Authentic Brazilian Feijoada
This is a heavy, weekend-long affair. It is not a quick dinner; it is a labor of love that requires soaking the beans overnight and slowly coaxing the salt out of the pork. The final bowl should be thick enough for a spoon to stand upright.
Commit to the soak.
If you don't soak the black beans for at least 12 hours, they will remain tough regardless of how long you boil them. Start this the day before you intend to serve.
- Large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
- Large mixing bowl for soaking
- Heavy wooden spoon
- Tongs
What goes in.
- 1 lbdried black beans, sorted and rinsed
- 1/2 lbthick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 lbsmoked pork sausage (paio or linguiça), sliced into rounds
- 1 lbpork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 lbsalted pork belly or ribs (desalted overnight)
- 2large yellow onions, finely diced
- 6garlic cloves, minced
- 2bay leaves
- to tastecoarse sea salt and black pepper
Render the fat
Always start by browning the bacon and sausages in the dry pot. The grease they release is the base for your aromatics; never discard this liquid gold.
The method.
Soak the beans
Cover the dried beans with three inches of cold water. Let them sit, covered, for at least 12 hours.
Render the base
In the Dutch oven over medium heat, fry the bacon and sausage until the fat is rendered and the edges are crisp. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
Sear the pork
Add the pork shoulder cubes to the rendered fat. Brown them on all sides until a deep, dark crust forms.
Build the flavor
Add the onions to the pork fat and cook until they reach the color of deep amber. Stir in the garlic during the last minute of cooking so it does not burn.
Simmer
Return the beans and meats to the pot. Cover with water by two inches. Add bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low, steady simmer. Cover partially.
Finish
Cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The stew is done when the beans are soft, the meat falls apart with a touch of a fork, and the broth has thickened into a heavy, dark glaze.
Other turns to take.
Classic Brazilian style
Serve with thinly sliced collard greens sautéed in garlic, orange slices, and a bowl of toasted manioc flour (farofa).
When it doesn't go to plan.
Do not add salt until the final 30 minutes of cooking; the cured meats provide plenty of salinity, and adding salt too early can toughen the beans.
If the liquid is too thin, take a ladle of beans, mash them against the side of the pot, and stir them back into the stew.
The flavor deepens significantly overnight. If you have the patience, make this a day in advance.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use canned beans?
You can, but you will miss the thick, starch-rich gravy that comes from boiling dried beans. If you must use canned, reduce the cooking time significantly.
What if my stew is too salty?
Peel a raw potato and simmer it in the stew for 20 minutes; it will pull out some of the excess salt. Remove the potato before serving.