FEIJOADA (BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN STEW)
8 servings
This long-simmered meat and bean stew can feature a wide variety of meaty odd bits. Any combination of pork ribs, pork tongue, carne seca (dried beef), or corned beef may be substituted for the meat in this recipe. Just be sure to use a combination of salted and fresh meat to avoid oversalting the stew. Feijoada may also be prepared in a slow cooker. Simply combine all the ingredients and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the meat is extremely tender. Stir in the browned onions and garlic just before serving. Farofa, a mixture of toasted cassava flour and fried bacon and onions, is the traditional garnish. You may find this topping in South American grocery stores, but it is not absolutely necessary. If you find coarsely ground cassava flour (not tapioca starch), try making your own.
Place in a pot or Dutch oven:
- 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 1 pound pig’s feet, split in half, or smoked ham hock
- 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
- (½ pound pig’s tails)
- ½ pound slab bacon, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 bay leaves
Add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer. Skim any scum off the top of the stew for the first 30 minutes. Continue to simmer until the meat is very tender and the beans are cooked, about 2 hours. If necessary, add hot water to keep the ingredients covered. While the stew cooks, prepare the Brazilian hot sauce. Combine in a blender and blend until smooth:
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
- ½ red onion, chopped (reserve the other half)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Alternatively, for a coarser sauce, hand-mince the jalapeños, onion, and garlic and stir in the lime juice and salt. Let the hot sauce sit while the stew finishes cooking.
Skim any pooled fat from the top of the stew and reserve. Add to the stew:
- ½ pound fresh chorizo link sausages or kielbasa, cut into ½-inch slices
Simmer until the stew is very thick, about 1 hour more. Warm 2 tablespoons of the reserved fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Thinly slice the reserved onion half from making the hot sauce, and add to the skillet, along with:
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add:
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Stir the onions and garlic into the stew. Remove the ham hock or pig’s feet (and pig’s tails, if using), let cool slightly, and shred the meat from the bone. Stir the meat back into the stew. Serve with the hot sauce and:
- Farofa, store-bought or homemade
- Orange slices
- Sautéed Shredded Collard Greens
- Cooked white rice