Leftover Beef and BBQ Baked Beans -Easy Slow Cooker

This is one of those ultra easy meals for leftover beef or frozen cooked hamburger (or burgers from last night's grill out). I had a little over 1/2 lb of shredded beef and wanted to use it for Sunday dinner... The only thing that kept popping into my head was baked beans, so wa-la, I mixed the two. This Leftover Beef and BBQ Baked Beans slow cooker meal uses canned beans and your favorite BBQ sauce to create a quick meal that's simply heated in the crock pot so it's ready to eat when you are. It's a nice summer alternative to chili and easily scaled down for one or two. What I do a little differently, start it on high for an hour and a half, then take the lid off. This allows it to stay hot while some of the excess moisture cooks down, creating a little more of an oven atmosphere without heating up the kitchen-we like that in summer:@)

Why grated onion? 

Because while I'm using the crock pot, this isn't a true 4-8 hour cook time and I don't want raw onion.

If I'm not using diced onion, why diced peppers? 

Because we don't mind if they stay a bit firm and under cooked.

I topped mine with my Bread and Butter Pickled Jalapenos.

The only thing that could make this meal any easier would be using a slow cooker liner:@)

Leftover Beef and BBQ Baked Beans

1/2-3/4 lb cooked beef or hamburger meat

(2) 15 oz cans baked beans, lightly drained

(2) 15 oz cans beans of choice, kidney, cannellini, pinto, great northern, etc, drained and rinsed

2 tsp ~finely grated~ onion-don't stress over this, just grate it into the vessel and eyeball it

2 Tblsp ~very finely diced~ green pepper, bell, jalapeno, banana, etc.

3/4 C BBQ sauce + a squirt when done cooking

Optional but very good: Cooked and crumbled bacon, as much as you'd like-you know your crowd...

Optional: Pickles, pickled jalapenos, hot sauce for serving

1. Add everything to slow cooker vessel, mix well. 
2. Cover, turn to high for  1 1/2 hours, remove lid. If using cooked bacon add it now.
3. Allow to cook on high until you're ready for dinner, easily 2-3 hour window, stirring occasionally.
4. Add one last squirt of BBQ sauce before serving and stir, serve with pickles and hot sauce if desired.

Let's use up those leftovers and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

Creative Muster

Party in Your PJ's

Wonderful Wednesday

A Morning Cup of Joe

Handmade Monday

Craftastic Monday