Cozido à Portuguesa

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 grams) beef chuck or brisket, cut into 3-inch chunks
• 1 pound (450 grams) pork shoulder or butt, cut into 3-inch chunks
• 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms), cut into 8 pieces
• 8 ounces (225 grams) Portuguese chorizo or smoked paprika sausage, sliced into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound (450 grams) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small head green cabbage, about 1.5 pounds (700 grams), cut into thick wedges
• 1 pound (450 grams) waxy potatoes, peeled and halved
• 8 ounces (225 grams) carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
• 6 ounces (170 grams) turnip, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 pound (450 grams) collard greens or kale, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and halved
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed but left whole
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 10 cups (2.4 liters) water or beef stock

Instructions

1. Place the beef chuck and pork shoulder in a large 8-quart pot, cover with the 10 cups of water or stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any gray or brown foam that rises to the surface for the first 3-4 minutes until the broth clears.
2. Add the onion halves, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 1 hour, until the beef and pork are beginning to soften but not yet tender.
3. Add the chicken pieces and chorizo slices to the pot and continue simmering for another 45 minutes, maintaining a gentle boil where small bubbles occasionally break the surface.
4. Add the carrots, turnip, potatoes, and chickpeas to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are nearly cooked through but still hold their shape.
5. Add the cabbage wedges and collard greens to the pot and simmer for 10 more minutes until the vegetables are tender but not mushy and the cabbage has softened while retaining some texture.
6. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. The total cooking time should be approximately 2 hours 15 minutes from start to finish.
7. Carefully strain the cooking liquid into a separate pot, reserving this as a rich broth to serve as a first course or soup. Arrange all the meats and vegetables on a large platter or directly into serving bowls.
8. Serve the cozido with the hot reserved broth on the side, crusty Portuguese bread for soaking, and small dishes of sea salt and hot pepper flakes for finishing.