Traditional French Cassoulet Recipe

Photo: ©BrokenSphere/Wikimedia Commons

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TRADITIONAL FRENCH RECIPE: Cassoulet is a rich southern French, slow-cooked casserole containing meat like Pork Sausages, Goose, Duck and Mutton, Pork Skin ( Couennes ) and White Beans ( Haricots Blancs ).

This dish is named after its traditional cooking dish, the cassole, a deep, round, earthenware pot with slanting sides.

It's believed that the traditional Cassoulet comes from the towns of Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Castelnaudary, in the region once known as the province of Languedoc.

This Recipe has some important steps you want to make sure to follow:
- Soak the Beans in Salted Water overnight: this will help keep the Beans tender.
- Chicken used instead of the traditional Duck picks up more flavor from the other Meats.
- The Gelatin makes a better crust.

 

 

 

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Skill Level:	Time: 6 Hours
Price:	Serves: 6-8 People

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Ingredients:

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Conversions

 

 

 

Directions:

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01 - Put the Beans in a large bowl and cover them with the Water.

02 - Add 50gr / 1.76oz / 3 tablespoons of Salt and stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature overnight.

03 - Drain and rinse the Beans and set aside.



04 - Preheat oven to 150C / 300F.

05 - Take 1 cup of Stock and sprinkle Gelatin over the top. Set aside.



06 - Over high heat, heat the Duck Fat (if using) in a large Dutch Oven until shimmering.

07 - Add Salt Pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until browned all over.

08 - Transfer everything to a large bowl and set aside ( if you're not using the Duck Fat, cook the Salt Pork with no additional fat ).



09 - Put the Chicken Pieces into the now empty Dutch Oven used previourly and season the Chicken with Pepper ( without adding Salt ) placing the skin side-down.

10 - Cook without moving for about 5-10 minutes or until well browned.

11 - Flip the Chicken pieces on the other side and continue cooking for another 3-5 extra minutes, or until lightly browned.

12 - One the Chicken pieces look done, transfer them to the bowl with Salt Pork prepared in STEP 08.



13 - Now, always using the same Dutch Oven, add the Sausages in the Dutch Oven and cook, turning occasionally, until well-browned on both sides.

14 - Transfer the Sausages to the bowl with Salt Pork and Chicken Pieces prepared in STEP 08 and 12.

15 - There will be some fat left behind, drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.



16 - Add Onions to the Dutch Oven and cook for about 5 minutes or until the Onions are translucent but not browned. While cooking the Onions, stir and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch Oven.

17 - Add the the Dutch Oven: Drained Beans, Carrot, Celery, Garlic, Parsley, Bay Leaves, Cloves, and the Stock/Gelatin Mixture prepared in STEP 05, and bring to a simmer over high heat.

18 - Reduce to low, cover the Dutch Oven and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the Beans are almost tender but retain a slight bite.



19 - Using tongs, remove and discard Carrots, Celery, Parsley and Bay Leaves.

20 - Now add Meats to the Dutch Oven and stir to incorporate, making sure that the chicken pieces end up on top of the Beans with the skin facing upwards. Make sure the Beans are completely submerged.

21 - Adjust the oven rack to lower middle position in the already preheated oven and transfer to the Dutch Oven to the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours or until a thin crust forms on top.

22 - Always check the Pot making sure it doesn't dries up. Add Water ( by pouring it carefully down the side of the pot ) when necessary in order to keep the Beans covered.



23 - Break the Crust with a spoon and shake pot gently to redistribute.

24 - Continue cooking breaking the crust and shaking the Dutch Oven every about 30 minutes until you reach the 4 1/2 hour mark.

25 - Continue cooking undisturbed for about 5-6 houts in total, without touching the Dutch Oven anymore until the crust is deep brown and thick. Serve immediately.

Notes:

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- If you cannot find Salt Pork, you could make your own Cassoulet using Pork Belly.

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Written by: Uncut Recipes

Disclaimer

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