Feijoada

Feijoada is Brazil's most beloved national dish — a substantial black bean stew slow-cooked with an extravagant mix of pork and beef cuts. Its origins are debated but deeply tied to Brazil's African heritage; enslaved people are credited with transforming discarded pork offcuts into the centrepiece of the country's cuisine. Today it is eaten across Brazil every Saturday, traditionally served with farofa (toasted cassava flour), steamed rice, collard greens, and orange slices to cut the richness.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 500g (1.1 lb) dried black beans, soaked overnight
• 300g (10.5 oz) carne seca (Brazilian dried salted beef) or corned beef, cubed
• 200g (7 oz) smoked pork ribs, cut into sections
• 200g (7 oz) linguiça calabresa (smoked pork sausage), sliced
• 150g (5.5 oz) bacon, cut into lardons
• 1 pig's ear (optional), cleaned
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

To serve:

• Steamed white rice
• Couve refogada (sautéed collard greens with garlic)
• Orange slices
• Farofa

Instructions

1. Soak carne seca in cold water for 12 hours, changing water twice, to remove excess salt. Drain and cube.
2. Drain soaked black beans. In a large heavy pot, cover beans generously with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil.
3. Add all meats, pig's ear if using, and bay leaves. Ensure everything is well submerged. Bring back to a boil, skim foam, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until beans are completely soft.
4. In a skillet, fry onion in olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Ladle in 3-4 scoops of beans and mash roughly in the pan — this thickens the stew. Return to the pot.
5. Simmer uncovered for a further 20 minutes until broth is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove pig's ear and slice thinly; return to pot.
6. Adjust seasoning carefully (carne seca adds significant salt).

Cook's Notes: Feijoada improves dramatically on day two. A pressure cooker reduces bean cooking time to 40 minutes. The orange slices are not garnish — their acidity genuinely balances the fat.