Feijoada

Feijoada (Brazil’s national dish) is a hearty black bean stew loaded with multiple meats. Thanks to the pigment in the black bean skins, the dish is so dark in color that it’s almost purple in the bowl!

This version is an adaptation of a traditional feijoada recipe, turning a stovetop dish into a slow-cooker stew recipe. It uses a slow cooker’s steady, even heat to soften the beans and transform pork shoulder and short ribs into tender shreds. It requires less babysitting than the stovetop version and yields a stew that’s just as delicious as the original.

What is feijoada?

Feijoada is a versatile stew of beans, meat and smoked sausage. It’s traditionally served over rice and garnished with a few orange slices. Beans are an iron-rich food, and oranges are believed to increase the body’s absorption of iron.

The dish originated in Portugal (the word feijao is the Portuguese word for “bean”). However, feijoada is most often associated with Brazil. Due to Brazil’s high agricultural cultivation of the crop, black beans are most commonly used in feijoada recipes. Different regions of Brazil use brown or red beans.

Ingredients for Feijoada

• Black beans: Black beans provide the hearty, protein-rich foundation for the stew. We start with dried beans so they can absorb the flavors of the other ingredients as they cook.
• Meat: This recipe for feijoada calls for several cuts of pork and one cut of beef to create a dynamic texture and a rich, savory flavor. The boneless pork shoulder butt roast and bone-in beef short ribs soften to a shredded consistency with the long, slow cooking time. The bacon and smoked sausage contribute salty smokiness.
• Onion and garlic: These aromatic vegetables add depth to the cooking liquid and practically melt into the stew.
• Bay leaf: Bay leaves add a subtle, aromatic flavor that complements the other ingredients.
• Liquids: A combination of chicken broth, water and beef broth is used as the cooking liquid, which forms the base of the stew.
• Orange wedges: Oranges are a bright, citrusy garnish that complements the stew’s rich character.
• Cooked rice: Rice is optional, but it’s the best way to soak up every last bit of this delicious stew.

Directions

Step 1: Soak the beans

TASTE OF HOME

Rinse and sort the beans. Place them in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Let them soak, covered, overnight. The next day, drain and rinse the beans, discarding the soaking liquid.

Editor’s Tip: When sorting the beans, discard any foreign objects or beans that are wrinkled or cracked. If you don’t have time for an overnight soak, you can bring the water to a boil and quick-soak beans for an hour.

Step 2: Boil the beans

TASTE OF HOME

Return the soaked beans to the saucepan and add fresh water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and boil the beans for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans, discarding the liquid.

Step 3: Slow-cook the meat

TASTE OF HOME

Place the pork roast, short ribs and bacon in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and seasonings. Pour the chicken broth, water and beef broth over the meat. Cook, covered, on high for two hours.

Step 4: Add the beans and sausage

TASTE OF HOME

Stir in the beans and sausage. Cook, covered, on low for five to six hours or until the meat and beans are very tender.

Step 5: Shred the meat

TASTE OF HOME

Discard the bay leaf and remove the short ribs. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Shred the meat with two forks and return it to the slow cooker.

TASTE OF HOME

Top each serving of stew with orange sections. If desired, serve with hot cooked rice.

TASTE OF HOME

Recipe Variations

• Brown the short ribs: To add even more depth to this recipe, brown the short ribs in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker (similar to how we make slow-cooker short ribs).
• Swap out the beans: Black beans are most typically associated with feijoada, but there are regional variations that use different types of beans. Try this recipe with kidney beans or pinto beans for a distinct flavor and texture.
• Include other meats: Add different types of meat, such as chicken, to create an even heartier stew.
• Add vegetables: Incorporate carrots, celery or bell peppers along with the onions for added flavor and nutrition.

How to Store Feijoada

Let the feijoada cool slightly. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can you freeze feijoada?

You can freeze feijoada in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

Feijoada Tips

TASTE OF HOME

Can you use canned black beans instead of dried beans to make this feijoada recipe?

We make this slow-cooker feijoada recipe with dried beans, but you can swap in canned black beans. The best way to use canned beans is to drain and rinse them to remove excess sodium. Then, add them to the dish at the end of the cooking time (after shredding the meat instead of stirring them in with the sausage). If they cook too long, they can become mushy.

Why do you boil dried beans before adding them to a slow cooker?

Though it might seem like an extra and possibly unnecessary step, we recommend boiling dried beans before adding them to the slow cooker. Dried beans contain lectins, which are eliminated by boiling. But most slow cookers don’t get hot enough to destroy them. These lectins are one of the reasons you can’t eat raw potatoes, either, as they reduce the body’s ability to digest healthy nutrients.

What do you serve with traditional Brazilian feijoada?

Pair feijoada with side dishes like plantains, pão de quiejo (Brazilian cheese bread) or farofa, a traditional Brazilian dish made with toasted cassava flour. Feijoada can also be paired with a simple salad of tomatoes, onions and bell peppers dressed in vinaigrette. For dessert, whip up a batch of pacoca, a Brazilian peanut candy.