Pork and Black Bean Stew (Feijoada Recipe)
Pork and Black Bean Stew Recipe – Feijoada is a classic Brazilian Stew featuring savory, tender pork and flavorful black beans. This rustic recipe is delicious as-is or over rice with lots of fresh toppings and hot sauce.
Why We Love This Pork and Black Bean Stew Recipe
This authentic Feijoada recipe is made in one large pot, cooked at a low simmer for several hours.
There’s nothing fancy here, just simple ingredients treated properly. The savory flavor comes from a combination of pork roast, ham bone, ground chorizo, sausage links, dried beef, and black beans.
The dried beef used in this recipe is usually Carne Seca, a salty dried beef found in many Latin dishes. However, in the States, it is sometimes hard to find. To replicate the flavor, we used readily available “Buddig Beef” slices.
Spicy, savory, oh-so-satisfying Brazilian Feijoada (Pork and Black Bean Stew) is a great option for a relaxing weekend dinner. Although it does take a bit of time to prepare, it is well worth the effort. Plus, leftovers are delicious to enjoy for several days!
What is Feijoada?
Feijoada, pronounced Fay-shwa-da, is a classic Brazilian stew made with pork and black beans. It features lots of bold spices and a tender meaty texture for an incredibly flavorful, comforting dinner dish.
Bowls of Brazilian Feijoada can either be enjoyed as-is, or loaded on top of fluffy white rice. Either way, the pork and black bean stew is traditionally served with fresh shredded greens, hot sauce, and orange slices for a pop of bright citrus.
Ingredients You Need
To make this classic Feijoada Recipe you need:
- Dried black beans – dried is best to cook for many hours and produce the best consistency
- Dried beef slices – “Buddig Beef” is the most common found here in the states
- Bone-in pork roast – or boneless pork shoulder roast plus a leftover hambone for the best flavor
- Mexican-style chorizo – or ground pork sausage, for a less spicy stew
- Kielbasa sausage – or spicy sausage, if you want an even spicier Feijoada
- Onion – peeled and chopped
- Garlic – peeled and minced
- Crushed tomatoes – canned, with the juices
- Bay leaves – for a great earthy flavor
- Crushed red pepper – more or less to taste
Pro Tip: Since many of the ingredients in this recipe are salty, like the dried beef and chorizo, it’s best to not add any more salt to the stew until the very end, after tasting.
How to Make Brazilian Pork and Black Bean Stew
- Set out a large bowl. Chop the dried beef slices into small pieces, and place them in a bowl along with the dried black beans. Pour 8 cups of boiling water over the beans and let them soak for at least 1 hour, but up to several hours.
Pro Tip: Although this Brazilian Feijoada recipe does require several hours to prepare, several of the steps can be done ahead of time. You can easily start the process in the morning at your leisure, then let the pork and black bean stew cook on low to finish in the evening.
- Chop the pork roast into 1-inch chunks (reserve the bone to simmer in the stew later). Slice the kielbasa into ½ inch slices.
- Once the beans and dried beef have soaked, set a large nonstick sauce pot (or dutch oven) over medium heat on the stovetop. Then add the chorizo and brown for a couple of minutes. Add the pork chunks, sliced kielbasa, and sauté for several more minutes.
- Move the meat to the sides of the pot and add in the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté another few minutes to soften the onions.
- Add the canned crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper, along with the soaked beans, beef, and bean water.
- Cover and simmer on medium-low for at least 3 hours, or until the beans are soft. How long you need to cook the Feijoada will be determined by how much time the black beans previously spent soaking in the boiled water.
- Open the lid and stir every 30 minutes or so, and check the doneness of the beans. If the stew seems to thicken before the beans are fully cooked, stir in another 1-2 cups water, and continue to simmer on low. Taste, and add more salt if necessary.
- Once done, turn the heat off and serve the stew warm with garnishes, if desired.
Get the Complete (Printable) Feijoada Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Traditional garnishes for homemade pork and black bean stew include:
- Large oranges – cut into wedges (or lime wedges)
- Shredded fresh, raw collard greens or kale
- Cooked white rice – or cauliflower rice for a low carb option
- Hot sauce
- Farofa A.K.A. toasted cassava flour – for extra crunch
Add-Ins Ideas
Want to make it your own? Consider adding:
- Fresh chopped cilantro (coriander)
- Ground cumin
- Poblanos
- Red bell pepper
- Jalapeño
- Bacon
- Tomato paste
- Vinegar
Storage Information
Homemade pork and black bean stew is great for meal prepping, and tastes delicious for several days after it’s cooked!
Once the stew has cooled, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you are enjoying the stew with rice, store any leftover rice separately from the Feijoada.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash or two of water if needed to loosen the stew a bit.
Brazilian Feijoada also freezes very well. Store in a freezer-safe sealed container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. For optimum freshness, I recommend wrapping the container in a layer of aluminum foil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but… You can simmer the pork stew in a slow cooker all day so the meat and beans cook to tender perfection. However, you do need to follow steps 1-4 as-is (using the stovetop) so the meat and vegetables are properly seared and sautéed before going into the crockpot.
Then combine everything in the slow cooker and simmer on HIGH for 4-6 hours, or on LOW for 8-12 hours.
Absolutely! Sauté the meats and onions using the Sauté function, then add the remaining ingredients. Pressure cook on high for 45-50 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before opening.
Yes, but the texture and flavor will be slightly different. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them, and reduce the simmering time to about 1 hour since they are already cooked. You may also need to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe.
Looking for More Delicious Stew Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Crockpot Brunswick Stew
- Rustic Hungarian Goulash (Gulyas)
- Pozole Verde de Pollo (Chicken Pozole)
- The Best Beef Stew Recipe
- Beef and Lentil Stew
Get the Complete (Printable) Feijoada Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Feijoada Recipe (Pork and Black Bean Stew)
Ingredients
For the Pork Stew –
- 1 pound dried black beans
- 4.5 ounces dried beef slices Buddig or Carne Seca
- 2 pound bone-in pork roast or 1.5 pound boneless roast + hambone
- 12 ounces Mexican-style chorizo
- 14 ounces kielbasa sausage sliced
- 3 cups chopped onion 2 large onions
- 6-8 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ – ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
Feijoada Garnishes –
- 2 large oranges cut into wedges
- 3 cups shredded collard greens or kale
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- Hot sauce
- Farofa (toasted cassava flour) optional
Instructions
- Set out a large bowl. Chop the dried beef slices into small pieces. Place them in a bowl along with the dried beans. Pour 8 cups of boiling water over the beans and let them soak for at least 1 hour, but up to several hours.
- Chop the pork roast into 1 inch chunks, reserving the bone to simmer in the stew. (You can also use boneless pork roast and a hambone for extra flavor!) Slice the kielbasa into ½ inch slices.
- Once the beans and dried beef have soaked, set a large 7-8 quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the chorizo and brown for 2-3 minutes. Then add in the pork chunks and kielbasa. Sauté for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Move the meat to the sides of the pot and add in the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté another 3-4 minutes to soften.
- Now add in the tomatoes, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper, along with the soaked beans, beef, and bean water.
- Cover and simmer on medium-low for 3+ hours, or until the beans are soft. (Cook time is determined by how long the beans previously soaked.) Open the lid and stir every 30 minutes or so. If the stew seems to thicken before the beans are fully cooked, add in another 1-2 cups water.
- Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Once the beans are soft and silky, turn off the heat.
- Serve warm, topped with shredded greens, sliced oranges, hot sauce, and rice if desired.
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