Frijoles a la Charra: Kickin' Cowboy Beans Recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450g) dry pinto beans, rinsed (or 4 cans [15oz/425g each] pinto beans, drained and rinsed)
• Water (for soaking or cooking)
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
• 1 pound (450g) Mexican chorizo, removed from casing
• 1/2 pound (225g) smoked sausage (such as andouille or kielbasa), sliced
• 1/4 cup diced ham (optional)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can [14.5oz/410g] diced tomatoes, undrained)
• 2-3 serrano chiles, sliced (optional, for extra heat!)
• 8 cups (1.9 liters) chicken broth or water
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Bay leaf (1-2)
• Chopped cilantro (optional)
• Diced onion (optional)
• Lime wedges (optional)
• Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar) (optional)