Build Your Own-feijoada Recipe

Soak the beans

Rinse 1.5 cups dried black beans under cold water and remove debris. Place beans in a large bowl, cover with 6 cups cold water, and soak at room temperature for 8–12 hours (or use the quick-soak method: bring beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 1 hour). Drain and rinse beans before cooking.

Simmer the beans

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, add drained beans and 6 cups low-sodium stock. Add 2 bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer 45–60 minutes until beans are tender but not falling apart. Skim foam as needed. Keep at a low simmer while you prepare meats and sofrito—beans will finish cooking with the meats to develop flavor. Reserve cooking liquid if you need to adjust consistency later.

Once beans are tender, season with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then hold warm on the lowest heat setting; final seasoning will be adjusted after combining with meats.

Brown cured meats

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon and pancetta (or pork jowl) and cook until the fat renders and the pieces are golden, 6–8 minutes. Transfer the browned cured meats with their fat into the large pot with the simmering beans (reserve most fat for searing other meats).

Sear fresh pork

Season pork shoulder cubes lightly with salt and pepper. In the same skillet with 1–2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat (or lard/olive oil), sear pork shoulder in batches until well browned on all sides, 3–5 minutes per batch. Transfer seared pork to the pot with the beans.

Add smoked ribs & sausage

If using smoked pork ribs, brown them briefly in the skillet (2–3 minutes per side) and add to the pot. In the skillet, add the sliced chorizo/linguica and sear until browned and slightly crisp on the edges, about 3 minutes; transfer to the bean pot. The browned bits left in the skillet will be used for the sofrito.

After all meats are combined with the beans, continue a low gentle simmer for 30–45 minutes so flavors meld and tougher pieces become tender. Skim excess fat if desired.

Prepare the sofrito

In the skillet with the reserved browned bits and about 2 tbs of the reserved fat (or 2 tbs lard/vegetable oil), add 3 tbs olive oil and heat over medium. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant (do not burn).

Flavor the sofrito

Add 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, the orange zest and the juice of 1 orange. Stir to combine and cook 1–2 minutes to deglaze and concentrate flavors. Taste and adjust—if too tart, add a pinch of sugar to balance. Pour the sofrito into the pot with beans and meats, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.

Cover and simmer everything together on low for an additional 20–30 minutes so the sofrito infuses the beans and meats. If the stew is too thick, add up to 1 cup reserved bean cooking liquid or stock to reach desired consistency.

Final seasoning

Taste the feijoada and adjust salt and pepper as needed (add more salt in small increments). Remove bay leaves. If the stew tastes flat, a squeeze of fresh orange juice can brighten the flavors.

Serve

Spoon cooked white rice into shallow bowls or a large serving platter. Ladle feijoada over the rice, making sure to include a mix of beans, pork shoulder, smoked ribs, sausage, and bacon in each portion.

Garnish and accompaniments

Top with chopped cilantro or parsley and sliced scallions. Serve orange wedges and farofa (or toasted breadcrumbs) on the side so diners can sprinkle to taste. Provide extra hot sauce or vinagrete (Brazilian salsa) if desired.