Brazilian Feijoada: Pro Recipe for the National Dish of Brazil

La feijoada It's Brazil's national dish, a celebration of Afro-Brazilian flavors that represents the country's cultural fusion. This black bean stew with various cuts of pork originated in the slave quarters of sugar plantations, where African slaves combined the beans they cultivated with the parts of the pig discarded by their owners. Today, it's a symbol of Brazilian identity, traditionally served with family on Saturdays.

The key to a good feijoada is patience: the beans must simmer slowly until the sauce thickens naturally, and the meats must infuse the broth with their flavors for hours. The result is a hearty, comforting, and complex stew, traditionally served with rice, sauteed kale, and orange slices that cut through the richness.

General Information

• Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus soaking: 8 hours)
• Cooking time: 2-3 horas
• Rations: 8-10 people
• Difficulty: Media

Ingredients

For the Beans:

• 500g dried black beans
• 2 liters of water
• 2 Bay leaves
• Sal Island

For Meats:

• 300g dried meat (charque or jerky), desalted
• 300g pork rib
• 200g Spanish or Calabrian chorizo
• 200g black pudding
• 200g cooked pig's ear
• 200g cooked pig's feet

For the Sofrito:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Bay leaves

To accompany:

• White rice
• Sautéed kale
• Farofa (toasted cassava flour)
• orange slices
• Pepper sauce

Step by Step Preparation

Phase 1: Prepare Beans (8h + 1h)

Step 1: Soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight.

Step 2: Cook in water with bay leaves for 45 minutes until tender. Set aside.

Phase 2: Prepare Meats (2h)

Step 3: Boil the dried meat for 30 minutes to remove the salt. Change the water.

Step 4: In another pot, boil ribs, ear and feet for 1 hour.

Step 5: Slice the chorizo ​​and morcilla.

Phase 3: Sauté and Blending (30 min)

Step 6: Sauté onion and garlic in oil until golden brown.

Step 7: Add the cooked meats and sauté for 5 minutes.

Step 8: Add the beans with their cooking water.

Step 9: Add chorizo ​​and blood sausage. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

Phase 4: Service

Step 10: Serve with rice, couvée, farofa and orange slices.

Key Techniques

1. Soak Beans

Essential for reducing cooking time and improving digestibility.

2. Desalt Dried Meat

Change the soaking water to remove excess salt.

Summary Table

Appearance	Detail
Total time	11+ hours
Difficulty	Media
Servings	8-10 people
Origin	Brazil