Feijoada Brasileira

Method

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1. Drain the soaked salted ribs, cover with fresh water, boil for 15 minutes, then drain and discard the water. Taste a scrap — if still very salty, repeat.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

2. Drain the beans, put them in a large heavy pot with the bay leaves and 2.5 litres of fresh water, and bring to a simmer.

   Mark done

3. Add the parboiled ribs and the smoked loin and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

4. Meanwhile brown the pork shoulder, bacon and sausage in the olive oil in a frying pan, then add them to the pot with any fat and scrapings.

   Mark done

5. In the same frying pan, cook the onions for 10 minutes until golden, then the garlic and cumin for 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

6. Scoop a ladleful of beans into the onion pan, mash them into the mixture, and stir it all back into the main pot. This is what thickens the broth.

   Mark done

7. Add the orange halves and simmer, partly covered, for a further 60 to 90 minutes, until the beans are creamy and the meats are falling apart.

   Mark done Start 60 min timer

8. Remove the orange halves and bay leaves, season with salt, and rest for 20 minutes.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

9. Fry the collard greens hard with the sliced garlic for 3 minutes so they stay bright and slightly bitter.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

10. Serve the feijoada in bowls with rice, collards, farofa scattered over the top and orange slices alongside.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• The orange is not a garnish. Its acidity and the fresh slices are what make this rich dish digestible.
• Feijoada is genuinely better on the second day, which is why it is traditionally a Saturday dish.
• Farofa is essential for texture — toast cassava flour in butter with onion if you cannot buy it ready-made.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A caipirinha to start, then a cold Brazilian lager
• Rice, collard greens, farofa and orange are all part of the dish
• Finish with a strong coffee

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 5 days, freeze 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of water; the beans keep thickening.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.