Pork and Beans

Le Jambonneau de Porc

French Home Cooking at its Wintery Best

Jambonneau by Francois de Melogue

Anthony Bourdain once said, "Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one’s life." I couldn't agree more though I may add storytelling as another attribute. David, one of my friends with a prominent seat at the table of the Holy Brotherhood of the Golden Stomach once lovingly described an impromptu meal he shared with a French friend several decades before.

The pair had gone out hunting game birds early one morning before returning home empty-handed and famished. His friend’s kitchen cupboards were filled with home-canned beans and preserved pork shanks, known as jambonneau. They heated a can of flageolet beans with a can of jambonneau to make a quick hearty meal for the two of them.

Before I go any further you must understand that David has a gift for prose that I lack. His words so vividly recalled this simple meal in such great detail, that when I read his words, I could literally smell the pork and beans simmering in my very own kitchen. I must confess this meal haunted me for months.

Last week I was shopping at Marche Atwater up in Montreal and came across a package of cured jambonneau in a shop. When I saw it, I felt like I had found the holy grail. The little ham triggered the memory of David’s story so fully that I found myself licking my lips in bated anticipation. I sped home to begin cooking my very own feast.

I slow-cooked the jambonneau in a golden pool of homegrown Tarbais beans semi-submerged in a rich broth specked with carrots, onions, and aromatics. In the final cooking stages, I sprinkled toasted breadcrumbs over the top to soak up the juices and help form a crunchy crust. Somebody not quite familiar with the particularities of cassoulet might mistake my preparation for the genuine article.  

Boy oh boy was it delicious. I hardly expected as many comments and likes after I posted the pictures on social media. I must again thank David for sharing his experience. Here is my rendition.

Jambonneau of Pork with Beans

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 4 hours + 20 minutes Serves  4

• 1 pound cured Jambonneau, see notes

• 1 pound dried white beans, see notes

• 1 whole onion peeled then studded with 6 cloves

• 2 strips of bacon or a 6 ounces piece of pork skin, see notes

• 2 carrots peeled and diced

• 2 ribs celery diced

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 sprig thyme

• cold water

• ½ cup tomato puree or sauce

• 2 ounces breadcrumbs

1. To cook the beans, soak the beans in a large bowl overnight covered with a generous amount of cold water.

2. Drain the beans and place them in a large Dutch oven with the whole onion, bacon, carrots, celery, and herbs. Cover by 2 inches with water and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, usually about 1 to 2 hours. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Drain the beans, saving both the liquid and vegetables.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

4. In the same Dutch oven, spoon half the beans in the bottom of the pan. Arrange the jambonneau over the beans. Top with the remaining beans. Mix the tomato puree with the reserved cooking liquid, then pour over the beans. The beans should be just covered with liquid. Save any remaining liquid in case your beans start to dry out in the oven. Sprinkle half the breadcrumbs over the top and bake for two hours. Sprinkle with half the remaining breadcrumbs, and bake until brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes longer.

Notes

Jambonneau translates to small ham and refers to a cut from the knuckle end of a rear pork leg below the ham. In English, we might say ham hock or even shank. If you can’t find a cured jambonneau you could use a smoked ham hock or piece of ham to use instead. If you are feeling adventurous you could try preserving your own jambonneau using more commonly found pork shoulders or even pork belly.

Here are 2 recipes in French on how to do so.

·       Method One: Using Pork Shoulder, Pork Butt

·       Method Two: Using Pork Belly

The best beans for cassoulet (or anything else) in America come from a small company in California called Rancho Gordo. You can buy them directly If your local store does not sell them.

Beans can cook very quickly or take what seems like an eternity to be tender. This is usually based on the freshness of your beans. Young beans cook very quickly while older ones take longer. If you buy direct from Rancho Gordo, you can be assured that the beans are from the current harvest. My advice is to check your beans after they have cooked for an hour. I like when they are tender but not falling apart.

Note to the Notes

Magic happens in the blissful union of beans and pork fat. Add pork skin and all the beautiful gelatin it adds and it gets even better.