Pork 

Pork & Duck Cassoulet

Steynsburg pork

INGREDIENTS

For the Cassoulet:

  • 400g (14 oz) dried white beans (like cannellini or Great Northern), soaked overnight
  • 2 duck legs (confit if you have it, fresh if not)
  • 400g (14 oz) pork shoulder, cut into chunks
  • 200g (7 oz) pork belly, cubed
  • 200g (7 oz) pork sausage (Toulouse if available, or any garlicky sausage), sliced into chunks
  • 100g (3.5 oz) pancetta or smoked bacon, diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • ½ tsp ground cloves (optional, for warmth)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Topping:

  • 1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp duck fat (or butter)
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

STEP 1

Prep the Beans

  • Soak the beans overnight.
  • Drain and simmer in fresh water for 45 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.

STEP 2

Brown the Meats

  • In a large Dutch oven, heat a spoon of duck fat or olive oil.
  • Sear duck legs skin-side down until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
  • Brown the pork shoulder and pork belly pieces. Remove and set aside.
  • Lightly brown sausage chunks and pancetta, then remove.

STEP 3

Build the Base

  • In the same pot, sauté onions, carrots, and garlic until softened.
  • Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to develop flavor.
  • Pour in white wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Stir in chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, cloves, and stock. Bring to a simmer.

STEP 4

Slow Cook

  • Return beans, pork shoulder, pork belly, sausage, and duck legs to the pot.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and simmer gently on low heat for 2½–3 hours (or bake at 150°C / 300°F), stirring occasionally, until meats are tender and flavors have melded.

STEP 5

Add the Topping

  • Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  • Mix breadcrumbs with duck fat and parsley.
  • Spread evenly over the top of the cassoulet.
  • Bake uncovered for 30–40 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp.

STEP 6

Serve & Enjoy

  • Let the cassoulet rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley and serve with crusty French bread and a glass of good red wine. 🍷

Printable Recipe Cards

Linkedin

© 2025 Steynsburg Pork   |   Website D&D Born Intelligence

Enquire Today

Fill in the form below.