Feijoada is one of Brazil’s traditional dishes. It is a bean stew made with pork, rice, sautéed kale, black beans, and toasted cassava flour known as farofa. I was lucky enough to cook with our good friend Julio who taught me some really cool tips like, cooking the garlic and onion in the oil before adding the meat so that the flavor is absorbed better or undercooking the beans as they will continue to cook once added to the meat. I asked Julio if the meat was optional and he laughed telling me that feijoada does not exist without meat. He also laughed when I asked him about canned beans rather than dried beans. He probably thinks I am weird. One of my favorite parts of the feijoada? The orange slices that are added to the dish to absorb the fat from the meat and aid in digestion. I love this dish so much as it reminds me of my childhood in Brazil and hope you get to try it too! This recipe feeds 8-10 people.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (450 grams) black beans (soaked overnight)
- 3 heads of grated garlic
- 1 large onion
- 2 Brazilian or Mexican sausages
- 1 pound pork ribs
- kale, sautéed with pinch of salt (for plating)
- farofa- toasted cassava flour (for plating)
- steamed white or brown rice (for plating)
- orange slioces (for plating)
- olive oil
- salt to taste
1. Begin by soaking your dried beans overnight. The next day, make sure to drain and rinse them with cold water.
2. Cook beans in a pressure cooker or pot on stove. Don't cook fully, as they will continue to cook once combined with the hot meat and you do not want to over cook the beans!! (Mashed beans anyone?)
3. Chop up your sausages and pork. Remove the fat ( I remove more than usual but it is up to you).
4. Boil the pork and sausages to release fat. Drain and repeat if desired but not necessary.
5. While the meat is boiling, peel and grate 3 heads of garlic and dice 1 large onion.
6. Once your meat is ready, remove the meat and use the same pan to cook the onion and garlic with olive oil.
7. Add the meat to the cooked garlic and onion. Mix well.
8. Slowly add the beans and water from the beans. The ratio is up to you- I prefer more beans than meat! Cook on medium heat. Taste to see if you would like to add salt.
9. Plate the dish with farofa, brown or white rice, sauteed kale, and orange slices.
10. ENJOY !!
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