Slow Cooker Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 06/2/22
Feijoada
imagenavi / Getty Images
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
659 Calories
39g Fat
33g Carbs
44g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 659
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g 50%
Saturated Fat 15g 77%
Cholesterol 121mg 40%
Sodium 1748mg 76%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 12g 44%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 44g
Vitamin C 16mg 81%
Calcium 91mg 7%
Iron 6mg 34%
Potassium 1165mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Feijoada is a Brazilian dish, an elaborate stew prepared with several different kinds of smoked meats, Brazilian-style beef jerky (carne seca), pork and/or beef ribs, other varied cuts of beef and pork, and lots of black turtle beans. Feijoada is a great example of slow food; the dish is often prepared over two days and it's meant to be enjoyed with family and friends as a leisurely weekend meal.

This recipe is a simpler version of feijoada for busy weekends or even weeknights, prepared in the slow cooker with certain shortcuts such as canned black beans and a more limited assortment of meats. There's an initial bit of preparation, but most of the work is left to the slow cooker. Serve feijoada over rice with orange wedges on the side to keep things simple, or prepare all of the traditional accompaniments: Brazilian-style rice, collard greens (couve a mineira), and farofa (toasted manioc meal). The leftovers are delicious wrapped in tortillas with rice and cheese or use the leftovers to make nachos.

Ingredients

  • 6 pieces smoked bacon

  • 1 pound smoked chorizo

  • 1 large onion

  • 1 tomato

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 1 ham hock

  • 1 pound beef short ribs

  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons cumin

  • 3 (14.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, from 1 lime, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Coarsely chop the onions and tomato and set aside. Mince the garlic.

  2. Place the bacon in a heavy skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.

  3. Add chorizo to the same skillet and brown. Remove from heat and slice crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Return slices to pan and brown them, then drain on paper towels.

  4. In the same skillet, brown the ribs on all sides. Remove ribs and set aside.

  5. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent and starting to brown. Add the tomato and cook for several minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions and tomato mixture to the ceramic bowl of a slow cooker. Add sliced chorizo. Chop the cooked bacon and add to the pot, along with the ribs.

  6. Add the beans, 1 and 1/2 cups of beef broth, the ham hock, and the cumin to the pot.

  7. Cook mixture in the crockpot on the low setting for 6 to 8 hours, until the rib meat is tender and falling off the bone. Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Add lime juice if desired. Serve over Brazilian-style rice with orange wedges on the side.

Tip

  • Country ham is a good choice for the ham hock.

Recipe Variation

  • Switch from beef ribs to one pound of pork ribs, or use a combination of the two ribs.