How to Make Feijoada (Brazilian Traditional)

The feijoada, is a typical dish of Brazilian cuisine but which originated in northern Portugal. It is a plate consisting of a bean stew with a mixture of various kinds of meats. There are several ways to make feijoada, for example, in the Northwest of Portugal is made with white beans and Northeast with red beans, along with a mixture of vegetables and meats. In Brazil is usually made with brown beans, and with a mixture of several types of pork meat, and comes to the table with steamed kale, rice, farofa, tomatoes vinagrete, banana, and orange. Learn now to do a complete feijoada, and all its accompaniments.

Step 1: What Ingredients for Feijoada?

Ingredients for feijoada - The ingredients are basically the type you prefer beans (brown or black) and varieties of meat, but for the complete feijoada need the following ingredients: Olive/Canola oil to taste, 5 teeth minced garlic, 500g of beans of your choice (chosen and rehydrated), boiling water for cooking, 250gr of smoked pork ribs, 500gr of Portuguese sausage, 1kg of porks feet, one onion, 3 oranges, 2 bananas, 2 tomatoes , bay leaves and the type of pepper of your taste.

Step 2: Steamed Kale Side

Ingredients for steamed kale -The ingredients are very simple, you just have to use: 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, 1 chopped clove of garlic and 5 cups of kale cut very thin.

Kale Preparation - The kale is the easiest part of being made. In a frying pan, brown the garlic in olive oil over low heat, and add the kale. Stir untill the kale wilt.

Step 3: Feijoada Preparation - Portuguese Sausage

Portuguese sausage: Slice the Portuguese sausage into thin pieces and fry it in a pan to extract some fat. Leave it at the side to add to the main stew later

Step 4: Feijoada Preparation - Beans

Rehydrate the beans by boiling about one liter of water and adding it to the raw beans and leave it for 30-45 minutes. After this period cook the beans in a pressure cooker for 40 minutes. We will add it later to the main stew.

Step 5: Feijoada Preparation - Main Stew

Add the meat of your choosing to a pressure cooker.But Portuguese sausage is a must.

Usually cook it for 15 minutes and take the meat out to clean, such the pork nails. (Use other type of pork meat if you like however it will not be the traditional plate. Many hesitate to try and enjoys it very much after.)

Put the meat back in the pressure cooker and cook it for 40 minutes.

ps: Prepare the beans and the sausage simmultaneously as the meat is cooking. The steamed kale can be done before or after. I did it first.

When it is almost time for the beans and meat to be done add oil, 4 minced garlics, and 1 chopped onion to the frying pan untill it goldens.

After the meat and beans are cooked, add the beans to the stew, along with the Portuguese sausage, fried garlic and onion and a few bay leaves to add taste.

Step 6: Tomatoes Vinagrette

Vinagrete is used to add flavor to the cassava flour which will be added as a side on the plate.

It is a mixture of raw tomatoes, sliced onions, lemon juice and peppers.

Mix all the ingedients in a recipient along with some of the stew (no meat and beans). Add salt, pepper and black pepper to your desire.

Step 7: Fried Bananas

Slice about 2 bananas in a plate (more if you are cooking to more than 4 people) and roll them in cassava powder and fry it in a frying pan until it start to turn brown. At a little powedered cinammon for a special taste.

Step 8: Last Remarks

Slice 2 oranges to add to the plate for a citrus flavor with the meat.

Make Rice as you would normally. I did it the easy way using a Rice Cooker.

Step 9: Organize Your Plate and Wine Suggestion

Fell free to organize which way you find best, but I would recommend the Vinagrete is on the top of the cassava flour, the oranges are near the rice and steamed Kale (which may need to be reheated if you made it first). The cinnamon bananas can go anywhere.

Make sure to have a bit of each ingredient on the first bite to feel the mixture of the distinct flavors and how they go together.

And finally I recommend a red wine to go with the plate.