Cooking traditional cassoulet, refrigerating, then reheating next day?

I need to drive with the cassoulet for a couple hours on Easter Sunday. Ideally, I would build it and cook it at home in my own kitchen on Saturday, then reheat it at host destination on Sunday. OR, does anyone think it would make a whole lot of difference to build it on Saturday, refrigerate it, then actually cook it on Sunday at host destination? I guess I'm worried about travel traffic and the cassoulet being done in time.

Lenny Brown
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8 Comments

Nancy
Nancy April 3, 2022
Cassoulet - like most stews - improves after cooking.
Better to cook it day before you travel, then either freeze or refrigerate it.
Take in a cooler bag (if only chilled) to maintain safe temp while you drive.
Then heat up before dinner.
For frozen casseole, it can defrost as you drive. Or go in cooler.
Then finish thawing and heat in oven.
 
Lenny B.
Lenny B. April 3, 2022
Thank you, Nancy. My better-cooking-self thought the same about the flavor improving overnight in the fridge, but my doubter-self was worried about the crust (I do not use bread crumbs), staying crispy, it's impressive but the overall flavor won't be affected if the crust does not reheat well.
 
Nancy
Nancy April 3, 2022
Tradeoffs sometimes needed when splitting the cooking.
Sorry about losing original baked crunchy top.
Two possible l
 
Nancy
Nancy April 3, 2022
Tricks to get some crunch back...
1) pass the casserole under the grill a few minutes after it has warmed up
2) finish in the oven reheating with a bread-crumb or cracker topping.
 
Lenny B.
Lenny B. April 3, 2022
Yes, I'm not sure about the equipment I will have... other than I've been told there is a working oven. I will indeed pass it under a broiler if I can.
 
Nancy
Nancy April 3, 2022
Last, sorry, just remembered you don't use bread.
For an alternative crust, you could make one with
• nuts (untraditional)
• some of the beans from the original recipe (more traditional).
 
Lenny B.
Lenny B. April 4, 2022
I like the nuts idea.
 
Nancy
Nancy April 5, 2022
If you're thinking of nuts for a traditional French dish, consider nuts most popular there - hazelnut, walnut (early and late harvests), various reports for next place - almonds or chestnut.
 
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