Description
Thomas Keller’s Slow Cooker Cassoulet is a comforting French-inspired dish featuring tender pork shoulder, smoky chorizo, creamy beans, and a rich tomato and wine sauce. This slow-cooked casserole is enhanced with crispy bacon and toasted breadcrumbs for added texture and flavor, perfect for a hearty family meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Protein
- 3 1/2-4 lb. boneless pork shoulder
- 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 (can use 2 large onions)
- 1 head of garlic halved crosswise
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley plus more for garnishing
- 28 oz. peeled Italian plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
Liquids and Broth
- 2 cups dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or chardonnay)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Other Ingredients
- 3 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 12 cups cooked Great Northern beans or cannellini beans drained (approximately 7 cans)
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: Trim excess fat from pork shoulder and cut into 8 pieces. Toss pieces with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper in a large bowl; set aside.
- Toast breadcrumbs: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add panko breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes until golden and toasted. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside.
- Cook bacon: Cut bacon into ½-inch strips and cook in the skillet for 4-5 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon, drain on paper towels, and set aside. Reserve bacon fat in skillet.
- Brown pork: Brown half the pork pieces in the skillet for 1-2 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove and repeat with remaining pork.
- Sauté onions: Add chopped onions and remaining 1 tsp kosher salt to the skillet. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Reduce wine: Pour in white wine and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add tomato base: Stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and chicken broth until combined. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker: Slice chorizo diagonally into ½-inch pieces and add to slow cooker along with cooked beans, browned pork, and halved garlic.
- Cook cassoulet: Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours until pork easily shreds with a fork.
- Finish the cassoulet: Remove garlic halves and discard. Stir in toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Optionally, squeeze softened garlic cloves into the cassoulet for extra flavor, but do not serve the whole garlic head.
- Rest and serve: Let cassoulet stand for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with crispy bacon pieces, additional parsley, and a pinch of kosher salt.
Notes
- You can substitute duck fat for canola oil to enhance flavor.
- For best bean texture, use cooked Great Northern or cannellini beans drained thoroughly.
- Allowing the cassoulet to rest after cooking deepens its flavors.
- To save time, use pre-cooked or smoked chorizo.
- Breadcrumb topping adds a wonderful crunchy contrast to the soft cassoulet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
