Traditional Brazilian Feijoada Completa (Black Bean and Pork Stew)
Brazil's national black bean stew slow-simmered with cured beef, smoked pork ribs, and spicy calabresa sausage, served with white rice, garlicky greens, and toasted farofa.
Ingredients
- • 500g dry black beans (feijão preto), soaked overnight
- • 300g carne seca (cured salted beef), desalted and cubed
- • 300g smoked pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
- • 200g Paio sausage or smoked Calabresa, sliced into rounds
- • 150g smoked bacon, diced
- • 100g pork belly (toucinho), cubed
- • 2 large onions, finely chopped
- • 6 garlic cloves, minced
- • 3 bay leaves
- • 2 oranges (peeled and sliced into rounds, for serving)
- • Shredded Couve à Mineira (collard greens) and White Rice, to serve
Preparation Steps
Boil cubed carne seca and salted pork in water for 15 minutes, drain and discard water.
In a large heavy stockpot, combine soaked black beans, desalted beef, pork ribs, bay leaves, and 8 cups of water; simmer gently on low heat for 1.5 hours.
Add sliced Paio, Calabresa, and pork belly; continue simmering for 45 minutes until beans and meats are meltingly tender.
In a separate skillet, fry diced bacon until crisp; add chopped onions and minced garlic, sautéing until golden; ladle two scoops of cooked black beans into the skillet and mash with a wooden spoon into a thick paste.
Return the mashed garlicky bean paste to the main pot; simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the stew turns inky black, glossy, and thick.
Serve hot in clay pots accompanied by fluffy white rice, garlicky sautéed collard greens (couve), toasted farofa, and fresh orange slices.