Cowboy Steak and Beans

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Serves 4

Cooking Time 8 to 9 hours on Low or 5 to 6 hours on High

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: To make a meal that would really satisfy, we braised juicy steaks in the slow cooker until they were meltingly tender and paired them with rich, smoky baked beans. We found that blade steaks were ideal for this dish because they have a relatively high and even distribution of fat; after hours of simmering in the slow cooker, the steaks were supremely moist and tender. We got a head start on our beans by using canned baked beans, which already had great sweet and smoky flavor. To give them more depth, we enhanced their flavor with barbecue sauce, molasses, and Dijon. The rich flavors of the meat and the saucy beans melded as they cooked to give us a hearty steak and baked beans supper. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

2	(16-ounce) cans baked beans
½	cup barbecue sauce
3	tablespoons molasses
1	tablespoon Dijon mustard
4	(8-ounce) beef blade steaks, ¾ to 1 inch thick
	Salt and pepper

1. Combine beans, barbecue sauce, molasses, and mustard in slow cooker. Season steaks with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 8 to 9 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.

2. Transfer steaks to serving dish, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.