Black bean & meat stew - feijoada Recipe

Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan with a fitted lid. Add the bacon and fry until it's crisp and golden. Remove the bacon, but leave the rendered fat in the pan.

Working in batches, sear the pork ribs, chorizo, and pork shoulder until browned on all sides. Season each batch with salt and pepper as you go.

Return all the seared meat to the pan along with the bay leaves, white wine vinegar, and the drained black beans. Pour in just enough water to cover everything, which should be about 650ml. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.

Cover the pot and cook for 2 hours, or until the beans are soft and the meat is tender enough to pull apart easily. If the stew seems too liquidy towards the end, take the lid off for the last hour of cooking to allow some liquid to evaporate.

For alternative cooking methods: you can use a slow cooker on the short method (4 hours), or a pressure cooker in batches for 30 minutes each. Another option is to bake it in the oven for 3-4 hours at 160°C (140°C fan/gas 3).