Culinary Throwdown: Beef and Beans

Well thank you Karl, for picking beef and beans for this challenge.

I think it has been my most favorite to date.

High 5 to you!

Here is my entry: Baked Beans and Braised Short Ribs.

First, my version of BAKED BEANS!!

First, cut up a bell pepper and half an onion.

Now, get 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce and pour it in a bowl.

Mix in 1/2 cup brown sugar...

add in 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar,
and 2 tablespoons of spicy mustard.

Now, put the onion and pepper in a pan and let it simmer.

Once it has simmered - about 3 or 4 minutes, pour in a can
of your favorite baked beans, and let that simmer a while longer.

After about 5 minutes, pour in the sauce mixture and stir it up.

mmmmm. can you smell that?

Next, transfer it to a baking pan, and throw on some slices of bacon.
Because bacon makes everything just that much better.

Cook it in the oven at 350 for 2 hours.

Now, I present you with this:

You just have no idea.

And now, for the main attraction, I present you with Braised Beef Short Ribs.

(chef's note: This recipe calls for the use of a Dutch Oven. But this is the Non Dutch Oven version, and it worked out just fine.)

Here is the starting line up:

1 onion. 1 shallot. 2-3 carrots. Lean Bacon.
(that's right. Because bacon just makes everything *that* much better.)
8-10 Beef Short Ribs.

First, chop the bacon up in little bits, and throw it in a pan while you prepare the other stuff.

Dice up the onion, shallot and carrots...

Remove the bacon from the pan, but don't drain the goodness that it left behind. (It's lean bacon, remember, so there won't be much.) Then toss in the veggies, and let them simmer.

After about 5 minutes or so, add in 1 can of beef broth, and 2 cups of Red, Red Wiiiiiine.
(sorry, I just had UB40 moment.)

Let all that simmer away while you get the ribs ready.

Use salt and pepper to taste to your liking.

Once you're done, coat each one in some flour.
and, I cannot express this enough, DO NOT wear your
Black, Danckin pants when making this meal.
Trust me. I know from experience.

Now, transfer your sauce in the pan to a bowl, OR, use another pan
(I don't have another one, so I have to use the same pan over and over)
to brown the ribs in some olive oil.

Just about a minute on each side is all.

Once done, transfer them to a baking dish.

(Note, I had to use 2, because of the lack of a Dutch Oven.)
Now, pour your sauce mixture over the top and bake for 2 and a half hours.

After the timer goes off, you'll end up with this:

Oh. My. Gawd. You just don't know. Falling-off-the-bone-delicious.
Are you taste buds salivating? I just had to wipe a little drool off of my chin.

Look, I got this recipe from one of my favorite websites,
and if you don't try this soon, well - there should be no reason why you don't try this soon.

Trust me. I wouldn't lie to you.
Seriously. This weekend. Make this.
You'll thank me.