Cozido à Portuguesa

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Very large stockpot (at least 10 liters)
• •Second pot for the sausages
• •Third pot for the rice soup
• •Large serving platter (the biggest you own)
• •Slotted spoon for skimming

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the beef and pork

   Place the beef brisket, pork ribs, pig ear (if using), and cured pork belly in a very large pot. Cover with about 5 liters of cold water. Add the halved onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring slowly to a boil over medium heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. This foam is impurities leaving the meat. Be patient with the skimming. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour.

   Cold water is essential. Starting in hot water seals the outside of the meat before it can release its flavor into the broth. We want that flavor in the liquid.
2. 2

   Add the chickpeas

   After the first hour, add the soaked and drained chickpeas to the pot. They need time to become tender while absorbing the rich broth. Continue simmering for another 45 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the chicken

   Add the chicken thighs to the pot. The chicken cooks faster than the beef and pork, so it goes in later. Continue simmering for 30 minutes more.

4. 4

   Cook the vegetables

   Add the potatoes, carrots, and turnips to the pot. Let them simmer for 15 minutes, then add the quartered cabbage on top. The cabbage only needs about 10-15 minutes. It should be tender but still have some bite. Season the broth with salt now, tasting as you go. The cured meats and sausages will add salt, so be conservative.

   Avó Leonor always said the vegetables tell you when they're done. A fork should slide in with just a little resistance. Mushy vegetables are a tragedy.
5. 5

   Prepare the sausages separately

   While the vegetables cook, prick the chouriço, morcela, and farinheira with a fork to prevent bursting. Place them in a separate pot and ladle enough hot broth from the main pot to cover them. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. The morcela is delicate. Too much heat and it will split. Gentle, always gentle with blood sausage.

   Cooking the sausages separately keeps their flavors distinct and prevents the blood sausage from clouding the main broth. This is how my grandmother did it, and her grandmother before her.
6. 6

   Make the rice soup

   Ladle about 1.5 liters of the cooking broth into a separate pot. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Cook until the rice is tender but not mushy, about 15-18 minutes. This arroz de cozido is traditionally served as the first course. Some families add a handful of mint at the end. Taste and adjust the salt.

7. 7

   Assemble the platter

   Remove all the meats from the broth and slice them. Slice the sausages on the diagonal. Arrange everything on your largest platter: meats in the center, vegetables around the edges, sausages laid across the top. Drizzle generously with your best olive oil. This is the moment. The whole table gathered around one platter. This is who we are.

8. 8

   Serve traditionally

   Serve the rice soup first, in deep bowls. Then bring out the grand platter. Everyone serves themselves from the communal dish. Put out good bread, a cruet of olive oil, and perhaps some pickled vegetables on the side. The broth that remains in the pot is liquid gold. Save it for cooking rice or making soup tomorrow.

Chef Tips

• •The sausages are everything. Portuguese chouriço is not Spanish chorizo. It's smoked, not cured with paprika. Find a Portuguese market or order online. Substituting will change the dish completely.
• •This is not a dish to make for two people. The recipe scales down poorly. Make the full amount and invite people. Or make the full amount and eat leftovers for days. The meats are even better the next day, sliced cold with good bread.
• •Save every drop of that broth. It's the best cooking liquid you'll ever have. Freeze it in portions. Use it for rice, for soups, for braising greens. Waste none of it.
• •The pig ear is optional but traditional. It adds gelatin richness to the broth and has a texture some people love. If you can't find it or don't want it, the dish will still be wonderful. Avó Leonor never skipped it, but she grew up in different times.
• •In Trás-os-Montes, they add alheira (bread and game sausage). In the Beiras, they add farinheira de carne. Use what your region provides. The dish is a framework, not a prison.

Advance Preparation

• •Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water. They need at least 8 hours, preferably 12.
• •The entire cozido can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. The flavors actually improve. Reheat gently, adding the sausages fresh the next day if you prefer them with more bite.
• •The broth can be made 2-3 days ahead and refrigerated, then the meats and vegetables cooked fresh on serving day. This splits the work for large gatherings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 550g)