Slow Cooker Brazilian Feijoada

This lightened up Brazilian feijoada recipe is adapted from Cooking Light. If you follow Panning The Globe, you probably know that I'm part of Cooking Light's Blogger Connection. 

I'm a long time fan of the magazine. I can count on finding recipe gems in every issue and I appreciate their approach to making recipes healthier by eliminating unhealthy fats and reducing salt and sugar.

HOW TO MAKE BRAZILIAN FEIJOADA

• Brown the Meats: You will start by browning the meats to add a layer of delicious flavor to this stew. Traditional Brazilian feijoada recipes commonly include a mix of beef and pork. Salted meats are often used in the mix, as well as less commonly used parts of the pig, like the feet and ears. These parts contribute what some consider to be an important gelatinous component to the stew. I make my feijoada without feet or ears and I am thrilled with the result. But you might want to give it a try with those extras, if you can source the parts. It might be even better!
• Add Everything To The Slow Cooker: Put the browned meats into the slow cooker along with all the rest of the ingredients: onions, garlic, spices, broth and vinegar.Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours until the meat is meltingly tender.
• Finish and Serve: Pull out and discard the bones. Shred any large pieces of meat and return them to the slow cooker. Add more broth if you want a soupier consistency. Serve Feijoada hot, with steamed white rice on the side. Sprinkle generously with green onions and cilantro. Serve orange wedges on the side, to squeeze on top.

TIPS FOR MAKING FEIJOADA IN THE SLOW COOKER

Soaking The Beans: If you soak the black beans overnight, which I highly recommend, you'll need to do that the night before. It's easy - just rinse the beans and put them in a glass bowl. Cover them with water by an inch or so. Leave the bowl in a cool spot or in the fridge, to soak overnight. Soaking Guarantees that the beans will cook up nice and tender.

Prep Ahead: If you're planning to throw dinner in the slow cooker before you leave for work in the morning, I suggest that you brown all the meats the night before and store them, covered, in the fridge overnight. That way you can just throw everything into the slow cooker in the morning and turn it on.

My friend Paula is Brazilian. She was excited when I told her I was making feijoada. She told me how incredibly delicious it is, that it's her father's absolute favorite dish.

She explained that in different parts of Brazil there are variations on what kinds of meats and beans are used for feijoada.

She also explained that many people in Brazil like their feijoada very soupy so they can serve it heaped on top of a big platter of rice to soak up the delicious sauce, and that they love to sprinkle crunchy toasted manioc flour on top.

If you like using your slow cooker, don't miss these other delicious Panning The Globe slow cooker recipes:

• Slow Cooker chicken tajine with apricots and chickpeas
• Slow Cook Ropa Vieja: Cuban Shredded Beef Stew with Peppers
• Slow Cooker Chicken with Dried Cherries

Here's the Slow Cooker Brazilian Feijoada Recipe. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Recipe

Slow Cooker Brazilian Feijoada

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5 from 18 reviews

• Author: Lisa
• Total Time: 8 hours 40 mins
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Description

A lightened up, slow-cooker version of Brazil's famous meat and bean stew.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound dried black beans, picked over and soaked overnight per package instructions
• 6 ounces applewood-smoked bacon (I like using healthier uncured, no-nitrite bacon)
• 1 ½ pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of fat and cut into ½-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 or 4 bone-in beef short ribs or other meaty beef or pork ribs, trimmed of fat
• 1 (9-ounce) smoked ham hock or 9 ounces smoked pork sausages such as Linguica
• 3 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium onions)
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 3 ½ tablespoons minced)
• 2-4 cups low-salt chicken broth, as needed (I recommend Swanson's)
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Suggested Accompaniments:

• 2 navel oranges, cut into wedges
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, from 1 small bunch
• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• White rice to serve on the side

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Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble and add to a 6-quart electric slow-cooker. (don't wash the skillet, you'll use it to brown the meats)
2. Season pork evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and add it to the skillet, increasing the heat to medium-high. Sauté the pork in the bacon drippings for 8 minutes or so, turning, to brown it on all sides. (If there's too much liquid accumulating and the meat isn't browning, tilt the skillet and spoon some of the fat out.) Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
3. Season the ribs evenly with ⅛ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, add them to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place the ribs in the slow cooker.
4. Add the drained beans, ham hock, onions, garlic, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, coriander, bay leaves and vinegar to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours or until beans and meat are tender.
5. Pull out ribs and ham hock bones. Remove any remaining meat from the bones and shred it with two forks. Discard bones and return meat to the slow cooker. Add additional broth if you prefer a soupier consistency.
6. Serve Feijoada with rice and garnish generously with green onions and cilantro. Serve with orange wedges to squeeze on top.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD STRATEGY: If you're planning to make this in the morning before work, you'll need to soak the beans the night before. Also, it's best if you brown the meats the night before and keep them in the fridge overnight. Then, the only thing you have to do in the morning is chop up the onions and garlic,  throw everything into the slow cooker, and turn it on.

SUGGESTED SIDES: Plain white rice is a traditional accompaniment. Sautéed collard greens is a perfect side dish with Feijoada. Or choose another leafy green like spinach or kale.

• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Slow Cooker, Crock Pot
• Cuisine: Brazilian