Feijoada Recipe

Soak the beans

Rinse the dried black beans under cold water and remove any debris. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with 2 liters of water. Soak for 8–12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.

Initial cook

Put the soaked, drained beans in a large heavy pot (6–8 liters). Add about 3 liters of fresh water, bay leaves, and 1 tsp coarse salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim any foam that rises. Simmer partially covered while you prepare the meats — about 45 minutes to 1 hour — until beans are just tender but not falling apart.

Prepare and brown meats

While beans begin cooking, pat pork shoulder, ribs, and pork hock dry. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Brown diced bacon until fat renders and pieces are golden (3–5 minutes). Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside. Add pork shoulder pieces in batches and brown on all sides; remove. Brown pork ribs similarly and remove. Finally brown smoked hock briefly (do not need to fully cook through). Transfer all browned meats plus bacon into the pot with the beans.

Add sausages

In the same skillet, add remaining tablespoon of oil if needed and brown sliced chorizo and linguiça for 2–3 minutes to develop color. Add sliced sausages to the bean pot. This step builds flavor and prevents sausages from turning soft in the stew.

Simmer together

Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer after adding all meats. Cook covered on low for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally and adding hot water if liquid level drops below the beans by more than 2 cm. Check meat tenderness; pork shoulder and ribs should be fork-tender. If using a pressure cooker: after adding meats, secure lid and cook on high pressure for 25–30 minutes and allow natural release.

Make the refogado (aromatic sauté)

In a separate heavy skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to remove raw edge. Optionally splash cachaça and let alcohol cook off (30 seconds).

Combine aromatics with beans

Scoop the refogado into the pot with beans and meats. Stir to combine. Add orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice (reserve sliced orange for serving). Taste the broth and add remaining 2 tsp coarse salt or as needed, plus ground black pepper and smoked paprika if using. Continue simmering uncovered or partially covered for another 20–30 minutes so flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly.

Adjust texture and seasoning

If the feijoada is too thin, mash some beans against the pot side with a spoon to thicken, or simmer a little longer with lid off. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley and cilantro just before serving to add brightness.

Rest and serve

Allow the feijoada to rest for 10 minutes off heat to let flavors settle. Remove smoked hock bone if desired and shred any loose meat. Serve hot with white rice, sautéed collard greens, farofa, and orange slices on the side.

Plate a generous scoop of white rice, ladle feijoada alongside or over the rice, and garnish with chopped parsley. Add a portion of sautéed collard greens and a spoonful of farofa. Serve with orange slices to cut the richness.