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1
Place beans, feet, tails, tongue, bacon and bay leaves in a heavy pot.
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2
Cover with water by 1 inch, about 10 cups.
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3
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
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4
Skim any foam that comes up.
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5
When the mixture boils, turn heat down to a gentle simmer.
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6
Skim foam for the first 40 minutes.
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7
Turn heat down to a low simmer, and cover with a lid.
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8
Occasionally add water to keep it covered by 1/2 inch, and give it a stir.
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9
Two to 2 1/2 hours later, the beans and meats should be quite tender but not falling apart.
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10
Add the sausage, and simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes, until meats are very tender and the stew is rich but not stiff (thin with water if necessary).
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11
During this final cooking time, stir to break up some of the beans; their starch will make the stew creamy.
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12
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering.
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13
Cook onion, stirring, for 15 minutes, until evenly browned and very sweet.
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14
Turn heat up to medium-high, and add remaining oil and garlic.
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15
Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes.
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16
Bring beans back to a boil over high heat, stir in the onion mixture, season to taste with salt and serve with white rice, orange slices, farofa (see recipe) and Brazilian collard greens (see recipe).
