One-Pot Brazilian Black Bean and Pork Stew
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 11, 2020
Time
3 hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Stew
1 (3½- to 4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, pulled apart at seams, trimmed, and cut into 1½-inch piecesSalt and pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 slices bacon, chopped fine1 onion, chopped fine4 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 7 cups water 1 pound (2½ cups) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed2 bay leaves ⅛ teaspoon baking soda 1 pound linguiça sausage, cut into ½-inch piecesHot Sauce
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped fine1 onion, chopped fine1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced⅓ cup white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon saltBefore You Begin
Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Be sure to serve this stew with the accompanying salsa-like hot sauce; it is traditional and adds important flavor. For more spice, reserve, mince, and add the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño chile.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and brown well on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to large bowl. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining pork.
- Add bacon to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in water, beans, bay leaves, baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, and browned pork and any accumulated juices, and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook for 1½ hours.
- Remove pot from oven and stir in linguiça. Return covered pot to oven and cook until meat and beans are fully tender, about 30 minutes.
- While the stew cooks, combine all ingredients in bowl and let sit at room temperature until flavors meld, about 30 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Remove stew from oven and discard bay leaves. (Stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; add additional water as needed to loosen sauce when reheating.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with hot sauce.
for the stew
for the hot sauce
Time
3 hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Stew
Hot Sauce
Ingredients
Stew
Hot Sauce
Ingredients
Stew
Hot Sauce
Why This Recipe Works
For a less daunting path to complex flavor, we went with boneless pork butt roast, some bacon, and smoky linguiça, all cuts requiring minimal prep. A little baking soda gave the stew a more appealing color because it helped the black beans preserve their dark hue; without it, the beans will turn grayish.
This is a members' feature.
26 Comments