Feijoada Brazilian Black Beans Recipes

FEIJOADA

Steps:

• The day before you plan on cooking the feijoada, trim the excess fat of all the meats (except the bacon) and place them in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and refrigerate for 24 hours, changing the water 3-4 times, to get rid of the excess salt.
• Place the black beans in a separate bowl and cover with cold water. Let them soak overnight in the fridge.
• Drain the meat and beans. Place the soaked meat in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot and cover with enough water so they're all submerged. Cook, over medium-high heat, until boiling. Let them boil for 20 minutes, adding more water as needed. Drain and reserve.
• Combine the boiled carne seca, beans, bay leaves and orange in that same pot. Pour 2.5 quarts cold water and cook, over medium-high heat, until boiling. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, add the sausages. Cover and continue simmering, occasionally skimming the fat that rises to the top, until the meat is tender, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
• Remove the orange and bay leaves. Discard. Remove the meat and sausage and slice into smaller pieces. Reserve.
• Heat the oil in a sauté pan, over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until no longer raw but not yet golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add a ladleful of the cooked beans, without liquid, and stir to combine. Using a fork, mash the beans, to release their starch.
• Pour that mixture into the feijoada pot and cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until thickened. If too thick, add more water as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Return the meats back to the pot.
• Serve with white rice, collard greens, fried bananas, farofa, vinaigrette salsa and orange slices!

FEIJOADA NORDESTINO (NORTHEASTERN BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN STEW)

Steps:

• Combine beans, onion, ham, calabresa, 3 cloves garlic, salt, cumin, black pepper, and bay leaf in a pressure cooker; cover with water to fill line.
• Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Cook at high pressure until regulator is gently rocking, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce pressure to low. Cook, adding water halfway if needed, until beans are tender and water is reduced to your liking, about 1 hour.
• Turn off heat. Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock lid and remove. Let feijoada cool until ready to serve.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute remaining 1 clove garlic and collard greens until just tender, about 2 minutes.
• Place cassava flour in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in butter.
• Serve feijoada with the collards-garlic mixture, toasted cassava flour, rice, orange wedges, and cilantro.

FEIJOADA (BRAZILIAN BLACK BEANS)

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Crush the bay leaves and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the sausage. Continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add the cubed beef, ribs, beans and water. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Adding water as necessary to keep the beans covered. Using the back of a ladle, mash 1/4 of the beans. Reseason with salt and pepper if needed. To serve, spoon some of the greens and rice onto each serving plate. Spoon the Feijoada over the rice. Shake some of the hot sauce over the entire plate. Garnish with the orange slices and farofa.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour. Season with salt. Saute until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

FEIJOADA(BRAZILIAN BLACK BEANS)

Steps:

• The night before, soak the beans in a large bowl with water to cover at least 3-4 inches.
• Soak the carne seca in water to cover.
• The next morning, drain the beans and place in a large pot with water to cover by at least 3 inches.
• Bring the beans to a boil in medium heat.
• Meanwhile, cut the carne seca into 1-inch pieces.
• Cut the sausage into 1-inch pieces.
• (When I use the Portuguese sausage I usually prick it with a fork and simmer it for ten minutes in enough water to cover; then I cut it.) Cut the ribs into 2-rib sections.
• Add the carne seca, sausage, ribs and bay leaves to the beans.
• Simmer for about 2 hours or until soft (Goya brand black beans usually take about 2 hours), stirring from time to time, adding water as necessary to keep beans covered.
• Keep an eye on the beans so they don't burn at the bottom!
• Chop the onion and garlic.
• Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden brown.
• Add two ladlefuls of beans and mash them.
• Put this back into the pot.
• It will thicken and season the beans.
• Continue to simmer gently for at least another hour, adding water as necessary.
• A good feijoada should have a creamy consistency when done.
• Remove the bay leaves.
• Some people take the meats out at this point and serve them separately on a platter.
• I like to leave them in with the beans, it keeps them hot.
• Serve the feijoada and garnishes in ceramic bowls and platters, it will add a touch of authenticity!
• To serve feijoada, put a mound or rice on your plate and place a ladleful or two of feijoada on top.
• Arrange oranges and couve around the sides.
• Sprinkle the beans and couve with farofa and add a spoonful of sauce to the side.

BLACK BEAN & MEAT STEW - FEIJOADA

Steps:

• Heat a large heavy-based saucepan with a fitted lid, add the bacon and fry until crisp. Remove and keep the oil in the pan. In batches sear the ribs, sausages and pork shoulder. Season each batch with salt and pepper.
• Remove the meat and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and chilli to the pan. Pour in a little olive oil if it needs more. Season with salt and pepper and fry for 8 mins or until soft.
• Add the meat, bay leaves, white wine vinegar and drained beans. Cover with just enough water to cover, about 650ml. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hrs, or until the beans are soft and the meat is tender. If there is too much liquid in the pot take the lid off in the last hr. You can also use a slow cooker on the short method (4 hr) or make a quick version using a pressure cooker in batches for 30 mins each. Another method is to cook it in the oven for 3-4 hrs at 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Serve with rice, a sprinkle of parsley or coriander, hot pepper sauce and orange slices.