Wondering how to make the typical feijoada in Brazilian cuisine? Check out our recipe for a rich and flavourful Brazilian black bean stew known as feijoada.
Feijoada (or black bean stew) is one of the most typical dishes from Brazil and its name comes from the word feijão, which means bean in Portuguese. Black beans are a staple in Brazil, and this is often called the national dish of Brazil! The main ingredients are black beans, salted beef, and pork which are cooked very slowly and served as a stew with rice, leafy greens, and farofa. It is the ultimate comfort food and deserves a good hearty South American red wine to pair with it.
The ultimate Feijoada recipe
Ingredients for feijoada for 4 people
1 cup of dried black beans
1 cup of finely diced or chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1 kg (2.2 lbs) of pork (ribs are preferred, but anything goes!)
1 kg (2.2 lbs) of dried beef
A couple sausages or chorizos
4 strips of cooked bacon (remove the fatty rind)
1 cup of water
1 cup of chicken or meat broth
Bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped coriander to taste
How to prepare Feijoada
Soak the black beans overnight and drain in the morning. In a large stock pot, cook the onions and the garlic at low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft.
Add the drained black beans, the bay leaves, the water and the chicken/meat broth and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans for an hour. After that, add all of the meats (except the bacon) and cook together with the beans for another hour or until the meats are tender and the beans are cooked.
Remove the meats from the dish and slice them into edible bite size. Add the cooked bacon and season with coriander, salt and pepper. You can also add some chilli if you want to spice it up a little.
How to serve Feijoada
Feijoada is normally served with white rice, leafy greens, and toasted farofa (manioc flour). If you want to get ahead of time, feijoada can be refrigerated overnight and reheated.
Wine pairing for Feijoada
A full-bodied red wine is the ideal pairing for feijoada, with some acidity and tannins to cut through the fat. You could try a nice Syrah from Serra da Mantiquera in Brazil, or a Merlot or red blend from Serra Gaucha in Brazil which would both work well.
Argentine Malbec is also an excellent pairing, although go for one with some tannin from oak ageing or from Northern Argentina. Uruguayan Tannat is also a delicious pairing for feijoada.
Check out some of our other recipes featured in The South America Wine Guide
Recipe for Argentine empanadas
Recipe for Chilean ceviche
Recipe for Brazilian pao de queijo
Recipe for chimichurri
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