Braised Chile-Spiced Short Ribs with Black Beans – He Wines She Dines

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 8 cups water
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1 1/4 ounces dried ancho chiles (3 to 4 medium)
• 2 cups boiling-hot water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotles in adobo plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 1/3 cups cold water, divided
• 5 pounds of beef short ribs
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 pound sliced bacon, chopped
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick