Brazilian Feijoada

So this recipe was one I kept looking at but for some reason knew D wouldn't go for. So I showed it to him, and he said sure.

When you are flavoring meat with meat and meat, well, it has to be good. Considering there weren't really any seasonings, it was plain and simple. But it worked. Of course we didn't have with oranges.

Would have again.


Brazilian Feijoada

Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a delicious stew of pork and black beans that's traditionally served over rice with fresh orange slices. In Brazil, this dish is often served on special occasions, but preparing it in a slow cooker makes it possible to serve this rich dish on the busiest weeknights.

Photo by ALB

YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups bean mixture and 1 orange wedge)
TOTAL:9 Hours, 47 Minutes
COURSE: Soups/Stews

Ingredients
2 cups dried black beans (used a whole bag, because it was 2.25 C)
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
3 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (9-ounce) smoked ham hock
1 tablespoon white vinegar
8 orange wedges


Preparation

1. Place beans in a small saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Add pork to drippings in skillet; sauté 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer pork to a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Sprinkle ribs evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add ribs to skillet; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place ribs in slow cooker. Add drained beans, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, and next 3 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until beans and meat are tender.

3. Remove ribs from slow cooker; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred meat with 2 forks. Discard bones. Discard ham hock. Return beef to slow cooker. Stir in vinegar and crumbled bacon. Serve with orange wedges.


Nutritional Information
Calories: 458; Fat: 17.4g; Saturated fat: 6.8g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g; Protein: 39.5g; Carbohydrate: 35.8g; Fiber: 11.6g; Cholesterol: 96mg; Iron: 6.4mg; Sodium: 533mg; Calcium: 102mg


Cooking Light MARCH 2011