Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

Fit for Company, Fit for a Crowd, Rewarms Well

SERVES: 10 to 12

Like other dishes with peasant roots and a national identity, feijoada comes in many variations. Brazil’s national dish varies not only from region to region but from family to family. I have made a few changes, leaving out such hard-to-find items as pigs’ ears, feet, and tails. In Brazil, feijoada is often made with a dried jerkylike beef called carne seca. It is not sold in the United States, so I have replaced it with pastrami. Traditionally the meats are separated from the beans, cut into slices, and served on their own. I prefer to present everything together, which is a simpler and more rustic presentation. I do like feijoada with toasted farina or manioc root powder.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
• smoked beef tongue (about 1½ pounds) or 2 meaty smoked ham hocks
• 4 quarts water
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 pound pastrami, cut from the brisket or navel (don’t use bottom-round pastrami)
• 1 pound semicured Spanish chorizo, homemade or store-bought
• 2-pound boneless chuck roast (any cut), rolled and tied
• large onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, stems finely chopped, leaves coarsely chopped (1½ cups total)
• Grated zest of ½ orange
• 1 pound linguica, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
• 3 navel oranges, halved through the stem end and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
• ½ cup farina (Cream of Wheat) or manioc flour
• tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover by about 3 inches.
2. Place the tongue or ham hocks in a large pot with the water and 2 of the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and cook at a low boil until the skin of the tongue can be easily removed or the meat of the hocks is tender and almost falling off the bone, 1½ to 2½ hours. Remove the meat, discarding the bay leaves and reserving the cooking liquid. When the tongue is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard; or, if you are using ham hocks, remove the skin and fat, pull the meat from the bones, and chop. (You can do this step up to a day ahead and refrigerate the meat and liquid separately.)
3. Drain the beans, place them in a large Dutch oven, and pour over 2 quarts of the reserved cooking liquid; save the remaining liquid to add later. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Add the pastrami, ½ pound of the chorizo, the peeled tongue (if using), the chuck roast, the remaining 2 bay leaves, the onions, garlic, cilantro stems, and orange zest. Make sure everything is covered with liquid; add more cooking liquid or water if necessary. Cover and simmer until the meats are tender and the beans are soft, 1½ to 2 hours or more. Add more liquid if the stew begins to dry out. (The feijoada can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.)
4. Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before the meats are tender, slice the remaining ½ pound chorizo. Add it to the stew, along with the linguica, chopped ham hocks (if using), and orange slices. Stir in more cooking liquid or water if the stew becomes too dry.
5. While the feijoada finishes cooking, toast the farina or manioc flour in the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Set aside.
6. Remove the tongue (if using), chuck roast, pastrami, and whole piece of chorizo to a cutting board. Remove and discard the string from the roast. Cut the tongue and roast into 1-inch chunks, shred or dice the pastrami, and cut the chorizo into ½-inch-thick rounds. Add everything back into the stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. To serve, ladle each portion into a shallow soup bowl and garnish with a sprinkling of the toasted farina or manioc and cilantro leaves.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS

• Choices are many here. You can use slab bacon or smoked pork loin, beef shin, brisket, corned beef, pork ribs, Petit Salé Pork, pigs’ feet, ham, pigs’ tails, pig skin, pork shin, bacon rind, oxtails—basically any cheap cuts of beef and/or pork that require long, moist cooking you can find.

COOK’S NOTES

• To find Spanish and Portuguese sausages.
• To serve feijoada in the traditional Brazilian style, remove the meats and cut them into serving-size chunks, arrange on a platter, and garnish with some of the cilantro leaves. Place the beans in a deep serving bowl or tureen and garnish with orange slices and more cilantro. Let guests garnish their own portions with the toasted farina or manioc flour. Serve buffet style.