Description
BBQ Beans with Kielbasa and Sausage is a hearty, smoky, and slightly sweet comfort food dish made with browned sausage, tender beans, and rich barbecue sauce. Ideal for potlucks, BBQs, or cozy dinners, it can be served as a main or side and easily customized to suit your spice or sweetness preferences. Ready in under an hour, this one-pot meal is perfect for make-ahead and freezer-friendly cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter (for frying)
For the creamy gravy:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until just combined.
- Form the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter.
- Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add meatballs in batches and brown them on all sides, cooking through, about 7–8 minutes total per batch. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Gradually whisk in the beef broth and stir until smooth.
- Add heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5–7 minutes.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer in the sauce for another 5–10 minutes.
- Serve warm over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
Notes
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You can mix different beans for texture and flavor variety.
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Browning the meats first adds depth to the final dish.
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Always taste before serving to adjust for sweetness or tang.
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Letting the dish rest before serving thickens the sauce naturally.
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For a smoky twist, add a few dashes of liquid smoke or chipotle powder.