Weeknight Feijoada: Brazilian Black Bean Stew In Slow Cooker Recipe

Feijoada is a brazilian dish, an elaborate stew prepared with several different kinds of smoked meats, brazilian-style beef jerky (carne seca), pork and/or beef ribs, other varied cuts of beef and pork, and lots of black turtle beans. Feijoada is a great example of slow food; the dish is often prepared over two days and it's meant to be enjoyed with family and friends as a leisurely weekend meal. This recipe is a simpler version of feijoada for busy weekends or even weeknights, prepared in the slow cooker with certain shortcuts such as canned black beans and a more limited assortment of meats. There's an initial bit of preparation, but most of the work is left to the slow cooker. Serve feijoada over rice with orange wedges on the side to keep things simple, or prepare all of the traditional accompaniments: brazilian-style rice, collard greens (couve a mineira), and farofa (toasted manioc meal). The leftovers are delicious wrapped in tortillas with rice and cheese or use the leftovers to make nachos.