and flavor the meat as it cooks.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the barbecue sauce and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved. This quick mix keeps the sweetness and smokiness evenly distributed through the beans.
Pour both cans of pork and beans (including all the sauce) over the ground beef and onions in the slow cooker. Then pour the barbecue sauce and brown sugar mixture over the beans, making sure it spreads across the top.
Use a spoon to gently nudge the sauce down into the beans without fully stirring everything together. You want layers at this point: ground beef on the bottom, onions in the middle, beans and sauce on top. The meat will cook through in the flavorful juices.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until the ground beef is cooked through and the mixture is hot and bubbly. About halfway through, carefully break up any large clumps of beef with a spoon and give the beans a quick, gentle stir to combine.
Once the beef is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly, taste and adjust seasoning if you like. Depending on your barbecue sauce, you may want a pinch of salt, pepper, or an extra spoonful of barbecue sauce for more smokiness.
Serve the calico beans hot, straight from the slow cooker. If the mixture seems a little thin for your liking, leave the lid off and cook on HIGH for an additional 15 to 20 minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken.