Feijoada - Brazilian Savory Meat & Bean Stew
Feijoada, Brazil's national dish. The Brazilian feijoada that I made my own version of (feijoada brasileira) is typically prepared with black beans (also white, pinto and red beans), a variety of salted pork or beef products, such as pork trimmings (ears, tail, feet), bacon, smoked pork ribs, and at least two types of smoked sausage and jerked beef (loin and tongue). This stew is traditionally prepared over low fire in a thick clay pot. The final dish has the beans and meat pieces barely covered by a dark purplish-brown broth. The taste is strong, moderately salty but not spicy, dominated by the flavors of black bean and meat stew. As dictated in my notes, I streamlined the tradition to facilitate what was readily available in a typical North American supermarket. I will revisit this dish at a later date and make it Old-School style!
Feijoada, Brazil's national dish. The Brazilian feijoada that I made my own version of (feijoada brasileira) is typically prepared with black beans (also white, pinto and red beans), a variety of salted pork or beef products, such as pork trimmings (ears, tail, feet), bacon, smoked pork ribs, and at least two types of smoked sausage and jerked beef (loin and tongue). This stew is traditionally prepared over low fire in a thick clay pot. The final dish has the beans and meat pieces barely covered by a dark purplish-brown broth. The taste is strong, moderately salty but not spicy, dominated by the flavors of black bean and meat stew. As dictated in my notes, I streamlined the tradition to facilitate what was readily available in a typical North American supermarket. I will revisit this dish at a later date and make it Old-School style!
- salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- water
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large onions sliced
- 1 pound beef stew meat seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 pound pork shoulder seasoned salt and pepper; left whole and shredded at the end of cooking, or cut into chunks
- 1 package thick sliced bacon (12 ounce) cut into small pieces
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounce)
- freshly ground white pepper
- 7 ounces cured hard chorizo sausage (spanish chorizo or other cured sausage); sliced
- 1/2 pound smoked sausage such as linguica or kielbasa, sliced
- 2 cans black beans (15 ounce)
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- hot sauce according to heat preference
- 1 whole orange washed and cut into slices
- Carbohydrate 19.9463053614137 g
- Cholesterol 95.08790246875 mg
- Fat 29.8014050806458 g
- Fiber 5.94586692844104 g
- Protein 29.6989563491354 g
- Saturated Fat 10.4196187198308 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (287g)
- Sodium 892.822915588043 mg
- Sugar 14.0004384329726 g
- Trans Fat 3.58405000477177 g
- Calories 470 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the seasoned pork shoulder until caramelized on each side. Remove the pork and set aside. Repeat with seasoned beef.
- In the same pan, add the bacon and cook until slightly crispy. Add the onions, garlic, cilantro, tomatoes and pepper to taste, stir to combine, and cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the cured and the smoked sausages and cook until the smoked is no longer pink, stirring in the orange juice a little at a time to deglaze the pot.
- Return the beef stew meat to the pot along with the pork shoulder. Add the black beans to the pot. Add the bay leaves, black pepper, salt, beef bouillon cubes, chili powder, and red wine vinegar. Cover the contents of the pot with water until the meat is just barely covered (about 2 quarts). Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for 2 hours, or until the beans are soft. About 1 1/2 hours into the cooking time, if using whole pork shoulder, remove it, shred it, and return it to the pot.
- If the feijoada is too liquidy, uncover the pot and continue to cook for another 20 minutes or so to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Add some hot sauce, like Tabasco, according heat preference. Discard the bay leaves.
- Serve with rice and orange slices.
The Science of Citrus and Acid
Acidity is non-negotiable when consuming dense, fatty proteins like chorizo and beef chuck. Fresh orange slices provide citric acid, which chemically interacts with the palate by binding to proteins and clearing the coating left by animal fats. Pair the stew with a sharply dressed vinaigrette or farofa toasted in butter to introduce a dry, crunchy counter-texture that absorbs excess broth without turning mushy. Fresh cilantro and red wine vinegar added to the pot help bridge the gap, but raw citrus on the plate provides an immediate reset between bites.Managing the Starch Ratio
White rice serves as a neutral canvas designed to absorb the dark purplish-brown pot liquor without competing with the garlic and bay leaf aromatics. Keep the grain fluffy by rinsing raw white rice until the water runs clear before cooking; excess surface starch creates a gummy texture that clashes with the velvety beans. A grain-to-liquid ratio of one to two guarantees individual, separate grains capable of capturing the loose broth.Second-Day Transformations
Stews containing legumes and collagen-rich meats improve significantly after a 24-hour resting period in the refrigerator. Starches continue to hydrate and gelatinized collagen firms up, fusing the flavors into a cohesive unit. Store the pot in airtight containers for up to four days at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Reheat the mixture gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a quarter cup of water to loosen the thickened bean puree before serving.
