Rinse and sort the black beans, removing any stones or damaged beans. Cover generously with cold water and soak for 8-12 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse.

If using salted pork or carne seca, soak it separately in cold water for several hours or overnight, changing the water a few times. Briefly blanching the salted meat is also a useful way to remove excess salt.

Brown the diced bacon in a large heavy pot until it renders fat and develops color. Add the pork shoulder and brown lightly if desired, although browning is not required for a traditional feijoada-style preparation.

Add the drained beans, bay leaves, orange peel, optional cured meats, and enough water or unsalted stock to cover everything by about 1 inch (2-3 cm). Bring to a boil, skim away foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Partially cover and cook for 1½-2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the ingredients covered. Maintain a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so the beans remain intact.

Add the sliced smoked sausage during the final 30-45 minutes of cooking. Adding it later helps keep the sausage plump and prevents the broth from becoming unnecessarily salty.

In a separate pan, sauté the chopped onion in oil or rendered bacon fat until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, then stir the aromatic mixture into the stew.

Continue simmering for another 30-60 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the pork is very soft. For a thicker broth, mash about 1 cup of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the stew.

Season with black pepper and taste carefully before adding salt, since bacon, sausage, ham hocks, ribs, and carne seca can contribute substantial seasoning. Remove the orange peel and bay leaves, then rest the stew for 15-30 minutes before serving.