Cozido à Portuguesa

Prepare the meats: rinse and pat dry the Beef Chuck, Pork Spare Ribs, Pork Belly and Pig's Trotter; trim any excess fat and cut into large pieces. If using a whole bird, leave the Chicken whole or halved for even cooking.

In a very large pot, combine cold Water with a halved Onion, smashed Garlic, a couple of Bay Leaf, a tablespoon of Whole Black Peppercorns and a generous pinch of Coarse Salt. Bring to a gentle boil to draw out the aromatics.

Add the tougher cuts (beef, spare ribs, pork belly and trotters) to the simmering liquid, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, for about 1½–2 hours, skimming any foam or excess fat from the surface as it forms.

After the tougher meats have begun to soften, add the Chicken and continue to simmer for another 30–40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the meats are tender.

Prepare the sausages: have the Portuguese Chouriço Sausage, Paio Sausage, Morcela and Farinheira ready. Prick the morcela once or twice to avoid bursting and add all sausages to the pot in the last 20–30 minutes of cooking so they heat through and release smoky flavor without disintegrating.

Add the vegetables in stages so everything finishes tender at the same time: add the chunked Potato, sliced Carrot and diced Turnip about 20–30 minutes before the end. Add the sliced Leek and wedges of Green Cabbage about 10–15 minutes before the end so they stay soft but not mushy.

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more Coarse Salt if needed. If you like a finishing touch, stir in a tablespoon of Olive Oil to enrich the broth just before serving.

Carefully lift the meats, sausages and vegetables from the pot and set on a large platter. Reserve the cooking liquid; strain it if you prefer a clearer broth and skim off excess fat.

Cook the Long-Grain Rice using some of the reserved strained cooking liquid or prepared Cooking Broth (roughly 1 part rice to 2 parts liquid) until fluffy—about 15–20 minutes—so the rice absorbs the savory flavors of the stew.

Carve the meats and slice the sausages, arranging everything (meats, sausages, vegetables and rice) on a large serving dish. Serve hot with bowls of the warm cooking broth on the side for spooning over the rice and vegetables.