Traditional Brazilian feijoadablack bean stew with tender cured and smoked meats
A slow-cooked Brazilian black bean stew with properly desalted dried beef, pork ribs, smoked sausage and bacon in a rich broth.
Feijoada is one of Brazil’s defining communal dishes. This careful home version preserves its essential identity: black beans simmered with cured, fresh and smoked meats, added in stages so every piece becomes tender while the broth turns naturally thick and glossy.
Ingredients
Base
Meats
Seasoning
Preparation
Soak safely
In separate covered containers in the refrigerator, soak the beans in plenty of water for 8 to 12 hours and the dried beef for 12 hours, changing the beef water three times. Drain both and discard all soaking water.
720 minutesBlanch the dried beef
Cover the beef with fresh water, boil for 10 minutes and drain. This final blanch removes surface salt; do not reuse the water.
15 minutesRender the bacon
In a large heavy pot, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until it releases fat and browns lightly. Remove half and reserve it with the smoked sausage.
8 minutesBuild the aromatic base
In the rendered fat, sauté onions for 6 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute without burning.
7 minutesBegin the long cooking
Add black beans, blanched dried beef and pork ribs. Cover with 2.5 litres fresh hot water, bring to a boil, skim foam, then partially cover and simmer gently for 75 minutes.
75 minutesAdd the smoked meats
Add smoked sausage and reserved bacon. Simmer partly covered for 35 to 45 minutes, adding hot water only if the beans are no longer submerged.
40 minutesCheck tenderness and safety
The beans must crush easily, dried beef must pull apart and rib meat must be tender. Check the thickest pork meat away from bone reaches at least 63°C; this stew will normally be well above that.
5 minutesThicken naturally
Mash one ladle of beans against the side of the pot and stir it back in. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the broth coats a spoon.
18 minutesRest and adjust
Remove excess surface fat if desired, taste and add salt only if needed. Rest off the heat for 15 minutes before serving; the broth thickens further as it stands.
15 minutes
Substitutions
Paio may replace half the smoked sausage. Smoked pork ribs can replace fresh ribs, but must be soaked first and will increase saltiness. Dried beef defines the traditional profile and has no exact fresh-meat substitute.
Storage
Cool in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate below 5°C. Reheat only the needed amount to a rolling simmer, reaching 74°C throughout.
Approximate shelf life: Up to 3 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen for best quality.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.
