Simplified Cassoulet with Pork and Kielbasa

Name: Simplified Cassoulet with Pork and Kielbasa
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 cup, kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt; 1 cup, granulated sugar; 10 , bone in chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds), skin and excess fat removed; 6 slices, high-quality sandwich bread slice, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3 cups); 3 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted; 1 pound, dried flageolet beans or Great Northern beans, picked over and rinsed; 1 , medium onion, peeled and left whole; 1 medium head, garlic, outer papery skin removed and top 1/2 inch sliced off; 1 teaspoon, table salt; 1/2 teaspoon, ground black pepper; 6 slices, bacon (about 6 ounces), chopped medium; 1 pound, boneless pork loin roast (blade-end), trimmed of excess fat and silver skin and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 , small onion, chopped fine; 2 medium cloves, garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press; , 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained; 1 tablespoon, tomato paste; 1 sprig, fresh thyme; 1 , bay leaf; 1/4 teaspoon, ground cloves; , Ground black pepper; 3 1/2 cups, chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth; 1 1/2 cup, dry white wine; 1/2 pound, kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated January/February 2000

SERVES8

TIME3 hours, plus 1 hour brining

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

To streamline our cassoulet recipe without compromising its essential character, we used brined chicken thighs cooked in bacon fat, which simulated the smoky flavor and moist texture of confit. With our mock confit in place, we made short w...

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