French Cassoulet 2024
French Cassoulet
Christmas Cassoulet 2024: The Matsuda Family Tradition
It's Christmas again. Time for cassoulet.
This isn't turkey. This isn't ham. This is the Matsuda family tradition now - French cassoulet. Duck confit, pork belly, sausages, white beans. The dish that takes two days to make and tastes like you put your soul into it.
Because you do.
Day One: The Foundation
I started two days before Christmas. Making stock from duck bones, pork bones, aromatics. Onions, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaves, black peppercorns. Simmered for hours until the liquid was rich and golden.
While the stock cooked, I prepared the duck legs for confit. Rubbed them with salt, herbs, garlic. Let them cure overnight.
The next morning, I submerged the duck legs completely in duck fat. Into the oven at low temp - 225°F for about three hours. Slow confit until the meat was impossibly tender.
I also braised the pork belly. Big chunks, browned first, then braised in stock with aromatics until fork-tender. The pork spare ribs got the same treatment - slow-cooked until the meat was falling off the bone.
The sausages - I used toulouse-style sausages - got browned separately. Just enough to get some color, not fully cooked.
Day Two: The Assembly
Christmas Eve morning, I cooked the white beans. Cannellini beans in that rich stock I made, with onions studded with cloves, carrots, celery, thyme. Let them simmer gently until tender but not mushy.
Then came the assembly. This is where cassoulet becomes CASSOULET.
Layer of beans in my big red Dutch oven. Then duck confit. Then pork belly. Then sausages. Then more beans. Then more meat. Building layers of flavor.
I poured enough of the cooking liquid over everything so it was just moistened - not swimming, but not dry either.
Into a 375°F oven. Uncovered. What you're looking for is CRUST. The top layer of beans and meat should caramelize and crisp up. That's the magic of cassoulet.
Every 30 minutes, I broke the crust and pushed it down into the beans. Let a new crust form. Did this three times over about two hours.
Christmas Dinner
By evening, the cassoulet was perfect. Dark crust on top. Bubbling underneath. The smell filled the entire house.
We gathered around the table. Scooped out portions - making sure everyone got duck, pork, sausage, and those beans that had absorbed all that rendered fat and stock.
Rich. Savory. DEEP flavor.
This is our Christmas now. Not traditional American. Not traditional Japanese. But traditional for US.
Merry Christmas.
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2024
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2023
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2022
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2021
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2020
- Dec 25, 2020 French Cassoulet 2020
- Dec 24, 2020 Sauteed Duck breast with Foie Gras
- Nov 26, 2020 Thanksgiving 2020
- Sep 20, 2020 Buffalo Testicles Stew
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2019
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2018
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2017
- Dec 25, 2017 Cassoulet
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2016
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- Apr 16, 2016 Potée
- Apr 14, 2016 Sauerkraut
- Mar 27, 2016 Gluten Free Challenge 3
- Mar 18, 2016 Detox Pasta
- Feb 24, 2016 COTELETTES D'AGNEAU
- Feb 21, 2016 Ratatouille
- Feb 9, 2016 Atelierkitchen Zen 3
- Jan 21, 2016 Galette for Cheat Meal
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2015
- Nov 30, 2015 Filet de Canard à la grenade
- May 24, 2015 Osso Bucco lamb shank
- May 7, 2015 Paella de Quinoa
- Apr 7, 2015 Gluten Free Challenge 2
- Mar 31, 2015 Gluten Free Challenge
- Mar 17, 2015 Atelierkitchen Zen 2
- Mar 11, 2015 Fegatto di Vittello al burro all'aglio
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2014
- Oct 17, 2014 Atelierkitchen Zen
- Sep 15, 2014 Duck Again!
- Aug 18, 2014 Duck is the best
- Jun 16, 2014 Caramelized Pork belly
- Jun 9, 2014 Monkfish Risotto
- May 27, 2014 Summer Vegetables Curry
- May 15, 2014 Beef achilles
- May 8, 2014 Crystal Clear Ramen
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2013
- Jun 13, 2013 Chicken with Avocado Pesto
- Apr 1, 2013 Manitas de cerdo guisadas
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2012
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- Sep 6, 2012 Shrimp and Eggplant with Spicy tomato
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- Jul 19, 2012 Lobster Pasta with Tomato Cream Pasta
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- Mar 28, 2012 Luxury Seafood with Tomato Cream Pasta
- Mar 19, 2012 Linguine alle Vongole Rosso
- Mar 18, 2012 Linguine alle Vongole Bianco
