Traditional Toulouse Cassoulet Recipe with Confit Duck

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with the pork skin, onion, carrot, bouquet garni, and stock; simmer gently for 1 hour until just tender but not falling apart.

2. 2

   Brown the pork shoulder and salt pork in a heavy skillet with a little duck fat over medium-high heat until deeply caramelized, then set aside.

3. 3

   Sear the sausages in the same skillet until browned, then slice them into 2-inch rounds.

4. 4

   Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid (pot liquor) and the pork skin; discard the onion, carrot, and bouquet garni.

5. 5

   Line the bottom of a large earthenware cassole or Dutch oven with the cooked pork skin, fat side down.

6. 6

   Layer half of the beans over the skin, followed by the browned pork shoulder, salt pork, and half of the sausages, seasoned generously with black pepper and the minced garlic.

7. 7

   Add the remaining beans on top, then nestle the duck confit legs and remaining sausages into the top layer of beans.

8. 8

   Whisk the tomato paste into 3 cups of the reserved bean cooking liquid and pour over the beans until they are just barely covered.

9. 9

   Bake uncovered at 300°F (150°C) for 2 to 3 hours.

10. 10

    Break the brown crust that forms on top with a spoon every 30 minutes, pushing it back into the beans and adding more reserved liquid if the pot looks dry.

11. 11

    Repeat the crust-breaking process exactly seven times, allowing the final crust to remain undisturbed for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

12. 12

    Remove from the oven and let the cassoulet rest for 20 minutes before serving to allow the liquids to set.