Feijoada Completa

About This Recipe

Feijoada is the soul of Brazilian cooking, a deeply satisfying one-pot stew that brings families together every Saturday across the country. The dish has African roots, introduced by enslaved people who created it from the offal and cheaper cuts discarded by colonial landowners. Over generations it evolved into a celebration meal, with each region of Brazil adding its own twist. A true feijoada completa is served with fluffy white rice, toasted cassava farofa, sautéed collard greens (couve), fresh orange slices and a small glass of cachaça — a combination that perfectly balances the stew's richness.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 gdried black beans(soaked overnight)
• 400 gpork spare ribs(cut into individual ribs)
• 300 gsmoked linguiça sausage(sliced into rounds)
• 200 gcarne seca (dried salt beef)(soaked overnight, cubed)
• 200 gsmoked bacon(cut into lardons)
• 1 largeonion(finely diced)
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 3bay leaves
• 1 teaspoonblack pepper
• 2oranges(halved, to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the meats

   Drain the soaked black beans and carne seca separately. Rinse the carne seca well and cut into 3 cm cubes. Brown the bacon lardons in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until golden. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.

2. 2

   Sear the pork ribs

   In the same pot, sear the pork ribs in batches until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add the sliced linguiça and cook for 2 minutes until lightly coloured. Remove and set aside.

3. 3

   Build the base

   Add the oil to the pot and fry the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Combine and simmer

   Return all the meats to the pot along with the drained black beans, carne seca, bay leaves and black pepper. Cover with cold water by about 5 cm. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 2–2.5 hours, adding water as needed to keep the beans submerged.

   If using a pressure cooker, cook under pressure for 45 minutes to dramatically cut the cooking time.

5. 5

   Check consistency

   The stew is ready when the beans are completely tender and the liquid has thickened to a glossy, velvety consistency. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt — the cured meats provide a lot of saltiness, so add carefully.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle the feijoada into deep bowls or serve from the pot at the table. Accompany with steamed white rice, toasted farofa, sautéed collard greens and fresh orange halves. The orange juice cuts through the richness beautifully.

Variations

• •

  Make a vegetarian version using smoked paprika, liquid smoke, portobello mushrooms and extra vegetables in place of the meats.

• •

  In Rio de Janeiro, farofa is made with butter and onion; in Bahia it often includes palm oil and dried shrimp.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The stew freezes excellently for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions