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Brief Overview
Cozido à Portuguesa is not just a dish. It is a full table of tradition, served in the form of a single pot. This hearty boiled dinner gathers meats, vegetables, and sausages into one slow cooked meal, offering comfort, abundance, and a strong sense of home.
Across Portugal, from village kitchens to Sunday family gatherings, Cozido appears as a centrepiece. It is less about refinement and more about generosity. Each ingredient speaks of the land, the seasons, and the people who carry on the ritual of sharing it.
More than a stew, it is a reflection of Portuguese identity. Regional variations exist, but the core remains: a medley of slow cooked ingredients, rich in flavour and history, best enjoyed with plenty of time and good company.
What Is Cozido à Portuguesa?
Cozido à Portuguesa is a traditional boiled meal that brings together a variety of meats, sausages, and vegetables cooked in a large pot. It is typically simmered slowly, allowing all the flavours to blend without losing the character of each component.
Beef, pork, and chicken often feature, along with blood sausage, chouriço, and sometimes pig’s ear or foot. The vegetables are simple and plentiful, cabbage, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and rice often simmered in the meat broth.
The ingredients are cooked together but served separately, arranged on large platters. Each person can build their own plate from the selection, combining tender meats, seasoned vegetables, and a bit of broth for warmth.
Ingredients and Taste
The ingredients vary by region, but richness is a constant. Cuts of meat are chosen for depth rather than delicacy. Sausages bring spice and smoke. Vegetables absorb the flavours of the broth while retaining their earthy textures.
The broth is essential. It draws its body from slow simmered bones and fat, carrying the seasoning of garlic, bay leaves, and sometimes a hint of olive oil. The rice or beans served alongside soak in the same layered flavour.
Every bite is deeply savoury, but not heavy. The cabbage and turnip cut through the richness, while the sausages give bursts of spice. It is a dish that fills you up without overwhelming, nourishing both body and memory.
A Taste of History
Cozido à Portuguesa reflects Portugal’s rural traditions, where nothing from the farm was wasted and meals were made to feed large families. It developed as a way to use a mix of meats and vegetables in one nourishing preparation.
Though rooted in necessity, the dish became festive. It is now commonly served on Sundays or holidays, a meal that marks gathering and gratitude. Some regions even bury the pot in volcanic soil to let it cook slowly underground.
Its variations across the country show how it adapts to local produce and customs. From the smoky notes of Alentejo sausages to the coastal touch in Madeira’s version, Cozido speaks of place as much as it does of heritage.
Cozido à Portuguesa remains honest and generous. It does not aim to impress with presentation. Instead, it welcomes, warms, and quietly honours the land and labour that bring it to the table.
How to Make Cozido à Portuguesa
Cozido à Portuguesa is a beloved national dish of Portugal, a rustic boiled dinner layered with meats, sausages, and seasonal vegetables. This hearty stew is slow cooked to allow every ingredient to infuse the broth with depth and complexity. Expect rich flavours, tender textures, and a comforting, communal style meal. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
Meats and sausages
- 500g beef shank (with bone)
- 300g pork belly
- 300g chicken (preferably leg quarters)
- 1 chouriço sausage (Portuguese paprika sausage)
- 1 morcela (Portuguese blood sausage)
- 1 farinheira (smoked flour sausage)
Vegetables
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 turnips, peeled and quartered
- 1 small cabbage, cut into wedges
- 1 leek, cleaned and sliced into large sections
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
Other
- 1 handful of short pasta or rice (optional, traditional in some regions)
- Coarse salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the meat base
To begin, place the beef shank and pork belly in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the onion and season lightly with salt. Simmer for 45 minutes. Proceed to add poultry.
Step 2: Add the chicken
Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Simmer for another 30 minutes over low heat. Maintain a gentle simmer to avoid breaking the meat apart. Begin preparing the vegetables while the broth cooks.
Step 3: Prepare vegetables
Peel and cut all the vegetables into large, even pieces. Keep the cabbage wedges slightly larger so they do not overcook. Set aside. Move on to the sausages.
Step 4: Cook the sausages
Add the chouriço, morcela, and farinheira to the pot. Cook for 20–25 minutes, covered. These sausages release oils and seasoning into the broth, enriching the base. Remove and set them aside to cool before slicing.
Step 5: Add the root vegetables
Add the carrots, turnips, potatoes, and leek to the broth. Simmer for 20 minutes until just tender. Check doneness with a fork before continuing. Transition to cabbage next.
Step 6: Add the cabbage
Place the cabbage wedges on top of the other ingredients. Cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes. Avoid overcooking the cabbage to keep its structure intact. Optional: cook pasta or rice separately now.
Step 7: Check seasoning
Taste the broth and adjust with more salt or freshly ground black pepper as needed. Allow all elements to rest for 10 minutes in the warm broth while preparing to serve. Move to slicing and arranging.
Step 8: Slice and arrange the meat
Carefully remove all meats and sausages. Slice the sausages and chicken into serving pieces. Arrange neatly on a large platter. Prepare the vegetables for plating.
Step 9: Drain and arrange vegetables
Using a slotted spoon, lift out the vegetables and place them alongside the meats. Arrange by colour and shape for visual appeal. If using rice or pasta, serve on the side with a ladle of broth.
Final Step: Serve
Serve Cozido à Portuguesa hot, family style, with ladles of the rich broth poured over rice or pasta if used. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil if desired. A side of spicy mustard or piri piri sauce adds a lovely contrast.
Variations and Substitutions
- Farinheira substitute: Use smoked kielbasa or a mild smoked sausage with flour or breadcrumbs added for texture.
- Morcela substitute: Spanish morcilla or even black pudding works well.
- Chouriço substitute: Smoked paprika sausages or spicy chorizo (not cured) are the closest replacements.
- Vegetables: Add green beans or sweet potatoes depending on the region or season.
- Pasta or rice: Optional but traditional in some areas of Portugal. Choose short pasta like macaroni or a handful of white rice.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Cozido à Portuguesa
- Use a wide, deep pot to layer ingredients without overcrowding.
- Simmer gently, never boil vigorously, to preserve the structure of the meats and vegetables.
- Slice sausages after cooking to retain flavour and moisture.
- Prepare components in stages to ensure nothing overcooks.
- Rest the broth before serving to allow flavours to settle.
Cozido à Portuguesa (Portuguese Boiled Dinner)
Ingredients
Meats and sausages
- 500 g beef shank with bone
- 300 g pork belly
- 300 g chicken preferably leg quarters
- 1 chouriço sausage Portuguese paprika sausage
- 1 morcela Portuguese blood sausage
- 1 farinheira smoked flour sausage
Vegetables
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and halved
- 2 turnips peeled and quartered
- 1 small cabbage cut into wedges
- 1 leek cleaned and sliced into large sections
- 1 onion peeled and halved
Other
- 1 handful of short pasta or rice optional, traditional in some regions
- Coarse salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- To begin, place the beef shank and pork belly in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the onion and season lightly with salt. Simmer for 45 minutes. Proceed to add poultry.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Simmer for another 30 minutes over low heat. Maintain a gentle simmer to avoid breaking the meat apart. Begin preparing the vegetables while the broth cooks.
- Peel and cut all the vegetables into large, even pieces. Keep the cabbage wedges slightly larger so they do not overcook. Set aside. Move on to the sausages.
- Add the chouriço, morcela, and farinheira to the pot. Cook for 20–25 minutes, covered. These sausages release oils and seasoning into the broth, enriching the base. Remove and set them aside to cool before slicing.
- Add the carrots, turnips, potatoes, and leek to the broth. Simmer for 20 minutes until just tender. Check doneness with a fork before continuing. Transition to cabbage next.
- Place the cabbage wedges on top of the other ingredients. Cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes. Avoid overcooking the cabbage to keep its structure intact. Optional: cook pasta or rice separately now.
- Taste the broth and adjust with more salt or freshly ground black pepper as needed. Allow all elements to rest for 10 minutes in the warm broth while preparing to serve. Move to slicing and arranging.
- Carefully remove all meats and sausages. Slice the sausages and chicken into serving pieces. Arrange neatly on a large platter. Prepare the vegetables for plating.
- Using a slotted spoon, lift out the vegetables and place them alongside the meats. Arrange by colour and shape for visual appeal. If using rice or pasta, serve on the side with a ladle of broth.
- Serve Cozido à Portuguesa hot, family style, with ladles of the rich broth poured over rice or pasta if used. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil if desired. A side of spicy mustard or piri piri sauce adds a lovely contrast.
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