Brazilian recipe
Classic Feijoada: An Authentic Brazilian Comfort Stew
Feijoada is a legendary Brazilian comfort food, a slow-cooked black bean stew packed with savoury meats. It’s the ultimate soulful dish for a weekend gathering.
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Ingredients
70 g cleaned pig's trotters, chopped into pieces
1 kg dried black beans
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
150 g Portuguese-style smoked sausage (linguiça), sliced
70 g pig's tail, cleaned and chopped
70 g pig's ear, cleaned and chopped
Black pepper, to taste
3 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
6 cloves garlic, crushed
40 ml cachaça (sugar cane spirit), for seasoning
100 g paio sausage, sliced
100 g carne seca (sun-dried salted beef), desalted and shredded
100 g pork ribs, chopped into pieces
1 or 2 oranges, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
50 g pork loin, diced
1 kg dried black beans
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
150 g Portuguese-style smoked sausage (linguiça), sliced
70 g pig's tail, cleaned and chopped
70 g pig's ear, cleaned and chopped
Black pepper, to taste
3 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
6 cloves garlic, crushed
40 ml cachaça (sugar cane spirit), for seasoning
100 g paio sausage, sliced
100 g carne seca (sun-dried salted beef), desalted and shredded
100 g pork ribs, chopped into pieces
1 or 2 oranges, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
50 g pork loin, diced
Where to find ingredients
Black beans can be found in most local markets or grocery stores. For specialised Brazilian ingredients like carne seca, linguiça, and paio, look in the 'imported' or 'international' aisles of large supermarkets in major cities, or visit local butchers who can provide similar salted or smoked pork cuts. If you cannot find authentic cachaça, a high-quality white rum is a suitable substitute. Spring onions and fresh herbs are widely available in any local open-air market or vegetable section.
Preparation method
- Soak all the meats in water for at least 36 hours, changing the water frequently, especially if it's hot outside
- Add ice to the soaking water if needed to keep everything chilled and safe
- Start by boiling the tougher cuts like trotters, ears, tails, and ribs in a large heavy-bottomed pot, with enough water to cover them completely
- Simmer patiently until the meats are fork-tender, which usually takes a few hours
- Add the more tender cuts like the loin, carne seca, paio, and smoked sausage to the pot, letting them simmer until everything is melt-in-the-mouth delicious and the flavours are well-integrated
- Once the meats are soft, stir in the pre-washed black beans
- Continue cooking until the beans are creamy and tender, adjusting the salt and pepper to your liking as you go
- Remove the cooked meats from the pot and set them aside for a moment
- Sauté the onion and garlic, then season the beans with this mixture, along with bay leaves, black pepper, a splash of cachaça, and salt
- Let it all bubble together for a few more minutes so the sauce thickens and the flavours really pop
- Serve the hot feijoada with sides of fresh orange slices, garlicky sautéed greens, fluffy white rice, farofa, crispy crackling, and extra bowls of the savoury bean broth
Observations
Feijoada is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Brazilian home cooking, a hearty and robust stew that brings together earthy black beans and a variety of salted, smoked, and fresh meats. The secret lies in the long, slow simmer, which allows the flavours to meld beautifully while tenderising the various cuts of meat. It’s a proper feast that is typically served with essential sides like sautéed collard greens, white rice, orange slices, and crunchy farofa, making it the go-to meal for feeding a hungry crowd on a leisurely afternoon.
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