Brazilian recipe
Virado à Paulista (Traditional) — Pork Bistec with Bean Mash & Farofa
A proper Virado à Paulista: juicy pork bistec, hearty bean mash, and that classic farofa-style finish—comforting, filling, and made for a proper family lunch.
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Ingredients
500 g pork bistecs
2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
1 teaspoon salt (5 g)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
1/2 cup chopped bacon (50 g)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (5 g)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (75 g)
1 cup cassava flour (150 g)
2 cups cooked carioquinha beans, drained (400 g)
2 cups bean cooking liquid (400 ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 g)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (5 g)
2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
1 teaspoon salt (5 g)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
1/2 cup chopped bacon (50 g)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (5 g)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (75 g)
1 cup cassava flour (150 g)
2 cups cooked carioquinha beans, drained (400 g)
2 cups bean cooking liquid (400 ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 g)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (5 g)
Where to find ingredients
Pork bistecs (bisteca suína): Look for pork loin steaks or pork shoulder steaks at the butcher counter (local butchers) or in the meat section of larger supermarkets.
Olive oil: Any supermarket; usually in the cooking oils aisle.
Salt: Any supermarket.
Lemons (zest + juice): Any supermarket produce section.
Bacon: Usually in the chilled meats section; if you can’t find chopped bacon, buy streaky bacon and chop it yourself (ideal is chopped bacon as in the recipe).
Garlic: Supermarket produce section.
Onion: Supermarket produce section.
Cassava flour (farinha de mandioca): Check Latin/Brazilian grocery stores or international aisles in big supermarkets; if unavailable, use cassava flour specifically (not coconut flour). If you can’t find it at all, ask for a suitable substitute at a Latin grocery—ideally use cassava flour because it gives the right texture.
Cooked carioquinha beans (drained): Look for canned or jarred carioquinha beans at Latin/Brazilian stores. If you can’t find carioquinha, use another cooked brown/cream bean with a similar size and flavour (substitute), but the ideal is carioquinha beans.
Bean cooking liquid: Use the liquid from cooking the beans (or the liquid from the canned beans if that’s what you have). For best results, keep the liquid from the beans you’re using.
Olive oil: Any supermarket; usually in the cooking oils aisle.
Salt: Any supermarket.
Lemons (zest + juice): Any supermarket produce section.
Bacon: Usually in the chilled meats section; if you can’t find chopped bacon, buy streaky bacon and chop it yourself (ideal is chopped bacon as in the recipe).
Garlic: Supermarket produce section.
Onion: Supermarket produce section.
Cassava flour (farinha de mandioca): Check Latin/Brazilian grocery stores or international aisles in big supermarkets; if unavailable, use cassava flour specifically (not coconut flour). If you can’t find it at all, ask for a suitable substitute at a Latin grocery—ideally use cassava flour because it gives the right texture.
Cooked carioquinha beans (drained): Look for canned or jarred carioquinha beans at Latin/Brazilian stores. If you can’t find carioquinha, use another cooked brown/cream bean with a similar size and flavour (substitute), but the ideal is carioquinha beans.
Bean cooking liquid: Use the liquid from cooking the beans (or the liquid from the canned beans if that’s what you have). For best results, keep the liquid from the beans you’re using.
Preparation method
- Season the pork bistecs with olive oil, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
- In a medium pot, fry the bacon on high heat for 3 minutes, until golden
- Add the chopped garlic and onion, then sauté for another 2 minutes
- Add the cassava flour and toast lightly, stirring constantly
- Stir in the cooked bean grains and the bean cooking liquid. Season with salt and mix gently
- Take off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan on high heat
- Fry the seasoned pork bistecs for 2 minutes per side, until browned
- Serve the pork bistecs with the bean mash and finish with the remaining lemon zest
Observations
Virado à Paulista is one of Brazil’s most iconic comfort meals—born from the old tropeiro days in São Paulo. It’s a full plate: tender pork bistec alongside a rich bean mash, plus the crunchy, savoury touch of farofa.
This simplified version keeps the key elements that make a proper virado taste right and feel satisfying at home. You’ll cook the pork with lemony flavour, build a bacon-and-onion base, toast the mandioca flour, then fold in cooked beans and their cooking liquid until it turns thick, glossy, and deeply savoury. Finish with chopped parsley and serve hot with the pork.
This simplified version keeps the key elements that make a proper virado taste right and feel satisfying at home. You’ll cook the pork with lemony flavour, build a bacon-and-onion base, toast the mandioca flour, then fold in cooked beans and their cooking liquid until it turns thick, glossy, and deeply savoury. Finish with chopped parsley and serve hot with the pork.
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