Cassoulet from Scratch

If you want to make a great, hearty meal for plenty of people (or even just a few), cassoulet is one of those big preparations that’s worth the effort. It takes time, but nothing is particularly difficult—you just have to plan ahead. Of course, you can buy the duck confit and sausages, and use fresh pork belly or slab bacon—and, frankly, this is what I typically do. But if you’ve got the time, there’s something uncommonly satisfying and delicious when you make all the components—duck, cured pork, sausage—yourself.