📝 About This Recipe
Hailing from the rugged heart of Occitanie, this Cassoulet is the ultimate French comfort dish—a slow-simmered symphony of creamy Tarbais beans, meltingly tender duck, and savory pork. This version pays homage to the Castelnaudary tradition, featuring a 'crust' that is broken and reformed to create a deep, caramelized richness. It is a labor of love that transforms humble ingredients into a luxurious, soul-warming masterpiece perfect for a cold winter's night.
🥗 Ingredients
The Beans and Aromatics
- 1 pound Dried Tarbais or Cannellini beans (soaked overnight in cold water)
- 4 ounces Salt pork (cut into small cubes)
- 1 Carrot (peeled and halved)
- 1 Yellow onion (peeled and studded with 2 cloves)
- 1/2 Garlic head (top sliced off to expose cloves)
- 1 Bouquet Garni (thyme, parsley stems, and bay leaf tied with twine)
The Meats
- 4-6 pieces Duck Confit legs (excess fat reserved)
- 1 pound Toulouse-style or Garlic sausage (cut into 3-inch links)
- 1 pound Pork shoulder (cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 1/2 cup Duck fat (high quality)
The Braising Liquid and Finish
- 4-6 cups Chicken stock (low sodium, preferably homemade)
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 cup Fresh breadcrumbs (panko or rustic white bread)
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot. Cover with fresh water, bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse again to ensure tenderness.
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2
Return beans to the pot. Add the salt pork, carrot, clove-studded onion, garlic head, and bouquet garni. Cover with 2 inches of water or stock, simmer gently for 1 to 1.5 hours until beans are tender but not falling apart. Season with salt only in the last 15 minutes.
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3
While beans simmer, heat 2 tablespoons of duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork shoulder chunks on all sides until deeply caramelized. Remove and set aside.
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4
In the same skillet, brown the sausages until the skins are snappy and golden. Remove and set aside. Finally, quickly sear the duck confit legs just to crisp the skin slightly.
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5
Drain the cooked beans, but reserve all the cooking liquid. Discard the onion, carrot, garlic skin, and bouquet garni. Finely chop the salt pork and stir it back into the beans.
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6
Whisk the tomato paste into 3 cups of the reserved bean cooking liquid and 1 cup of chicken stock. This will be your flavorful braising base.
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7
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grab a traditional earthenware 'cassole' or a deep Dutch oven. Rub the inside with a cut clove of garlic.
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8
Layer one-third of the beans at the bottom. Arrange the pork shoulder and half the sausages over the beans. Cover with another third of the beans.
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9
Nestle the duck confit legs and remaining sausages on top. Cover with the final layer of beans, leaving just the tips of the duck drumsticks peeking through.
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10
Pour the liquid mixture over the beans until they are just barely covered. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of duck fat over the top.
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11
Bake uncovered for 2 hours. A thin, brown crust should form on top. Use a spoon to gently 'break' this crust and push it back into the beans, allowing more liquid to rise.
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12
Sprinkle half of the breadcrumbs over the top. Continue baking for another 1.5 to 2 hours, breaking the crust 2-3 more times whenever it becomes dark golden. Add more stock if the beans look dry.
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13
For the final 30 minutes, sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs and drizzle with a little more duck fat. Let the final crust form without breaking it.
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14
Remove from the oven and let the cassoulet rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to settle and the flavors to concentrate.
💡 Chef's Tips
Never boil the beans vigorously; a gentle simmer prevents the skins from bursting and ensures a creamy texture. If the dish looks dry during the long bake, always add more warm stock; the beans will continue to absorb liquid until the very end. Traditionalists say the crust should be broken seven times, but 3 or 4 is sufficient for a home kitchen to achieve that deep flavor. For the best results, make this a day in advance and reheat it; the flavors develop significantly overnight. Always use high-quality duck fat—it is the 'soul' of the dish and provides the signature silky mouthfeel.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
A crisp, acidic green salad with a sharp Dijon vinaigrette to cut through the richness of the meats. A robust red wine from Southwest France, such as a Madiran or a Cahors (Malbec). Slices of toasted, crusty sourdough bread to soak up every drop of the bean liquor. Freshly steamed green beans or roasted root vegetables for a touch of brightness. A simple dessert of poached pears in red wine to finish the meal on a light, elegant note.