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Baião de Dois

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
A vibrant serving of Brazilian carne de sol with fresh herbs and vegetables on a wooden platter.

Baião de dois is a robust, one-pot marriage of rice and black-eyed peas, enriched with bits of seared carne-de-sol or bacon and finished with fresh cheese that softens into the starch. It relies on the interplay between the creamy, starchy texture of the legumes and the bite of the grains, held together by a base of sautéed aromatics.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Total time
1 hr
Hands-on
20 min
Serves
6

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups dried black-eyed peas
  • 1.5 cups long-grain white rice
  • 8 oz carne-de-sol or thick-cut bacon, cubed
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup queijo coalho, cubed
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 cups hot water or chicken stock

Step by step

  1. Prepare the beans

    Boil the black-eyed peas in plenty of water until tender but firm, about 20-30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

  2. Render the protein

    In your heavy pot over medium heat, fry the cubed meat until the fat has rendered and the edges are crisp and browned.

  3. Build the base

    Add the onions to the rendered fat. Cook until they turn translucent and start to catch some color. Stir in the garlic for just 30 seconds until fragrant.

  4. Toast and simmer

    Add the rice to the pot, stirring to coat every grain in the fat. Pour in the hot stock and add the cooked beans. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15-18 minutes.

  5. Final fold

    Remove from heat. Gently fold in the cubed cheese and fresh cilantro. Let it sit covered for 5 minutes so the residual heat softens the cheese.

Questions people ask

Can I use leftover rice?

Yes, but add it only after the beans have simmered in the stock, then let it steam through for the final 5 minutes.

How do I know the beans are done?

Test one against the roof of your mouth; it should offer no resistance but still hold its shape perfectly.

Tips

  • Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid to keep the steam trapped while the rice finishes.
  • If you cannot find queijo coalho, use a firm, salty halloumi as a stand-in.
  • Don't stir the pot once the rice is simmering; you want to avoid breaking the grains and releasing too much starch.

Variations

  • Coastal style: Add a touch of coconut milk during the final minutes of simmering for a richer, creamier mouthfeel.
  • Vegetarian: Replace the meat with smoked paprika and sun-dried tomatoes to replicate the depth and chew of the traditional protein.