Brazilian recipe
Traditional Brazilian black bean stew (feijoada)
Master the art of making an authentic feijoada at home, featuring tender pork cuts, a rich, velvety dark bean base, and that quintessential depth of flavour. This is your go-to guide for a truly memorable, hearty feast.
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Ingredients
1/2 orange, unpeeled
400 g pork spare ribs, cubed and desalted
150 g bacon, chopped
300 g fresh or desalted pork loin, chopped
2 fresh smoked pork sausages (paio)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 calabresa sausages
1 desalted pork knuckle (pork hock)
400 g desalted pork tail
1 kg black beans, soaked for at least 4 hours
2 bay leaves
1 desalted pig's trotter (pig's foot)
300 g desalted salted beef (carne-seca)
400 g desalted pork ear
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
400 g pork spare ribs, cubed and desalted
150 g bacon, chopped
300 g fresh or desalted pork loin, chopped
2 fresh smoked pork sausages (paio)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 calabresa sausages
1 desalted pork knuckle (pork hock)
400 g desalted pork tail
1 kg black beans, soaked for at least 4 hours
2 bay leaves
1 desalted pig's trotter (pig's foot)
300 g desalted salted beef (carne-seca)
400 g desalted pork ear
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Where to find ingredients
Find black beans and salted meats like pork hock, ear, and trotter at local butcher shops or specialty international grocery stores. Salted beef (carne-seca) can often be found in the cured meats or specialty sections. For sausages like paio and calabresa, look for authentic Portuguese or Brazilian grocers, or use a high-quality smoked garlic sausage as a closest substitute if needed. Fresh produce like oranges, onions, and parsley are widely available at local markets.
Preparation method
- Ensure all salted meats have been thoroughly desalted in water beforehand
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, sear the pork loin and spare ribs until nicely browned, about 6 minutes
- Remove the browned meats from the pot and set them aside
- Using the same pot, fry the bacon until it turns golden and releases its fat
- Add the onion to the bacon, sautéing until translucent and scraping the bottom of the pot to release the flavourful browned bits
- Stir in the garlic and bay leaves, continuing to sauté for another 5 minutes
- Mix the pre-soaked and drained black beans into the pot, combining well
- In a separate pot, boil the tougher cuts—pork trotter, knuckle, tail, ear, and salted beef—to remove any excess impurities
- Drain the boiled meats well and transfer them into the main bean pot
- Add enough water to cover everything, season with salt to taste, and bring to a rapid boil over high heat
- Lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for 3 hours, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface
- After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the salted beef, chop it into cubes, and set aside
- Towards the end of the cooking time, stir in the reserved pork loin and spare ribs, the fresh parsley, and the half-orange
- After an additional 30 minutes, remove the orange piece and discard it
- Once the loin is tender, remove it from the pot, cut into bite-sized pieces, and set aside
- Cook the sausages whole for 15 minutes, then slice them into rounds and stir them back into the stew
- Return the cubed salted beef and pork loin to the mix, simmering until the beans are perfectly tender and the broth has reached a thick, rich consistency
- Top up with a little boiling water throughout the process if the stew becomes too dry
Observations
Feijoada is the ultimate soul food of Brazil, bringing together robust, slow-cooked pork cuts with the earthy, deep flavour of black beans. The secret to this dish is the patient, low-and-slow cooking method, which ensures every piece of meat stays succulent while the broth thickens into a glossy, flavour-packed delight. Perfect for big family gatherings, this dish delivers the kind of comfort that only a slow-cooked, authentic meal can provide.
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