Description
Thomas Keller’s Slow Cooker Cassoulet is a hearty, rich French-style bean stew featuring tender pork shoulder, smoky chorizo, crispy bacon, and a flavorful tomato and wine base. This comforting dish is slow-cooked to perfection, perfect for warming up on chilly days and serving a large group.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 3 1/2-4 lb. boneless pork shoulder
- 3 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 ounces thick-cut bacon or diced pancetta
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked or smoked Spanish-style chorizo sausage
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley plus more for garnishing
Liquids and Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
- 2 cups dry white wine (sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, etc.)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 28 oz. peeled Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Beans
- 12 cups cooked Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, drained (~7 cans)
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut into 8 pieces. Place in a large bowl, add 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Toast the breadcrumbs: In a large skillet, combine canola oil and panko breadcrumbs. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasted. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Cut bacon into ½-inch strips. In the same skillet, cook bacon for 4-5 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Reserve bacon fat in the skillet.
- Brown the pork: Add half the pork pieces to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes per side until browned. Remove and repeat with the remaining pork pieces.
- Sauté the onions: Add chopped onions and remaining 1 tsp kosher salt to the skillet. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Reduce the wine: Pour in the white wine and let simmer for 8-10 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add tomato and broth: Stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and chicken broth. Mix well, then transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker: Slice chorizo diagonally into ½-inch slices and add to slow cooker along with cooked beans, browned pork, and halved garlic.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours until the pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
- Finish cassoulet: Remove and discard the garlic halves (or squeeze cloves from garlic if desired to leave in). Stir in toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley until combined. Let the cassoulet stand for 30 minutes before serving.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle each serving with crispy bacon, additional fresh parsley, and a pinch of kosher salt for seasoning.
Notes
- Duck fat can be substituted for canola oil for a richer flavor.
- You can remove the garlic halves before serving or squeeze the softened garlic cloves from the halves to add extra flavor.
- Using low-sodium chicken broth helps control the salt level since the recipe includes bacon and chorizo.
- For best flavor, brown the pork in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
- Allowing the cassoulet to rest before serving helps flavors meld and texture improve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
