Description
Thomas Keller’s Slow Cooker Cassoulet is a hearty, comforting French-inspired dish made with tender pork shoulder, smoky chorizo, creamy beans, and a rich tomato-wine sauce. Slow-cooked to perfection, it melds rustic flavors with crispy bacon and toasted breadcrumbs for a satisfying meal perfect for large gatherings.
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 Sauces
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 cups dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or chardonnay)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 28 oz. peeled Italian plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Other
- 1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
- 12 cups cooked Great Northern beans or cannellini beans drained (approximately 7 cans)
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 black pepper then toss until well combined. Set aside.
- Toast breadcrumbs: In a large skillet, heat canola oil and add panko breadcrumbs. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes until golden brown and toasted. Transfer breadcrumbs into an airtight container and set aside.
- Cook bacon: Cut bacon into ½-inch strips and cook in the same skillet for 4-5 minutes until crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain and pat dry. Reserve bacon fat in skillet.
- Sear pork: Brown half of the pork pieces in the skillet for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and repeat with remaining pork pieces.
- Cook onions: Add chopped onions and remaining 1 tsp kosher salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes until onions soften.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in white wine and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add tomato and broth: Stir in tomato paste, chopped plum tomatoes, and chicken broth until well combined. Transfer mixture into slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients: Slice chorizo diagonally into ½-inch slices and add to slow cooker along with drained cooked beans, browned pork pieces, and halved garlic head.
- Slow cook: Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours or until pork easily shreds with a fork.
- Finish cassoulet: Remove and discard whole garlic heads. Stir in toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Optionally, squeeze softened garlic cloves from the halved heads back into the cassoulet for extra flavor.
- Rest and serve: Let cassoulet stand for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish each bowl with crispy bacon, additional fresh parsley, and a pinch of kosher salt.
Notes
- For richer flavor, substitute canola oil with duck fat when toasting breadcrumbs.
- Using smoked Spanish-style chorizo adds a deep smoky note, but you can substitute with other sausages if preferred.
- White wine can be substituted with dry vermouth or more chicken broth if avoiding alcohol.
- Allow cassoulet to rest before serving to let flavors meld and thicken.
- If you prefer garlic flavor without texture, squeeze softened garlic cloves into the cassoulet and discard the skins before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
