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Fabada Asturiana

Fabada asturiana is a traditional stew of Asturian white beans, pork shoulder and/or bacon, morcilla and chorizo.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Resting Time
8 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 73 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients

  • 16 oz. fabes de la Granja , white beans from Asturias
  • 3 medium onions , peeled
  • 5 cloves garlic , with skin
  • 2 chorizos from Asturias
  • 2 morcillas from Asturias
  • 8 oz. lacón salado , salted pork shoulder
  • 6 oz. Tocino , bacon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • A few pistils of saffron infused in 2 tablespoons of boiling water , optional
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Equipment
  • Heavy bottom cast iron pot

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. The day before, soak the beans in a large container and in a large amount of cold water as they increase in volume.
  2. Leave to soak at room temperature.
  3. In another bowl, put the lacón salado to desalt in a large quantity of cold water, also from the day before (for 8 hours).
  4. Place it in the fridge but take it out of the fridge 1 hour before preparing the fabada.
  5. The next day, place the beans in a heavy-bottomed cast iron pot.
  6. Add the garlic cloves, whole peeled onions, sweet paprika, saffron infusion and pistils, olive oil and bay leaves.
  7. Cover with water 1 inch (3 cm) above the beans.
  8. Bring to a boil over high heat and as soon as the boiling resumes, cut the cooking by adding ¾ cup (200 ml) of very cold water.
  9. In a large saucepan, boil the 2 chorizos, the 2 morcillas and the tocino (bacon) separately for 3 minutes in a large quantity of boiling water. Change the water for each of the 3 meats.
  10. Add all the meats without cutting them into the pot of beans: chorizos, morcillas, lacón salado, tocino (bacon). Mix and bring to a boil over high heat.
  11. Then lower the heat, cover and cook over medium/low heat for 1 hour.
  12. Add ¾ cup (200 ml) of very cold water, mix and bring to the boil again over high heat.
  13. As soon as it resumes boiling, lower the heat and cook again, but over low heat, for 2 hours, possibly adding boiling water during cooking, if necessary.
  14. When the beans are done, taste and add more salt if needed, letting the fabada cook a few more minutes for the salt to incorporate.
  15. If the amount of liquid is still too much, increase the heat temperature and reduce to the desired consistency.

Notes

  • - In Asturian cuisine, adding a bit of very cold water while the beans are cooking is called “scaring the beans”. This lowers the temperature and prevents the starch in the beans from crystallizing. This little bit of cold water causes no trauma to the dish. This prevents the beans from shedding their skin or sagging too much. - Do not salt the fabada at the beginning of cooking but at the very last moment. - Do not cut chorizos, morcillas, lacón salado (salted pork shoulder) and tocino (bacon) before cooking. Cut them when serving.