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Hearty Slow-Baked Cassoulet with Chicken, Pork Belly, and Sausage Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 55 reviews

Cassoulet is a traditional French slow-cooked casserole featuring tender beans paired with rich meats like pork belly, chicken thighs, and garlic sausage. This hearty, comforting dish is simmered and baked slowly to develop deep, layered flavors and a rich crust on top.

Ingredients

Scale

Beans and Broth

  • 1 lb. dried cannellini beans
  • 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 2” pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into 2” pieces
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

Meats

  • 8 oz. pork belly
  • 4 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 12 oz. garlic sausage

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste

Instructions

  1. Soak the Beans: In a large bowl, cover the dried cannellini beans with water by 2 inches and stir in the kosher salt. Let them soak for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.
  2. Cook the Beans: In a large pot over high heat, combine the soaked beans, chicken broth, carrot pieces, celery pieces, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the beans are just tender but still with a slight bite, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain the beans into a colander set over a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard the vegetables and herbs. Return the beans to the pot and set aside.
  3. Prepare the Oven and Pork Belly: Preheat your oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the lower third. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop, cook the pork belly until it is golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the pork belly with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate.
  4. Sear the Chicken and Sausage: Pat the chicken thighs and drumsticks dry and lightly season with salt and pepper. Using the same pot and pork fat, cook the chicken over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until the skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the browned chicken to the plate with the pork belly. Next, cook the garlic sausage in the same pot, turning occasionally until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the other meats. Remove all but one tablespoon of fat from the pot.
  5. Cook the Aromatics: Over medium heat, cook the chopped onion in the pot, stirring occasionally until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute.
  6. Assemble the Cassoulet: Transfer the onion mixture and pork belly back to the pot with the reserved beans and stir to combine. Scoop half of this bean mixture into the Dutch oven. Layer the sausages on top, then spoon the remaining beans mixture over the sausage layer. Nestle the chicken pieces into the bean mixture. Pour the reserved bean cooking liquid over everything until just covered.
  7. Bake and Develop the Crust: Place the Dutch oven in the preheated oven and bake the cassoulet for 30 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, gently break the crust that forms on the surface to allow the liquid to rise to the top. Repeat this breaking of the crust every 30 minutes, 3 more times, for a total of 4 times. Continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown, about 1 hour more. If the beans begin to look dry at any point, add more water or broth by pouring it down the side of the Dutch oven to keep ingredients just covered.

Notes

  • Soaking the beans overnight ensures quicker cooking and better texture.
  • Retaining some of the bean cooking liquid adds flavor and moisture during baking.
  • Breaking the crust multiple times while baking encourages a moist interior and a rich crust on top.
  • The use of pork belly fat imparts richness, so there is no need to add extra oils for searing.
  • If you prefer, you can substitute the garlic sausage with another smoked sausage variety.
  • This dish can be made a day ahead; flavors improve after resting overnight in the refrigerator.

Keywords: cassoulet, French casserole, slow-cooked beans, pork belly, chicken thighs, garlic sausage, comforting dish

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/hearty-slow-baked-cassoulet-with-chicken-pork-belly-and-sausage-recipe/