Go Back
Cast-iron pot of stewed beef and beans with two golden biscuits resting on the rim, set on rocky ground

Chuckwagon Beans, Beef, and Biscuits

Donnie
No ratings yet
This one earns its place. The beans pick up a deep, smoky richness from the bacon and a touch of sweetness from the molasses, the beef gets a beautiful crust from the sear before braising down fork-tender in the bean liquid, and the biscuits are everything a good biscuit should be, flaky, buttery, and perfect for soaking up the juices at the bottom of the skillet. It's not a complicated dish, but every component earns its spot on the plate. A true taste of the trail.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Jump To

IngredientsMethodVideoNotes
Donnie Dodson

Don’t lose this one.

I’ll email it to you so it’s waiting when you’re ready to cook.

Ingredients
  

For the Beans
  • 4 oz thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 lb dried pinto beans soaked overnight and drained
  • 6 cups water or beef broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp molasses
For the Beef
  • 2 lb beef chuck roast cut into large cubes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
For the Biscuits
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp cold butter cubed
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp honey for drizzling

Instructions
 

Make the Beans

  1. In a large cast iron skillet or pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the soaked beans, water or broth, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender.
  4. Stir in the molasses during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Sear and Braise the Beef

  1. Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 6 to 8 minutes total.
  3. Reduce the heat to low, add a splash of the simmering bean liquid to the skillet, cover, and braise gently until fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Make the Biscuits

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Stir in the buttermilk just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  4. Pat the dough out to about 1 inch thick on a floured surface, and cut into rounds.
  5. Bake at 450°F until golden on top, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Bring It Together

  1. Combine the braised beef with the beans directly in the skillet.
  2. Nestle a warm biscuit right into the cast iron, drizzle with honey, and serve straight out of the pan.

Video

Notes

  • Soak your beans the night before. Dried pinto beans need a full overnight soak to cook properly in the simmer time listed. Skipping this step will significantly extend your cook time.
 
  • Don't skip the sear on the beef. That deep brown crust is where most of the flavor in this dish comes from, take the time to get a real sear before braising.
 
  • This dish is even better the next day. Like most bean and beef dishes, the flavors deepen significantly overnight, so don't be afraid to make it ahead and reheat.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!