Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

Tap an ingredient or step to check it off.

1. 1Step 1: Soak the beans in a large bowl of water overnight.
2. 2Step 2: In a large Dutch oven or heavy duty pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the pork shoulder until generously browned on each side. Remove the pork and set aside.
3. 3Step 3: In the same pan, add the bacon and cook until slightly crispy. For the best flavor leave the grease, but you can drain some of it if you prefer.
4. 4Step 4: Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. 5Step 5: Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
6. 6Step 6: Add the crumbled Italian sausage and smoked sausage and cook until the crumbled sausage is no longer pink.
7. 7Step 7: Return the pork roast to the pot along with the smoked ham hock.
8. 8Step 8: Drain, rinse, and add the black beans to the pot.
9. 9Step 9: Add the bay leaves, black pepper, and beef bouillon base/cubes.
10. 10Step 10: Cover the contents of the pot with water until the meat is just barely covered (about 2 quarts).
11. 11Step 11: Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 2 hours, making sure the beans are soft.
12. 12Step 12: About 1 1/2 hours into the cooking time, if using whole pork roast, remove and either shred or cut it into chunks, and return to the pot. Do the same with the meat on the smoked ham hock.
13. 13Step 13: If the feijoada is too liquidy, uncover the pot and continue to cook for another 20 minutes or so to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
14. 14Step 14: Add more salt to taste as needed. Add some hot sauce according to heat preference. Discard the bay leaves.
15. 15Step 15: Serve with rice and the fresh orange slices.