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Brief Overview
Feijoada à Transmontana is Portugal’s countryside in a pot. Rich, slow cooked, and deeply rooted in the rural north, this bean stew reflects generations of home cooking shaped by necessity and celebration. It is hearty food made to feed families through long winters.
This dish goes beyond nourishment. It brings people together around the table with its smoky aroma and generous portions. Every spoonful carries a depth of flavour that feels earned, with layers of meat, beans, and spice working in quiet harmony.
What makes Feijoada à Transmontana stand out is its rustic honesty. It was never meant to be refined. It is bold, earthy, and full of character, just like the mountainous region it comes from. To taste it is to take in a piece of Trás-os-Montes.
What Is Feijoada à Transmontana?
Feijoada à Transmontana is a traditional Portuguese bean stew, built on red kidney beans, smoked meats, and a base of sautéed onions, garlic, and spices. It is slowly simmered until everything blends into one rich and filling meal.
The dish often features a variety of pork cuts, including ribs, sausages, and sometimes ear or trotter. While variations exist, the core always remains the same: beans, meat, and time. It is a meal meant to be cooked low and slow.
Unlike lighter stews, this version is dense and meaty, served with orange slices or rice to brighten its richness. It is not delicate, but it is balanced, offering a warm and lasting satisfaction with every bite.
Ingredients and Taste
At the heart of Feijoada à Transmontana are red kidney beans, soaked and simmered until tender. These beans absorb the smokiness of the meat and the spices, forming a thick and flavourful base that ties the dish together.
The meats used bring depth and fat. Chouriço adds spice, while blood sausage gives richness. Pork belly or ribs create body, and offal may be included for a traditional touch. Each cut adds its own voice to the final flavour.
Garlic, bay leaves, paprika, and sometimes a splash of white wine help round out the broth. The taste is rich and layered. Smoky, savoury, and slightly sweet from the beans, it lingers on the tongue long after the last spoonful.
A Taste of History
Feijoada à Transmontana comes from Trás-os-Montes, a rugged, mountainous region in Portugal’s northeast. Life here has long been shaped by the land, with harsh winters and limited resources influencing the way people cooked.
Preserved meats were a necessity in rural life, especially during colder months. Families would use what they had on hand, often combining beans and cuts from the pig slaughter into one nourishing dish that could stretch for days.
The result was more than practical. It became tradition. Over time, Feijoada à Transmontana turned into a dish served during festivals and special gatherings, not just for survival but for celebration and community.
Today, it remains one of Portugal’s most iconic comfort foods. It speaks to a past that valued frugality without sacrificing flavour. Each bowl carries with it stories of family, resilience, and a region that cooks with both hands and heart.
How to Make Feijoada à Transmontana (Bean Stew)
Feijoada à Transmontana is a rich, slow cooked bean stew from Portugal’s Trás-os-Montes region, traditionally made with red kidney beans, pork cuts, smoked sausages, and earthy seasonings. Expect bold, warming flavours layered through patient simmering and robust ingredients. This dish is best when cooked slowly and shared generously. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the stew
- 300g dried red kidney beans (soaked overnight)
- 500g pork shoulder, cut into chunks
- 200g chouriço (Portuguese sausage), sliced thick
- 200g morcela (blood sausage), sliced
- 150g bacon or salted pork belly, diced
- 1 pig’s ear or foot (optional but traditional), cleaned and halved
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Soak the beans
To begin, rinse the dried beans and soak them in cold water overnight. Drain before cooking. This ensures even cooking and better digestion. Move to preparing the meats.
Step 2: Brown the meats
In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown the pork shoulder, bacon, and pig’s ear or foot until golden. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Set aside and continue to the aromatics.
Step 3: Sauté the base
In the same pot, add onions and garlic. Sauté until softened and lightly golden, scraping the base to lift flavour. Stir in paprika and tomato paste. Let it cook for a minute to deepen the colour. Add the beans next.
Step 4: Combine beans and meats
Return all browned meats to the pot, including the soaked beans. Add bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Pour in enough water to cover everything by 4–5 cm. Transition to simmering.
Step 5: Slow cook the stew
Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours or until beans and pork are tender. Skim foam as needed. Prepare the sausages while the stew simmers.
Step 6: Prepare the sausages
In a separate pan, sear the chouriço and morcela slices for a few minutes until browned. This step helps intensify their smoky flavour and keeps them intact. Set aside for later addition.
Step 7: Add the sausages
Once the beans are tender, add the browned sausages to the pot. Stir gently and continue to simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes to allow the fats and flavours to blend. Move to finishing touches.
Step 8: Adjust seasoning
Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the stew is too thick, add a splash of hot water. If too thin, mash a few beans into the broth to thicken naturally. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Final Step: Serve and garnish
Serve hot in deep bowls, garnished with chopped parsley. Traditionally accompanied by crusty bread or rice. Presentation tip: offer a slice of orange or pickled vegetables to balance the richness.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chouriço substitute: Use Spanish chorizo (mild not spicy) if Portuguese sausage is unavailable.
- Morcela alternative: Use black pudding or omit entirely if not available.
- Pork cuts: Swap pig’s ear or foot with ham hock or smoked pork neck for similar gelatinous texture.
- Beans: Canned red kidney beans can be used in a pinch. Add them later in the process and reduce cooking time.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Feijoada à Transmontana
- Soak beans overnight to ensure softness and shorter cooking time.
- Sear all meats to lock in flavour before simmering.
- Always simmer gently to avoid splitting the beans.
- Allow the stew to rest for 30 minutes before serving for deeper flavour.
- Use a wide, heavy bottomed pot to maintain even cooking.
Portuguese Feijoada à Transmontana (Bean Stew)
Ingredients
- 300 g dried red kidney beans soaked overnight
- 500 g pork shoulder cut into chunks
- 200 g chouriço Portuguese sausage, sliced thick
- 200 g morcela blood sausage, sliced
- 150 g bacon or salted pork belly diced
- 1 pig’s ear or foot optional but traditional, cleaned and halved
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- To begin, rinse the dried beans and soak them in cold water overnight. Drain before cooking. This ensures even cooking and better digestion. Move to preparing the meats.
- In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown the pork shoulder, bacon, and pig’s ear or foot until golden. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Set aside and continue to the aromatics.
- In the same pot, add onions and garlic. Sauté until softened and lightly golden, scraping the base to lift flavour. Stir in paprika and tomato paste. Let it cook for a minute to deepen the colour. Add the beans next.
- Return all browned meats to the pot, including the soaked beans. Add bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Pour in enough water to cover everything by 4–5 cm. Transition to simmering.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours or until beans and pork are tender. Skim foam as needed. Prepare the sausages while the stew simmers.
- In a separate pan, sear the chouriço and morcela slices for a few minutes until browned. This step helps intensify their smoky flavour and keeps them intact. Set aside for later addition.
- Once the beans are tender, add the browned sausages to the pot. Stir gently and continue to simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes to allow the fats and flavours to blend. Move to finishing touches.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the stew is too thick, add a splash of hot water. If too thin, mash a few beans into the broth to thicken naturally. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Serve hot in deep bowls, garnished with chopped parsley. Traditionally accompanied by crusty bread or rice. Presentation tip: offer a slice of orange or pickled vegetables to balance the richness.
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