2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 Spicy Pinto Bean Sausages, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each chili powder, cumin & unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 cans black beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes w/ chilis, undrained
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
Using clean hands, crumble the sausage with your hands until it resembles ground beef. Mix with the diced onion, spices and salt. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot and add the onion-sausage mixture. Saute for 5-10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the liquid from the tomatoes and stir to scrape up any spices that have stuck to the bottom. Transfer the whole shebang into a crock pot. Add the black beans, tomatoes, chipotle pepper and liquid smoke. Cook on low for eight hours.