Sort through the beans removing any pebbles, broken beans or foreign material. Rinse in a colander. Place in a large saucepan and add 8 cups of water. Soak overnight, or use the quick soak method as explained in How to Cook Dried Beans. Drain and rinse in a colander when ready to cook.
Prepare vegetables:
Chop onion, celery, and bell pepper.
Stovetop:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add onion, celery, and pepper. Stir and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Mince garlic. Add to vegetables and cook 1 more minute.
Add the presoaked, drained beans, 7 to 8 cups fresh water and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer on low, with lid slightly ajar, for at least 1-1/2 hours or until beans are soft, stirring occasionally.
Slice sausage into 1/4- or 1/2-inch thick slices. (Some people prefer larger chunks or adding the sausage whole. It’s up to you.) It’s best to brown sausage in a skillet first. Smoked andouille is precooked so you can add it without browning, but doing so adds color and a little extra flavor.
Add sausage once beans are soft. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered another 30 to 60 minutes. You can keep on warm for a few more hours, until ready to serve. The longer it simmers, the better the flavor. Scroll down to “Serve.”
Slow cooker:
Turn slow cooker to high and add oil, chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir and cover.
Mince garlic and add to slow cooker. Stir.
Add presoaked beans, 7 to 8 cups water (leave at least 1 inch of space from top of slow cooker) and bay leaves. Cover and cook 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.
Slice sausage into 1/4- or 1/2-inch thick slices. (Some people prefer larger chunks or adding the sausage whole. It’s up to you.) It’s best to brown sausage in a skillet first. Smoked andouille is precooked so you can add it without browning, but doing so adds color and a little extra flavor.
Add sausage once beans are soft. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and salt. Stir, cover, and cook another 30 to 60 minutes on low or high. You can keep on warm for a few hours until ready to serve. The longer it simmers the better the flavor.
Serve:
Remove bay leaves and add butter if desired. Taste, then add Tabasco for extra heat and more salt if needed. Serve with extra hot sauce on the side.
Pour about 1 cup of beans and juice over 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked brown rice.