Ranch Style Beans - From the Little Tin Box

2 lbs pinto beans, cooked
4-5 lbs ground meat, cooked until done but not browned (I used 3 lbs)
3 tbsp chili powder
2 large onions, chopped (I used medium sized)
2 tbsp butter


Sauce:  2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 bottle of ketchup plus one bottle of water (20 ounce bottle will do)
1 can tomato paste
2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce (I used 8)

Prepare and cook beans until tender.  I cooked mine in the crock pot on medium high for about 4 1/2 hours.  In a large skillet brown ground meat until cooked and pink is gone but not browned crisp.  Drain fat and set meat aside.  Chop two large onions and saute in butter until transparent but not browned.  Add meat back to the skillet with the onions and add 3 tbsp of chili powder mixing well.

For the sauce, combine in a separate bowl, sugar, pepper, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, 1 bottle of ketchup plus a bottle of water (use same ketchup bottle), tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.  Whisk all ingredients together, pour into onion/meat mixture and mix well.  Strain beans and add to meat mixture.  I salted and added a little pepper to my beans before I added them into the meat mixture.  Carefully fold together the meat mixture and beans so not to crush and destroy the means.  If you mash the beans then your dish will come out mushy.  Add any additional salt, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper or Worcestershire sauce as needed to taste.  This makes a huge pot and is good served on a chili day with cornbread!

My mother use to make this dish quite often when we were growing up.  Ground beef and beans were pretty cheap and this made a lot and would last us a couple of days so it was a good, cheap meal to feed a family of five.  It was one of my favorite dishes that Momma would make when we were kids.  Sometimes she would serve it with soft fried potatoes and onions and of course cornbread.  These beans are so good we didn't mind eating on them for a day or two.  I don't know where my Grandmother got this recipe or if she made it up but I sure am glad that she made it for her family and handed it down to ours!