Pork cassoulet is a hearty and flavorful French stew that is typically made with white beans, pork, and sausage. It is a classic dish that is often served during the winter months. This recipe for shortcut pork cassoulet is a simplified version of the traditional dish that uses canned beans and pre-cooked sausage, making it a quick and easy weeknight meal.
In addition to the classic pork cassoulet recipe, this article also includes a vegetarian version made with chickpeas and vegetables, a slow-cooker version that can be made ahead of time, and a one-pot version that is perfect for busy weeknights. With so many delicious options to choose from, you're sure to find a pork cassoulet recipe that you'll love.
TRADITIONAL FRENCH CASSOULET RECIPE
To make traditional French cassoulet at home, substitute fresh chicken for duck confit, build flavor in the beans, and add gelatin to form a crisp crust.
Provided by J. Kenji López-Alt
Categories Mains Sausage Soups and Stews
Time 16h25m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cover beans with 3 quarts water and add salt. Stir to combine and let sit at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse beans and set aside.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place stock in a large liquid measuring cup and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Set aside. Heat duck fat (if using) in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add salt pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl, leaving rendered fat in Dutch oven, and set aside. (If not using duck fat, cook pork with no additional fat.)
- Season chicken pieces with pepper (do not add salt) and place skin side down in now-empty pan. Cook without moving until well-browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken pieces and continue cooking until lightly browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with salt pork.
- Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well-browned on both sides. Transfer to bowl with salt pork and chicken. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot.
- Add onions to pot and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until onions are translucent but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add drained beans, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, cloves, and stock/gelatin mixture. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce to low, cover Dutch oven, and cook until beans are almost tender but retain a slight bite, about 45 minutes.
- Using tongs, remove carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, and cloves and discard. Add meats to pot and stir to incorporate, making sure that the chicken pieces end up on top of the beans with the skin facing upwards. Beans should be almost completely submerged. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, until a thin crust forms on top, about 2 hours, adding more water by pouring it carefully down the side of the pot, as necessary, to keep beans mostly covered.
- Break crust with a spoon and shake pot gently to redistribute. Return to oven and continue cooking, stopping to break and shake the crust every 30 minutes until you reach the 4 1/2 hour mark. Return to oven and continue cooking undisturbed until the crust is deep brown and thick, about 5 to 6 hours total. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 612 kcal, Carbohydrate 39 g, Cholesterol 110 mg, Fiber 9 g, Protein 36 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Sodium 2651 mg, Sugar 3 g, Fat 35 g, ServingSize Serves 6 to 8, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
PORK CASSOULET
Provided by Victoria Granof
Categories Soup/Stew Bean Onion Pork Tomato Bake Dinner Lunch Bacon White Wine Fall Winter Thyme Cookie Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Makes 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- 1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- 2. Place the spareribs in a heavy pot with half the onion, half the minced garlic, and the thyme sprigs.
- 3. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
- 4. Remove the ribs; set aside.
- 5. In the same pot, over medium heat, brown the bacon.
- 6. Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat and add the celery, carrot, salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and the remaining onion and garlic (minced and whole) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- 7. Add the broth, wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, and beans. Bring to a simmer, then add the cooked ribs.
- 8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the olive oil, bread crumbs, and parsley.
- 9. Sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the cassoulet and bake for 1 hour, uncovered, occasionally pressing the bread crumbs into the cassoulet to thicken it.
- 10. Let cool and serve.
CHEF JOHN'S QUICK CASSOULET
We've taken some short cuts to make a quick version of the French classic, cassoulet. Chicken thighs replace the classic, and time-consuming, duck confit; canned beans replace dried; and bacon serves as a convenient substitute for other, more involved smoked pork options.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Stews Chicken
Time 1h25m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Add bacon to a large, cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.
- Stir in sausage slices; cook 3-4 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until browned. Remove meat to the plate with bacon. Discard all the oil, but don't wipe out the pan.
- Add chopped onion and turn the heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
- Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl, stir all the beans into the pan.
- Stir in cayenne, rosemary and thyme. Add reserved meat back to the pan. Stir in remaining cup of stock or more if needed to cover. Return to simmer.
- Mix bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and melted butter together in a small bowl.
- Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.
- Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.
- Remove the pan and push bread crumbs down into the cassoulet. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture. Return to oven and continue broiling 5 more minutes, until browned.
- Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 906.3 calories, Carbohydrate 72.2 g, Cholesterol 141.6 mg, Fat 44.2 g, Fiber 12.5 g, Protein 54.4 g, SaturatedFat 18.8 g, Sodium 2071.5 mg, Sugar 6.5 g
PORK CASSOULET
Perfect for using up stray bits and pieces from the fridge, this pork and bean stew is rich, warming and cheap to prepare
Provided by Jack Monroe
Categories Dinner, Main course, Supper
Time 2h45m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Put a large ovenproof pan (with a tight-fitting lid) on a high heat. Add your fat and diced meat, cook for a few mins to seal the edges, giving it a quick stir to cook evenly. Reduce the heat to low, add the sliced onion, whole garlic cloves, carrot and fennel seeds, and cook gently to soften the veg for a few mins.
- Pour over the red wine vinegar, scraping any meaty bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, tomato purée, and half the rosemary and parsley. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins, then season, cover with a lid and put into the oven for 2 hrs, removing the lid for the final hour of cooking. Stir occasionally and add the beans with 30 mins to go.
- Remove the pan from the oven and heat the grill. Scatter the top with the remaining herbs and breadcrumbs, drizzle a little oil over the top, and return to the oven for 5-10 mins, until the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve with crusty bread and green veg.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 501 calories, Fat 30 grams fat, SaturatedFat 11 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 26 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 6 grams sugar, Fiber 8 grams fiber, Protein 28 grams protein, Sodium 2.1 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Use good quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the cassoulet will be. Look for fresh, organic vegetables and high-quality pork.
- Don't skimp on the beans: Beans are the heart of a cassoulet, so don't be afraid to use plenty of them. A good rule of thumb is to use about 1 pound of beans for every 4 servings.
- Soak the beans overnight: Soaking the beans overnight will help them cook more evenly and prevent them from becoming tough.
- Use a variety of beans: Different beans have different flavors and textures, so using a variety of beans will give your cassoulet a more complex flavor. Try using a combination of white beans, black beans, and kidney beans.
- Don't overcook the beans: Beans are done cooking when they are tender but still hold their shape. Overcooked beans will become mushy and ruin the texture of your cassoulet.
- Use a good quality sausage: The sausage is another important flavor component in a cassoulet. Look for a sausage that is made with high-quality pork and has a good smoky flavor.
- Brown the sausage and vegetables before adding them to the cassoulet: Browning the sausage and vegetables will help develop their flavor and add depth to the dish.
- Use a flavorful broth: The broth is the liquid that the cassoulet is cooked in, so it's important to use a broth that has a lot of flavor. A good option is to use a combination of chicken broth and beef broth.
- Season the cassoulet well: Cassoulet is a hearty dish, so don't be afraid to season it well. Use a combination of salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs to taste.
- Let the cassoulet rest before serving: Letting the cassoulet rest for a few minutes before serving will allow the flavors to meld together and the dish to thicken up.
Conclusion:
Cassoulet is a classic French dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is a hearty and flavorful stew that is made with beans, pork, and sausage. Cassoulet is a relatively easy dish to make, but it does take some time. However, the results are definitely worth the effort. If you are looking for a delicious and comforting meal, give this shortcut pork cassoulet recipe a try.
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