Description
Thomas Keller’s Slow Cooker Cassoulet is a rich, comforting French stew featuring tender pork shoulder, smoky chorizo, flavorful beans, and aromatic herbs, slow-cooked to perfection for a dish that’s both hearty and elegant.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Proteins
- 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
Seasonings and Herbs
- 3 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley plus more for garnishing
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 medium yellow onions coarsely chopped (can use 2 large onions)
- 1 head of garlic halved crosswise
- 28 oz. peeled Italian plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
Liquids
- 2 cups dry white wine (sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, etc.)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Other Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
- 12 cups cooked Great Northern beans or cannellini beans drained (~7 cans)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
Instructions
- Prepare Pork: Trim pork shoulder of excess fat and cut into 8 pieces. Place pieces in a large bowl. Add 2 tsp of kosher salt and 1 tsp pepper, toss until well combined; set aside.
- Toast Breadcrumbs: In a large skillet, heat canola oil and add panko breadcrumbs. Stir and cook over medium-high heat for 6 minutes until golden brown and toasted. Transfer to airtight container; set aside.
- Cook Bacon: Cut bacon into ½ inch strips. Place in skillet and cook for 5 minutes until crispy. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain; set aside. Reserve bacon fat in skillet.
- Sear Pork: Add half of the pork pieces to skillet and sauté 2 minutes per side until browned. Remove and repeat with remaining pork.
- Sauté Onions: Add chopped onions and remaining 1 tsp kosher salt to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes until softened.
- Reduce Wine: Pour in white wine; simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add Tomato Mixture: Stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and chicken broth until combined. Transfer this mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add Meats and Beans: Slice chorizo into ½ inch diagonal slices and add to slow cooker. Add cooked beans, seared pork pieces, and halved garlic head.
- Slow Cook: Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours, until pork is easily shredded with forks.
- Finish Cassoulet: Remove and discard the garlic halves. Stir in toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley into the slow cooker.
- Rest and Serve: Let cassoulet stand for 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cooked bacon, additional parsley, and a pinch of kosher salt per bowl.
Notes
- For enhanced flavor, substitute canola oil with duck fat.
- You may squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the halved heads into the cassoulet instead of discarding them.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control salt levels.
- Ensure beans are well drained to avoid excess liquid in the dish.
- If fresh parsley is unavailable, dried parsley can be used but add less as its flavor is more concentrated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
