Duck Dynasty Pinto Beans and Sausage

1 16 oz package (1 lb) Dry Pinto Beans
1 2.4 oz package Zatarains Red Bean Seasoning
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 ham bone or ham hock, (I used a bone from our Christmas Ham)
1 16 oz package Andouille or Smoked Sausage
white or brown rice, cooked

Sort beans and remove any broken beans or pebbles, Rinse the beans and place in a large bowl and fill with water to cover the beans. Soak beans overnight or at least 6 hours. I add about a tablespoon of baking soda to minimize the gases.

In the morning drain off the water and rinse the beans. Fill a 6 quart slow cooker with fresh water about 3/4 of the way from the top. Add the ham bone and red bean seasoning packet. Turn the slow cooker to high and cover.

In a medium size skillet melt the butter with the olive oil, then add the onion and the garlic. Cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are translucent in color, about 7 minutes.

Add the onions and garlic to the beans. Stir everything together and cook the beans on high for the first hour and then reduce the heat to low and cook for a additional 4 hours or until the beans are tender.

The last 45 minutes of cooking cut the sausage into one inch slices and lightly brown in a med-large skillet. Drain off any grease and add to the beans. Continue cooking for 45 minutes.
Serve with rice and Mexican Cornbread (recipe below).

Cook's Note: Andouille Sausage is a Cajun Sausage, so it can be a bit spicy. If you want a milder sausage I recommend using regular smoked sausage or even a turkey sausage.