Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or deep casserole (at least 6-quart capacity)
• •Wide, shallow baking dish for finishing (if not using the Dutch oven)
• •Large slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the beans overnight

   Cover the dried beans with cold water by at least three inches and let them soak at room temperature for eight hours or overnight. Good beans need this time. They will nearly double in size and cook more evenly. Drain and rinse before proceeding.

   If you can find Tarbais beans from southwest France, buy them. They have a thin skin and creamy interior that cannot be replicated. Otherwise, choose the freshest dried beans you can find. Old beans cook unevenly and never soften properly.
2. 2

   Render the salt pork

   Place the lardons in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the pieces turn golden and slightly crisp, about ten minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. You have just created the foundation of flavor for everything that follows.

3. 3

   Brown the sausages

   In the rendered fat, brown the sausages on all sides until the casings are deep golden and taut, about eight minutes total. They will not cook through at this stage, and that is correct. Remove to a plate. Cut into thick slices once cool enough to handle.

4. 4

   Build the aromatic base

   Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about eight minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes until it darkens slightly.

5. 5

   Deglaze and add beans

   Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about three minutes. Add the drained beans, the stock, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, and peppercorns. The liquid should cover the beans by about an inch. Bring to a gentle simmer.

   Homemade stock makes all the difference here. The gelatin gives the cassoulet its characteristic silky quality. If you must use store-bought, add a splash of good vinegar to brighten it.
6. 6

   Simmer the beans

   Cover the pot and cook at a bare simmer, either on the stovetop over low heat or in a 300°F oven, for one hour. The beans should be tender but not falling apart. They will continue cooking in the next stage. Season with salt now, tasting as you go.

7. 7

   Prepare the duck confit

   While the beans simmer, pull the duck confit from its fat. Scrape off excess fat (save it) and pull the meat from the bones in large, rustic pieces. Discard skin and bones. This meat has already given everything to its fat during the original confit process. Now it gives itself to the cassoulet.

8. 8

   Layer the cassoulet

   Fish out and discard the thyme stems, bay leaves, and cloves. Gently fold in the reserved lardons, sliced sausage, and duck meat. The beans and meats should be just barely covered with liquid. If it looks dry, add more stock. If too soupy, remove some liquid. Transfer to a wide, shallow baking dish if not already using one.

   A wide dish is essential. More surface area means more crust, and the crust is the soul of cassoulet.
9. 9

   Add the first crust

   Toss the breadcrumbs with the melted duck fat and a pinch of salt. Scatter evenly over the surface of the cassoulet. Place in a 350°F oven, uncovered, and bake for one hour. A golden crust will form across the top.

10. 10

    Break the crust

    Use a large spoon to gently break the crust and press it into the beans. This is the ritual of cassoulet. The crust flavors the interior while a new crust forms. Continue baking for another forty-five minutes.

    Tradition says to break the crust seven times over many hours. For home cooks, two or three times produces the same effect without camping by the oven all day.
11. 11

    Form the final crust

    Break and press down the crust once more. Bake a final forty-five minutes to one hour without disturbing. The top should be deeply golden, almost mahogany in places. The liquid should bubble lazily at the edges, thick and unctuous.

12. 12

    Rest and serve

    Let the cassoulet rest for ten to fifteen minutes before serving. This is not optional. The dish needs time to settle, for the juices to be reabsorbed by the beans. Scatter fresh parsley over the crust and bring the whole dish to the table. Let people serve themselves, cracking through that glorious crust to reach the treasure beneath.

Chef Tips

• •Duck confit can be made weeks ahead and stored in its fat in the refrigerator. Or find a producer at your farmers market who makes it well. The quality of this one ingredient defines the dish.
• •Save every drop of duck fat you encounter. It keeps for months refrigerated, nearly forever frozen, and makes everything better. Use it here for the breadcrumb topping instead of butter.
• •If you cannot find fresh Toulouse-style sausage, look for a garlicky Italian pork sausage without fennel. The herbs should be subtle. Garlic should be present.
• •Serve with a bitter green salad dressed simply with red wine vinegar and olive oil. The richness of the cassoulet needs something sharp alongside it.
• •A sturdy red wine from the same region is traditional. Look for Corbières, Minervois, or Cahors. These wines grew up with this dish.

Advance Preparation

• •The cassoulet improves with rest. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate overnight, and reheat in a 325°F oven for forty-five minutes. The flavors deepen considerably.
• •The fully assembled cassoulet, before the final baking, can be refrigerated for up to two days. Add twenty minutes to the baking time if starting cold.
• •Leftover cassoulet reheats beautifully. Add a splash of stock if it seems dry, cover with foil, and warm at 325°F until bubbling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 475g)