Love Texas de Brazil’s creamy, dreamy black beans? I got you! Whip these up in your Instant Pot or on the stove!
You guys frequent Texas de Brazil? It’s a Brazilian steakhouse where their goal is to give you the meat sweats. There’s one down the street from me and while the plethora of meat is generally considered the highlight, it’s the black beans that’s served on their salad bar that makes me keep on going back.
Unexpected, I know. But those beans are ridiculous!
Only the first time I went there did I get the meat situation. It’s too much for me and the wife. Too much food. When you combine that super stocked salad bar and then all that meat, it’s crazy. Too crazy. So, now when we go I stick to the salad bar.
They serve these black beans with rice and I know that sounds … boring. While black beans are delicious these are over the top delicious. When a peasant food like black beans makes you do a double take – dudes, they are so freaking good!
So of course, I had to find a way to replicate this at home. I cannot pay $25 for a salad bar just to satisfy my black bean craving. So I hit the pot – cast iron and Instant Pot.
These are not exactly the flavor of Texas de Brazil but really damn close. The liquid to bean ratio is just right. All those meat bits, especially the Spanish chorizo lends a depth to the flavor. So good, I tell ya!
Before we get to it, I do have one tip. It has nothing to do with the flavor but more the presentation. If you are going to cook this on the stove, (which does get you a smidgen closer to the Texas de Brazil taste), don’t toss your soaking water. Use it to cook the beans in so the end result doesn’t look washed out. Again, it’s only looks, so if you don’t want that soaking water toss it – but your beans might appear not as black.
Texas de Brazil’s Black Beans
Ingredients
- 4 slices smoked bacon, cut in 1″ pieces
- 1 tablespoons oil
- 1/4 cup Spanish-style chorizo, sliced or diced about 1/2 stick sliced/diced
- 1/2 pound beef sirloin, cut in 1″ cubes
- 1 small onion, diced small
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic, mined
- 4 cups water or broth (+1 cup water if you like soupier beans)
- 1 pounds dry black beans, soaked overnight in water or not if using pressure cooker
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 small hot chili pepper, chopped
- Salt to taste, I use 2 teaspoons
Instructions
STOVE TOP
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In a heavy-bottomed pan, over medium high heat, fry the bacon in the oil and add the sausage and beef chunks, cooking until they start to get a nice color on them. Add the onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
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Add the water, soaked beans, bay leaf, salt and hot pepper. Simmer, not boil, for about 45 minutes or until the bean are soft and the sauce is thick. Keep an eye on the beans, adding more water/broth if necessary as you cook. Stir occasionally.
After 45 minutes, check the beans for softness. If they are not tender, add about 10 more minutes. If it’s too thin for your liking, remove about a cup of beans to a bowl and smash them up. Add back to the pot and stir.
INSTANT POT
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Rinse your black beans and go through them to check for nasties – sticks, shriveled up ones, or rocks.
Choose the saute setting. When the pot is hot, add a bit of oil and the chopped bacon, sirloin, and chorizo. Cook until the sirloin chunks and the bacon starts to get a nice color to them. Add diced onion and cook and cook until starting to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
Cancel the saute setting and add beans, broth (water), bay leaf, chili pepper, and salt. If you like your beans soupier, add in the extra 1 cup water or broth now. Stir to combine and put the lid on.
Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, and then natural release the pressure.
If you find it too thin, smash some beans on the side of the pot to thicken. Taste for salt, add more if necessary.
Serve over white rice.
Don’t stray too far because I have a crazy good chimichurri sauce, just like Texas de Brazil’s, that will change your life! Simple Chimichurri Sauce
Want to hear about the rice? Not much to hear, but this is what I do. Just so you know, I use a rice cooker. Not the fancy Asian one, just a Cuisinart rice cooker. You can do exactly what I’m saying on the stove. I turn my rice cooker on and throw some butter in there. I add some chopped onion, soften that up a bit. Then I throw in some garlic. Get that going for a couple of minutes. Then I cook the rice as normally with a couple pats of butter thrown in the water for good measure. I use jasmine because my wife buys it in 5011 pound bags.
I’m excited to try these! Like you, my goal of eating at Tx de Brazil is always the black beans and potatoes au gratin. But seriously – those are probably the 2 cheapest items in the whole restaurant! It’s painful to pay those prices for peasant food but dang it’s the best!! lol
Now I’m not a bean person but this does look amazing!! I may have to try this!! Thanks for sharing on Sweet Inspiration!
I love black beans!! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party!
Yum!
Very nice that you figured out how to replicate a recipe you like. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for checking it out Lee!
This sounds really tasty – I’m a big black bean fan and glad to add this to my recipes.
Enjoy Carol! Thanks for checking it out!
Saw this then saw the weather report saying snow and below zero temperatures on its way. I ate a bowl of the beans with some scrambled eggs and a piece of toast. These things were absolutely delicious and kept me warm while I hit the driveway with the snowblower. Thanks for sharing!
Glad they treated you right Chad! Keep warm!
Looks delicious! Happy Fiesta Friday 🙂
I haven’t tried this dish before, but it does look tasty! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!