From Caipirinhas to Churrascarias, Brazil is feast for anyone who loves his food and drink. But the one traditional fare that stands out as the country’s uncontested national dish is the humble Feijoada.
What is Feijoada?
© Tarek Mourad / Corbis
Feijoada is a hearty, flavorful black stew made with salted and smoked pork or beef cooked over low heat in a thick clay pot and the national dish of Brazil. The more traditional version of the dish is, in fact, made from cheaper cuts of meats like ears, feet and tail. This soul-warming stew is then served on a bed of rice and topped with shredded kale, bits of fried bacon, orange slices, and a sprinkle of farofa(cassava flour). Obviously, it is always washed down with zingy caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail.
Origins of Feijoada
Story goes that the dish was a concoction created by slaves on sugar plantations. The slaves apparently took scraps of meat discarded by their masters and cooked it with black beans, a Brazilian staple. Experts, however, disagree with this long-believed local tale. Historians claim that back in the day, the so-called scraps of meat were actually enjoyed by the Europeans. Also, the earliest print reference to the dish dates back to mid-19th century and the dish is rather similar to traditional Portuguese bean stews. So, while the slaves may have first started making feijoada, it’s quite possible that they were actually making it for their masters!
Regional Versions
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Loved across the country, each region celebrates this dish with its own versions. While Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais stick to the traditional feijoada with black beans, Bahia and Goias prefer red or brown beans. In Bahia and Sergipe, it is also typical to cook the stew with a bunch of vegetables like plantains, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and pumpkin, unlike other parts of Brazil. Today, of course, there are low fat and vegetarian versions of the dish.
It’s not food, it’s an event!
You can’t enjoy feijoada alone or in a rush. Feijoada is comfort food. It is traditionally relished on weekends with family and friends and savored slowly, usually while enjoying a game of soccer or in a social gathering. That doesn’t mean you can’t have it on weekdays. In Sao Paolo, restaurants in commercial districts offer feijoada on Wednesdays whereas in Rio de Janeiro restaurants traditionally serve it on Fridays.
Mind you, feijoada is food coma-inducing always followed by a long afternoon siesta. Be ready to snooze away.
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