Recipe for the best Feijoada in Brazil and it’s from Rio de Janeiro

Feijoada is an emblematic dish of Brazilian cuisine. This Brazilian food is recognized both nationally, including Rio de Janeiro, and internationally. This delicacy has its roots in Brazilian history, dating back to the times of Portuguese colonization and slavery.

Ingredients – serves 10 people

200 grams of dried meat
200 grams of salted pork loin
600 grams of black beans
2 dried bay leaves
250 grams of pork ribs
200 grams of paio sausage
200 grams of Calabrian pork sausage
150 grams of smoked bacon
1 chopped onion
4 chopped garlic cloves

Directions

1 – Cut the dried meat into medium-sized cubes and place in a deep bowl. Cover with water and leave to soak for 12 hours, changing the water every 4 hours.

2 – Cut the loin into medium-sized cubes and place in a deep bowl. Cover with water and leave to soak for 12 hours, changing the water every 4 hours.

3 – The next day, bring two liters of water to the boil. Meanwhile, sort out the beans, wash them well and put them in a deep container. Pour the boiling water over the beans and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Drain off all the water and set the soaked beans aside.

4 – Quickly boil the desalted dried meat, the desalted loin and the pork ribs. Set aside.

5 – Cut the bacon into medium-sized cubes, reserving the rind if you want some of the fat (to use in the stew later).

6 – Bring 2.5 liters of water to the boil. Place the bacon rind in a pressure cooker and sauté quickly until it curls.

7 – Put the beans that were soaking in the pot, cover with boiling water (it’s important to use boiling water to make the bean broth creamier!), add the bay leaves, dried meat, pork loin and pork ribs and cook for 20 minutes from the moment the pot starts to sizzle.

8 – Meanwhile, slice the paio and the Calabrian sausage. Boil the paio and sausage briefly. Set aside.

9 – Place the reserved bacon fat in a large saucepan and bring to the boil to melt (if you haven’t reserved the fat, use 1 tablespoon of olive oil) and sauté the chopped onion, chopped garlic, diced bacon, Calabrian sausage and paio. Add the cooked beans and Knorr Meu Feijão Ideal Seasoning to the meat in the sauté. Wash the orange well (whole and with the peel). Put the orange in the pan (it will absorb a lot of the fat).

10 – Cook everything over a low heat for 20 minutes until the feijoada broth is very creamy, the beans are cooked and the meat is tender. If necessary, add more boiling water during cooking. As soon as it’s ready, remove the orange and the bacon rind.

11- Serve with braised cabbage, tomato vinaigrette, orange wedges, white rice and farofa.

Feijoada: A Traditional Brazilian Delight

In addition to its gastronomic value, feijoada also carries a significant cultural charge. It represents the mixture of indigenous, African and European influences that make up Brazil’s culinary identity.

Thus, feijoada is not just a dish, but a symbol of Brazil’s diversity and cultural richness, a sensory experience that brings people together around the table to enjoy moments of conviviality and celebration.