Authentic Brazilian Feijoada
Feijoada is Brazil's national dish, a hearty and flavorful black bean stew traditionally made with a variety of savory meats. This version captures the essence of Brazil's vibrant culinary culture, combining tender beans, smoked meats, and aromatic spices. Serve it alongside sautéed collard greens, fluffy white rice, and a refreshing side of orange slices for a truly authentic experience. Perfect for gatherings, this dish is rich, comforting, and guaranteed to impress your guests with its depth of flavor!
N/A
Servings
450
Calories
19
Ingredients
Ingredients
Brazilian black beans
2 lbs (picked through and soaked overnight in water)
onions
2 large (minced)
vegetable oil
as needed (for sautéing and collard greens)
garlic
1 head (minced)
bay leaf
1 (whole)
smoked pork neck bones
1 lb (cut into chunks)
beef brisket
8 ounces (cut into chunks)
smoked rib bacon
4 slices (cut into chunks)
pork ribs
4 (fresh or smoked, cut into individual ribs)
smoked ham hocks
2 (whole)
smoked pig tails
2 (whole)
smoked Brazilian beef sausage (Calabresa)
1 (fully cooked, sliced)
smoked sausage
1 large (sliced)
salt
to taste (for seasoning)
collard greens
2 bunches (stems removed, thinly sliced)
white rice
for serving (cooked)
orange
1 (peeled and sliced for serving)
spicy Brazilian hot sauce
for serving
toasted manioc flour (farofa)
for serving
Instructions
1
Begin by preparing the black beans: Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a large sturdy pot. Cover the beans with fresh water and bring to a vigorous boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 1 hour.
2
While the beans are simmering, heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced onions and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until soft and golden. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute, then remove from heat and set aside.
3
Once the beans have simmered for an hour, stir in the sautéed onions, garlic, and bay leaves into the pot of beans. Continue to cook for an additional hour, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans fully submerged.
4
For the meats, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the smoked pork neck bones, beef brisket, bacon, ribs, ham hocks, pig tails, and sliced sausages in a single layer on roasting pans or baking sheets. Roast for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until they are browned and cooked through.
5
After the meats are roasted, transfer all of them—discarding excess fat—into the pot of beans. Stir well to combine, and add enough water to ensure everything is covered. Bring this mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the beans are soft and the meats are incredibly tender.
6
Just before you are ready to serve the feijoada, prepare the collard greens. In a large nonstick skillet, heat some vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a bit of salt in the skillet and add the collard greens in batches, letting them wilt before adding more. Sauté the greens until they are crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes.
7
To serve, ladle generous portions of feijoada into bowls alongside the sautéed collard greens, fluffy white rice, and slices of fresh orange. Don’t forget to offer hot sauce and toasted manioc flour (farofa) for your guests to sprinkle over their dishes for an extra burst of flavor!
Nutrition Information
15g
Fat
50g
Carbs
25g
Protein
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Authentic Brazilian Feijoada?
Feijoada is Brazil's national dish, a hearty and flavorful black bean stew traditionally made with a variety of savory smoked meats.
What are the main ingredients for Feijoada?
The main ingredients include Brazilian black beans, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and various meats like pork neck bones, beef brisket, bacon, ribs, ham hocks, pig tails, and Calabresa sausage.
How long should I soak the black beans?
The Brazilian black beans should be picked through and soaked overnight in water before cooking.
What is the first step in cooking the beans?
Drain the soaked beans, cover them with fresh water in a large pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 1 hour.
How do I prepare the aromatic base?
Sauté minced onions in vegetable oil for 8 to 10 minutes until golden, then add minced garlic and sauté for one more minute.
When do I add the onions and garlic to the stew?
Add the sautéed onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot after the beans have simmered for their first hour.
How should the meats be prepared for the stew?
The meats should be arranged in roasting pans and baked at 350°F (175°C) for 1.5 to 2 hours until browned and cooked through.
What temperature should the oven be for roasting the meats?
The oven should be preheated to 350°F (175°C).
Do I add the roasting fat into the bean pot?
No, you should discard the excess fat from the roasting pans before transferring the meats into the pot of beans.
How long do the beans and meats simmer together?
Once the roasted meats are added, the mixture should simmer for an additional 2 to 2.5 hours until the beans are soft and meats are tender.
How do I prepare the collard greens?
Sauté thinly sliced collard greens in vegetable oil with a bit of salt for 5-7 minutes until they are crisp-tender.
What are the traditional side dishes for Feijoada?
Feijoada is traditionally served with sautéed collard greens, fluffy white rice, orange slices, hot sauce, and toasted manioc flour (farofa).
Why are orange slices served with this dish?
Orange slices provide a refreshing contrast to the rich and savory flavors of the meat and bean stew.
What is farofa?
Farofa is toasted manioc flour that guests can sprinkle over their dish for an extra burst of flavor and texture.
How many calories are in a serving of Feijoada?
There are approximately 450 calories per serving.
What is the protein content of this recipe?
Each serving contains about 25g of protein.
How much fat is in a serving?
There is approximately 15g of fat per serving.
How many carbohydrates are in a serving?
There are approximately 50g of carbohydrates per serving.
What kind of sausage is used in authentic Feijoada?
The recipe uses smoked Brazilian beef sausage, also known as Calabresa, along with another large smoked sausage.
How much garlic is required?
This recipe calls for one full head of garlic, minced.
How many onions are needed?
The recipe requires two large minced onions.
What type of oil is best for this recipe?
Vegetable oil is used for sautéing the aromatics and the collard greens.
What quantity of black beans is needed?
The recipe calls for 2 lbs of Brazilian black beans.
How much beef brisket is included?
The recipe uses 8 ounces of beef brisket cut into chunks.
Are the ham hocks added whole?
Yes, the recipe uses 2 whole smoked ham hocks.
How should the collard greens be sliced?
The stems should be removed and the leaves should be thinly sliced.
Is the bacon smoked?
Yes, the recipe specifically calls for 4 slices of smoked rib bacon cut into chunks.
What should I do if the water level drops while simmering?
You should add more water as necessary to keep the beans and meats fully submerged while cooking.
How many pork ribs are used?
The recipe uses 4 pork ribs, which can be fresh or smoked, cut into individual ribs.
What is the total estimated cooking time for the beans?
The beans simmer for a total of approximately 4 to 4.5 hours throughout the various stages of the recipe.