Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

 My husband lived in Brazil for two years, while serving a mission for our church. He came home blond, tan (well more red, but a tan red), and devastatingly handsome.  I fell for him within moments of our first meeting.  But that is another story.  While he was in Brazil, he ate beans and rice nearly every day.  He never got tired of them.  Absolutely loves them.  I have been trying to recreate the most common type of beans since we got married. 

I'll never be able to completely recreate them.  In Brazil they use chicken feet and pigs ears and all sorts of meats that, I'm sorry, I can't ask the butcher to give me.  Even if I could, yeah, I wouldn't.  I can't get past the gross factor.  So I do not make Feijoada the exact way that you will have it if you go to Brazil and eat it.  However, I do make a very close facsimile.  Trust me, it's yummy.

I use a few beef short ribs, a nice ham hock and sometimes a chicken breast.  Or pork meat, or whatever I have on hand.  That's the point.  Just use up the meats that you have and enjoy.  I also like avocado on my feijoada- which I don't think you would find in Brazil.  The avocados that my husband ate in Brazil were sweet and usually served in a milkshake.  So if anyone tries this recipe who is Brazilian, or who has lived in Brazil recently, please comment and let us know how I did.  My husband?  He thinks this is the bomb!  :)

So Feijoada is pronounced [fay ge wah dah} The accent is on the first syllable I think. That's how I say it any way.  It is a very versatile stew.  I make it in my crock pot, but I think the Brazilians usually use a pressure cooker.  I don't think it matters which method you choose, but my instructions are for the crock pot.

Feijoada

1 lb. dry black beans
1 ham hock
2 beef short ribs
1 chicken breast (I left this out of this batch as the ham hock had a ton of meat.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 cups of water
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz) -- [optional]
2-3 peeled and sliced carrots. (I use 3 because I want the extra veggies)
1 small or 1/2 large onion (white or yellow)
2 large celery stalks, washed and diced
3/4 tsp. white pepper
4-5 shakes of your favorite seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1 tsp. minced garlic, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp coriander (optional but yummy)
1/2 tsp cumin

Rinse and soak your beans overnight. -- you must do this unless you are going to pressure cook them.  In the morning, drain and rinse your beans.  Add to the crock pot.  Add all other ingredients and turn it on for 8-10 hours.

Serve over brown rice. 

Can you imagine an easier recipe?  Just dump and go! 

A few Caveats--
1) I don't cook with a ton of salt. ham is salty, so I don't add a lot extra.  My husband added more when I served it.  You may need to adjust to your tastes.
2) Slow cookers are different.  Yours may take more or  less time.  The first time you make it, you will want to test it after 6 hours.  If the beans get too soft, you will be serving re-fried beans.  ;)
3) Like most of my recipes, this makes a LOT.  I think you could halve the recipe, but you will kick yourself if you do.  Left overs can be stuffed in enchiladas, (which I did last night and will post soon.) or quesadillas.  And really, the left overs are yummy with bread on day 2 and 3 and . . .     :) You get the idea.