This past weekend the Hunt Club had a Ribs, Chili and Wings Cookoff. I volunteered to make a Chili, but don't really have a T&T Chili recipe. A friend suggested that I make my Brazilian Black Bean Stew that she loves. Although I don't really consider it to be Chili except by the loosest possible definition, but since she was bringing a White Chicken Chili, I thought why not.

Including mine there were a total of 12 pots of chili, and at the end of the evening after the votes were tallied, I won second place! Woo hoo!

So here is my Award Winning recipe:

FEIJOADA -- BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN STEW CHILI

Serves 12 or so. If you cannot find the linguica, you can use chorizo or even smoked sausage.

1.5 lbs pork (cubed)

1 lb linguica (cubed)(Portuguese smoked sausage)

6 oz thick bacon chopped

3 oz Armour dried beef (chopped fine)

3 medium onions (chopped)

2 Tbsp minced garlic

3 29oz can Black Beans

1 15oz can Refried Black Beans w/ lime

2 Tbsp adobo sauce (optional)

2 chipotle peppers (seeds removed and minced) (optional)

1 1/2 cups water

In large pot over medium heat cook bacon until most of the grease is out and the bits are lightly browned, remove bacon from pan and reserve. Add onions to bacon grease, and cook until onions are soft and translucent. Remove onions and reserve.


Raise heat, and add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until the outside of the pork is completely cooked and lightly browned. Add the garlic, the sausage, the dried beef, the adobo sauce and the (optional) peppers and return the bacon and onion to the pan and cook and stir for another 5 minutes.

Add the beans including the water in the bean cans using about 1/2 cup additional cup of water per can to rinse out the cans. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the can of refried black beans and stir it in well.

It can either be served immediately or be put into a crockpot on low to keep warm for later.

Serve over white rice and drink a caipirinha with it.