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Hearty Brazilian Feijoada Recipe Easy Homemade Black Bean Stew with Pork

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A rich and soulful Brazilian black bean stew with pork, smoked sausage, and bacon, slow-simmered to tender perfection with a touch of orange zest and bay leaves for brightness. Perfect for cozy dinners or gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb (450 g) dried black beans (or 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed if short on time)
  • 6 cups (1.4 L) water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 small orange (zest and juice)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
  • 8 oz (225 g) smoked sausage (like chorizo or kielbasa), sliced
  • 4 oz (115 g) bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Quick-soak the beans: Rinse 1 lb dried black beans, place in a large pot with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse again.
  2. Cook the pork and sausage: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crispy (about 5 minutes). Remove bacon and set aside, leaving fat in pot. Brown pork shoulder cubes on all sides (about 7 minutes). Add sliced smoked sausage and cook 3 more minutes. Remove all meat to a plate.
  3. Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, add chopped onions, garlic, and diced red bell pepper. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute to toast spices.
  4. Combine and simmer: Return browned meats and bacon to pot. Add soaked black beans, 6 cups chicken broth or water, bay leaves, orange zest, and juice. Stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until beans are tender and pork is falling apart. Add water if too thick.
  5. Season and finish: Remove bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of vinegar or more orange juice if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley before serving.

Notes

Use quality pork shoulder with marbling for best flavor. Quick-soak beans to reduce cooking time. Canned beans can be used if soaking is forgotten, added in last 30 minutes. For creamier texture, mash some beans against pot sides while stirring. Adjust salt gradually due to varying broth and meat saltiness. Slow cooker method available for convenience.

Nutrition

Keywords: feijoada, Brazilian stew, black bean stew, pork stew, smoked sausage, comfort food, slow simmer, hearty stew

Find it online: https://shimmersnack.com/hearty-brazilian-feijoada-recipe-easy-homemade-black-bean-stew-with-pork/