Chef John's French cassoulet recipe features white beans and sausage, slowly cooked to tender perfection under a deliciously crispy, caramelized crust.
Preparation Time
20 mins
Cooking Time
3 hr 50 mins
Total Time
4 hr 10 mins
Calories
712 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 2
Ladle cooking liquid into the baking dish until beans are nearly submerged. Spread bread crumb mixture evenly over the top but don't press into liquid. Use your fingertips to make gentle indentations on the crumb surface for better browning.
Step 3
Pour chicken stock into a large pot. Add pancetta, bones from duck confit, and drained beans. Tie bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves into a small square of cheesecloth to create a bouquet garni; add to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer over high heat; skim off any foamy scum that forms if desired. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until beans are almost tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 4
Sprinkle pork pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add pork and brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add sausage to the skillet and cook until nicely browned on all sides, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut sausages in half and transfer to the bowl with pork pieces.
Step 5
Remove fat and skin from duck confit and add to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat until fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Transfer all fat and browned pieces from the skillet to a mixing bowl. Add melted butter. Stir in bread crumbs and chopped parsley; stir until mixture looks like damp sand. Mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid.
Step 6
Place onion, carrot, and celery in the same skillet used to brown the meats; add a pinch of salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until onion is translucent and the mixture turns golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir until tomato paste starts to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan, 3 or 4 minutes. Pour in white wine; cook and stir until most of the wine evaporates, 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 7
Drain beans over a large bowl to retain all the cooking liquid. Discard bones and bouquet garni.
Step 8
Place drained beans into a large shallow baking dish or cast iron skillet (about 12 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep). Stir in cooked vegetables and about 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pork pieces and distribute evenly among the beans. Top with shredded duck confit. Nestle sausage halves into bean mixture.
Step 9
Bake in the preheated oven until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven and create a small well in the center of the cassoulet crust. Ladle about 1/2 cup cooking liquid (or as needed) into the well to rehydrate the mixture. Use a fork to gently poke into the cassoulet to ensure the liquid is evenly distributed, but try not to disturb the crusty surface.
Step 10
Continue baking until surface is crispy and caramelized, meat is fork-tender, and beans are creamy and tender, about 30 to 45 more minutes.
Step 11
Serve in large bowls with a spoonful or two of hot cooking liquid. Top with chopped fresh parsley.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups bread crumbs
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 pound Tarbais beans, or other white beans, soaked overnight
3 quarts seasoned chicken stock or broth
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 sprigs thyme
6 unpeeled garlic cloves, cut in half
12 ounces fresh pork shoulder or chop, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 duck leg confit
0.75 cup white wine
0.5 cup diced celery
0.25 cup tomato paste
0.5 cup diced carrot
1.5 pounds Toulouse sausages, or other garlic pork sausage
