Platter of Cozido
(click to enlarge)

Cozido


Brazil   -   Cozido
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 8 main
***
1 day
Yes		 A Brazilian version of the Portuguese one-pot feast - similar to the Spanish Cocido. Read all the notes before proceeding. See also History

2-1/4
2-1/2
6
1-1/4
3/4
6
7
9
1
9
12
1-1/4
8
1
1
1-1/2
1/2
#
#
oz
#
#
oz
oz
oz
#
oz
oz
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oz
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t
t
Beef, lean (1)
Beef Shank (2)
Ham, uncooked (4)
Sausages, smoked (5)  
Pork, smoked (6)
Onions
Carrots
Chayote Squash
Winter Squash (7)
Collard Greens
Cabbage
Potatoes (8)
Sweet Potato (9)
Plantain, ripe (10)
Corn on Cob (11)
Salt.
Pepper

This recipe is sized to fill an 8 quart pot.

Prep   -   (6 hrs - 1-1/4 hrs work)
  1. Trim BEEF of all fat and membranes (do not discard). Cut into cubes about 1-1/2 inches to a side.
  2. In a large iron skillet, fry SHANK SLICES in a little oil until medium browned on both sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Do the same with the Beef Cubes, remove, drain and set aside.
  3. Bring plenty of water to a boil. Toss in Beef Trimmings and any bones you may have. Bring back to a boil for a couple minutes and pour out into the sink. Clean the pot, rinse the trimmings, put back in the pot with plenty of cold water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for an hour or two.
  4. Add Beef Shanks, bring back to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer slowly for about 3 hours (see Note-3)
  5. Fish out the Shanks and remove the meat from the bones. Break the meat into serving chunks and set aside. If you have time, toss the bones, tendons and membranes back into the pot and simmer another couple of hours.
Meanwhile:
  1. Cut the HAM into dice about 1/2 inch on a side. Peel SAUSAGES and cut into chunks of the size you want. Cut SMOKED PORK into strips about 1 inch long by 1/2 x 1/4 inch. Mix.
  2. Chop ONIONS coarse.
  3. Peel CARROTS and cut into chunks about 1 inch long.
  4. Peel CHAYOTE and cut into about 3/4 inch chunks. Peel and seed WINTER SQUASH.and cut into chunks about 1 inch on a side.
  5. Stem COLLARDS and tear leaves into convenient to eat pieces.
  6. Core CABBAGE and cut into convenient chunks.
  7. Peel POTATOES and cut into chunks of the desired size. Peel SWEET POTATO and chunk similarly. Hold both in cold water until needed.
  8. Cut CORN into chunks. I usually cut to 1-1/2 inches long, then split in half. Use a razor sharp santoku or Chinese cleaver knife and drive it through with a soft faced mallet, crosswise first.
  9. Peel PLANTAINS. Cut in half lengthwise and crosswise about 3/4 inch thick.
RUN   -   (2-1/4 hrs)
  1. Strain all solids from the Stock and discard. De-fat the stock (use your gravy separator).
  2. Clean the pot and return the stock to it. There should be 12 cups, add water if needed. Stir in Fried Beef, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.
  3. Stir in Sausages, Smoked Pork, Onions, Carrots, Collards, Cabbage, Salt and Pepper. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 1/2 hour.
  4. Stir in Potato mix and Squash Mix. Bring back to a boil and simmer until potatoes are done, about 20 minutes.
  5. Stir in Plantain and Corn. Bring back to a boil. If stew is too thick add boiling water to suit.
  6. Serve hot.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Weight is after removing fat and membranes. Shoulder Clod is what I usually use, but Round will work fine with a little more cooking.

  2. Beef Shank:

      This should be thick slices of center cut shank with plenty of meat on them and bone in.

  3. Stock:

      Some recipes call for chicken backs and trimmings along with the beef. Others call for a Pig Foot (pig feet are not salted in North America so do not need an overnight soak as they would in Europe or Brazil).

  4. Ham, Uncooked:

      In most locations what you'll be able to get is Italian Prosciutto, which is fine, but if you live near a big Asian market you may be able to score a slice of Virginia (Smithfield) ham, also good. If available I buy a prosciutto end at half the price per pound and use the skin too, diced.

  5. Sausages:

      A mix of Pork and Beef sausages is good. Chorizo Bilbao or other Spanish style cooking chorizo would be fine here (but not hard cured chorizo and absolutely NOT Mexican chorizo). Lacking that, Russian, Polish or Hungarian sausage will work. For details see our Sausages page.

  6. Smoked Pork:

      Many (non-Jewish) delis have smoked pork loin or chops. In Brazil salted pork would probably be used, not smoked.

  7. Winter Squash:

      Recipes often call for "Pumpkin", but the American Halloween pumpkin is not what they mean. Kabocha is my favorite, but Acorn squash or similar is fine.

  8. Potatoes:

      White Rose and similarly waxy potatoes work well for recipes of this sort. Do NOT use Yukon Gold or similar which turn to mush when cooked just a little long. For details see our Potatoes page.

  9. Sweet Potatoes:

      Use the white ones, not the orange American "yam".

  10. Plantain:

      A ripe plantain looks like a severely over-ripe banana. For details see our Bananas page.

  11. Corn

      Corn on the cob is a traditional Brazillian touch, but I noticed in buffet service people were avoiding it as cumbersome to deal with. Select the smallest ears you can find. White or Yellow will do. If your guests have bad teeth, use corn kernels.

  12. Serving

      In Brazil it is very important that the main items are cut into largish chunks, one of each for each person who will be at the table. At serving time they are distributed to the individual bowls, liquid added and served. This method does not suit my needs, since I'll more than likely be serving buffet style. To keep some yo-yo from picking out all of what he likes, leaving none for others, I cut the pieces smaller.

  13. Reheating

      This recipe reheats very well.

  14. History:

      The Cozido of Portugal and the Cocido of Spain are very similar, but the Spanish includes Chickpeas and the Portuguise doen't. Both adapted from the Sefrina / Adafina of the Sephardic Jews. Forbidden to cook on the Sabbath (cooking is considered work) they would prepare a one-pot meal on Friday evening, which could be left to stay warm in the kitchen embers and feed the family lunch on the next day. As with most traditional recipes, ingredients vary, and the The Spanish / Portuguese versions include ingredients forbidden to the Jews. Also, there's nothing to keep non-Jews from finishing up the stew on the day it is to be served, regardless of what that day might be. Our Gods and Goddesses are on call all day every day (or as they please), and permit work, on any day.
  15. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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