Cassoulet and Boston Baked Beans come from the same cooking tree, so to speak. Here in this article Daniel Gritzer says cook the beans first because molasses can inhibit the beans cooking.
"Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, then cook the beans until they’re done. I made the mistake early on in my testing of precooking them to just shy of doneness, and the result was an endless baking time due to the powerful effect of molasses. Take my word for it: You want the beans creamy and tender before they even go in the oven. "
I have read, as Amandarama points out, that tomatoes can make the beans tough. I don’t plan on adding any tomatoes, just the basics, a well minced mirepoix, bay leaf, meats (chicken legs.thighs, sausage, smoked ham hock), beans and a simple chicken stock. Hopefully nothing in that list will inhibit the beans. I mean, who doesn’t like an uninhibited bean!? If it does, I’ll have learned something and that’s good too.
Another thought occurred, beans, even soaked beans, will absorb a certain amount of the cooking water. If cooked all together they will absorb some of the chicken stock. All good flavor wise, but it does alter the ratio of liquids needed to braise. I will take that into account as I check on it as it cooks. Most recipes mention breaking the crust that is forming to allow more of the braising liquid to caramelize on the surface, so it won’t really add to the labor, will just take note and add more stock if needed.
Yes, Paula Wolfert’s recipe that I linked to earlier seems to be designed for the beans to absorb the stock and other liquids without overwhelming the beans. She is very meticulous about it: the beans are soaked overnight, and then drained, brought to boil alone with fresh water, simmered for a few minutes, and skimmed (the foam that often comes off dried beans; I’m guessing most people would skip this step and have one less pot to clean.) Then they are put into the stock/meats/tomato ragu that has already simmered for an hour, and the whole thing is simmered for another two hours, or until the beans are done, before being refrigerated overnight.
Her note to the cook specifies that the tomato acid is there precisely to keep the beans from cooking too rapidly, so they can stand up to the long braise and absorb more of the stock and meat flavors. It’s only one large plum tomato or 1 tbs of rich tomato paste, so just a touch of acid. This step too will seem like overload to many cooks.
When the complete cassoulet is assembled and baked the following day, she’s careful to specify putting all the solids in first, and then adding just enough of the liquid to cover the beans by about 1 inch (so the beans aren’t overloaded with liquid). I’ve made this recipe several times and the beans turned out very well every time, although they were purchased from different suppliers.
So checking on the liquid level and the texture of the beans throughout the baking is a very good point, start low and add more stock if needed.
Very interesting point on the acid and overcooking. Even without pre-cooking the beans I was wondering about them getting over cooked. Beans only take about an hour to cook so even a 3 or 4 hour braise is plenty of time. I also like the flavor a bit of tomato would add and think I’ll risk a tbsp of tomato paste.
saw this here - just wanted to add - Ive made the Wolfert recipe and it is truly spectacular and not arduous when you take it step by step. Really unmatched amalgam of flavors and textures. My guests swooned. Not to say something simpler and good can be made.
I like feijoada very much, but the ones Ive had have not been on the same level. There are some very good stewed bean dishes across the mediterranean basin from portugal to turkey - for that matter.
Another delicious but less complicated one from Wolfert’s Southwest France - Glandoulat, red beans with pork and carrots, cooked with red wine. Thanks for reviving this thread - I think I will cook it this weekend!
I had a Brazilian feijoada last week from a hole in the wall in Toronto, and it was one of the best braised meat and beans I’ve tasted. Better than Brazilian feijoada I’ve tried in NYC, and better than what I have made at home.
I haven’t made Wolfert’s cassoulet yet. I have mostly ordered or purchased cassoulet.
The north of Spain prides itself on its braised beans and meats, too. I tried around a dozen versions over a weeklong visit. I was tired of beans by the end of that week!
There was quite a bit of testing done by one of the cooking mags (dont remember which)
Salting beans while soaking oe cooking produces better flavor but doesnt affect them softening.
Acid, however - even what seems to be a tiny amount - will keep them hard as rocks forever.
My own experience supports this…i don’t add ketchup, molasses, any tomato products at all until the beans are soft, as Ill have a slow cooker full of pebbles.
This is my Goosoulet. I used about 2 cups of Christmas goose, a pork chop from Xmas morning, goose stock, cooked white beans, and followed the seasoning fairly closely from Paula Wolfert’s Toulouse-style cassoulet (one onion, 3 carrots, garlic, celery, thyme, bay leaf, a plum tomato and parsley). Panko on top. I did have more veg: less beans: less meat than her recipe.
Last week I made my first cassoulet using a 2-4 D’Artagnan kit. It was very, very good and everything came out perfectly. But it made enough for 12-14 (at this stage in life my wife and I are small eaters), so we have tons in the freezer.
Tons of cassoulet in the freezer sounds like a feature, not a bug!
I used to cook stews in a 6 quart stock pot and freeze them in Tupperware containers with 14 ounce servings. When I decided I needed to lose weight, I refused to quit cooking rich foods, but I started freezing my stews in 12 ounce portions.
I imagine you can figure out how well THAT worked out.
brining dried beans. Me too. 
