Brazilian recipe
Classic Feijoada: Authentic Brazilian Black Bean Stew (feijoada)
Feijoada is the ultimate Brazilian comfort food, a hearty black bean stew simmered with a variety of pork cuts. Slow-cooked to perfection, it is a true family favourite.
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Ingredients
70 g cleaned pig's trotters, chopped
1 kg dried black beans
1 bunch fresh spring onions, chopped
150 g Portuguese-style smoked sausage (linguiça), sliced
70 g cleaned pig's tail, chopped
70 g cleaned pig's ear, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
3 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
6 cloves garlic, crushed
40 ml cachaça (Brazilian sugar cane spirit)
100 g smoked pork loin sausage (paio), sliced
100 g dried salted beef (carne seca), desalted and shredded
100 g pork spare ribs, chopped
1 or 2 oranges, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
50 g pork loin, cubed
1 kg dried black beans
1 bunch fresh spring onions, chopped
150 g Portuguese-style smoked sausage (linguiça), sliced
70 g cleaned pig's tail, chopped
70 g cleaned pig's ear, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
3 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
6 cloves garlic, crushed
40 ml cachaça (Brazilian sugar cane spirit)
100 g smoked pork loin sausage (paio), sliced
100 g dried salted beef (carne seca), desalted and shredded
100 g pork spare ribs, chopped
1 or 2 oranges, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
50 g pork loin, cubed
Where to find ingredients
Black beans can be found in the pulses aisle of most major supermarkets or in dedicated international food shops. For the authentic pork cuts like trotters, ears, and tail, visit a local butcher—you may need to order these in advance. Dried salted beef (carne seca) is a specialty item found in Latin American or specialist import grocery stores; if unavailable, you can substitute with a high-quality corned beef, though the texture and salt profile will differ. Cachaça is often stocked in the spirits section of larger off-licences or specialist liquor stores. Farofa (toasted manioc flour) is best sourced from a Brazilian or Latin American shop, but can also be purchased through online specialty retailers.
Preparation method
- Soak the salted meats for at least 36 hours, changing the water frequently, especially in warmer weather
- If the temperature is high, add ice to the soaking water to keep everything chilled
- Start by simmering the tougher cuts—the trotters, ears, tail, and ribs—in a large stockpot with plenty of water
- Cook these until they begin to tenderise, which usually takes a good few hours
- Add the more delicate meats like the loin, dried beef, paio, and smoked sausage, continuing to cook until everything is wonderfully soft and flavourful
- Once the meats are tender, stir in the rinsed black beans
- Simmer until the beans are creamy and cooked through, then adjust the salt and seasoning to your liking
- Remove the meats from the pot and set them aside for serving
- Season the bean broth by stirring in the onions, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, cachaça, and salt
- Let it all bubble together for a few more minutes so the flavours really soak in
- Serve the feijoada with orange slices, sautéed greens, steamed white rice, toasted manioc flour (farofa), pork crackling, and extra broth on the side
Observations
Feijoada is undoubtedly the soul of Brazilian home cooking, bringing together earthy black beans and a rich assortment of salted and smoked pork cuts. This dish is all about the slow-cooking process, which allows the flavours to meld and the tougher meats to become melt-in-the-mouth tender. It is the perfect centrepiece for a big Sunday lunch, traditionally served with sautéed collard greens, fluffy white rice, orange slices, and crunchy farofa to balance the richness.
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