Feijoada (fay-jho-ah-dah) is considered a national dish in Brazil. It blends historic culture, natural environment and friendly connections all into one communal meal made to enjoy an afternoon together.
Feijoada was the only food I wanted to eat when I first visited Brazil in 2016. Today it continues to be one of my favorite dishes. It has slight variations in different regions across the country. In São Paulo, you can order feijoada in almost every Brazilian restaurant (even if they don't normally serve it) on both Wednesdays and Saturdays, that's how popular it is!
Feijoada is best described as a bean and pork stew. It is savory and slightly salty. You instantly feel warmed up when eating it. It is also a necessary social dish because it serves so many and comes with many sides (rice, collard greens, oranges, manioc flour). Sitting down to eat often leaves you feeling friendly and at home with the company around you.
Feijoada comes from the Portuguese word for bean "feijão" (fay-jhow). A generous amount of beans (black beans in Brazil) is added to a pot with various parts of pork (sausage, bacon, ears, tail, feet) and cooked for many hours over low heat until it stews.
