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1
Soak the Beans
8 Hours
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Pick over the dried beans and throw out any stones or broken ones. Rinse, cover with plenty of cold water, and leave to soak overnight, at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well before cooking.
Soak in a big bowl — the beans will more than double in size, and a small bowl will overflow.
Done when: The beans are plump and doubled in size, with no stones left.
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2
Brown the Meats
15 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 180°C (350°F)
Heat the red palm oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork and beef chunks in batches for about 8 minutes, until coloured on all sides, then add the bacon and fry for 3 more minutes. Lift the meats out and set aside.
Brown in batches: a crowded pot steams the meat instead of browning it, and browned meat is where the flavour comes from.
Done when: The meats are browned on the outside, with a dark, sticky fond on the bottom of the pot.
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3
Build the Pot and Simmer
2 Hours
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Add the onion to the same pot and fry for 5 minutes until soft, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then return the meats to the pot with the drained beans, the bay leaves and enough water to cover by 3 cm. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours, topping up the water if the beans start to show.
Keep the pot at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil — boiling splits the beans and clouds the broth.
Done when: The beans are tender and creamy inside, the meats are falling apart, and the broth is dark and rich.
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4
Thicken and Add the Sausage
30 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Lift out a ladleful of beans, mash them roughly with a fork, and stir them back into the pot — this thickens the broth. Add the sliced sausage and simmer for 30 more minutes, uncovered, until the stew is thick enough to coat a spoon. The meats must be above 74°C (165°F) throughout.
Mashing a ladleful of beans is the traditional way to thicken feijoada; it gives body without flour or starch.
Done when: The stew is thick and glossy, the sausage is heated through, and the beans hold their shape.
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5
Season and Rest
10 Mins
Hot, about 80°C (176°F)
Fish out the bay leaves. Taste and add salt a little at a time — the sausage and bacon are already salty — then the pepper. Rest the pot, covered, for 10 minutes before serving so the flavours settle.
Salt at the end, never at the start: salted cooking water toughens bean skins and slows their cooking.
Done when: The stew tastes rich, smoky and well seasoned, with the beans tender and the broth thick.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the feijoada hot in deep bowls, with steamed rice, fried plantain and orange slices on the side. The orange is the traditional fresh note against the rich stew, and the rice soaks up the broth.
São Tomé and Príncipe
1h 10m
France
Vietnam