French Cassoulet

Tags: #meat #French #stew #beans #classic Serving: 8 servings Total time: 7 hours (plus 12 hours soaking)

A rich, slow-baked southwestern French bean and meat casserole layered with duck confit, pork, and sausages under a savory crust.

Ingredients

• 700 g dried white beans (Tarbais, lingot, or cannellini)
• 3000 ml cold water (for soaking)
• 1500 ml water (for blanching pork rind)
• 200 g pork rind (skin), divided
• 600 g pork shoulder, 4 cm cubes
• 300 g slab bacon or salt pork, 2 cm lardons
• 600 g Toulouse sausages, 4–5 cm pieces
• 1000 g duck confit legs (about 4 legs)
• 300 g yellow onion, medium dice
• 200 g carrot, medium dice
• 150 g celery, medium dice
• 30 g garlic, minced
• 60 g tomato paste
• 250 ml dry white wine
• 2000 ml unsalted chicken stock
• 3 g whole black peppercorns
• 10 g fresh parsley stems (bouquet garni)
• 5 g fresh thyme sprigs (bouquet garni)
• 2 g bay leaves
• 18 g kosher salt, divided
• 2 g ground black pepper
• 90 ml duck fat, divided
• 100 g fresh coarse breadcrumbs (optional)
• 10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Steps

1. Rinse beans under cold water.
2. Combine beans with 3000 ml cold water in a large bowl.
3. Soak beans for 12 hours at room temperature.
4. Drain beans in a colander.
5. Rinse beans under cold water.
6. Combine pork rind with 1500 ml water in a saucepan.
7. Boil pork rind for 5 minutes.
8. Drain pork rind.
9. Pat pork rind dry with paper towels.
10. Cut 100 g pork rind into 2 cm strips.
11. Reserve 100 g pork rind in whole sheets.
12. Season pork shoulder with 4 g kosher salt.
13. Season sausages with 2 g kosher salt.
14. Heat 45 ml duck fat in a 7 L Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
15. Add pork shoulder to the pot.
16. Brown pork shoulder until deeply golden, about 8 minutes.
17. Transfer pork shoulder to a tray.
18. Add slab bacon to the pot.
19. Cook bacon until fat renders and edges brown, about 6 minutes.
20. Transfer bacon to the tray.