FEIJOADA: BRAZIL’S NATIONAL DISH
Anything better than a bowl of rice and beans, in my opinion? To make this dish, I would open a can of black beans, add chicken stock, some salt, and the neon orange seasoning package from Sazón and let it simmer for 20 minutes while my rice cooked. It was usually my go-to meal in college during my final year. Regardless of how lazy you are, rice and beans are delicious.
Feijoada, on the other hand, is a popular Brazilian dish.
What is FEIJOADA?
Pork and sometimes beef are added to feijoada, a Brazilian black bean stew. Rice, julienned greens, and slices of orange are common accompaniments. It is also the national dish of Brazil.
If you’ve never had it before, think of it as a substantial improvement over my rudimentary college fare, but with much less work.
INNOVATIVE RECIPE CHANGES
Feijoada can be made in a zillion different ways. Some recipes use a wide variety of smoked meats, while others call for the use of less conventional cuts of the pig. Feijoada is a popular Brazilian dish, and I’ve had a family friend from Brazil who made hers with kielbasa.
Rice or farofa and orange slices are common accompaniments (to cut the dish’s richness). A side of sautéed greens is also possible. For some reason, I completely forgot to whip up a batch for this post since I was preoccupied with the pot of beans simmering away in the kitchen. #derp
I’ve come up with a basic feijoada recipe with a good balance of smokiness and meatiness for this dish (two words: pork. shoulder). All the flavors in your feijoada should come together properly if you cook it for an extended period of time at a low and slow temperature.
To begin, please refrain from using canned beans in this feijoada recipe for the love of all that is holy. Make use of dried beans (that have been soaked overnight). I can’t describe it, but feijoada made with dry beans is always superior. Because I’ve been there and done that, you can rely on my opinion.
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ lb. of smoked bacon(chopped)
- 4 lb. of bone-in pork shoulder (cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 2 pcs. of onions (chopped)
- 10 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- 1 lb. of dried black beans (soaked in water overnight)
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 5 pcs. of bay leaves
- 1 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
- cooked rice and orange slices (to serve)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add the bacon to a big pot or Dutch oven and cook until the fat has drained out a little. Brown the pork shoulder in the pan after it has been added. Cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes after adding the onions and garlic.
- Add the beans, ham hocks, and bay leaves to the pot after rinsing and draining them—Cook for an additional 15 minutes. The stew should be thickened, and the meat falls apart after 1 1/2 to 2 hours of simmering (without a lid). Remove any foam from the stew by skimming it from the surface.
- Serve over rice and orange slices, and season with black pepper (and salt, if desired).