Pork Rillettes are a Classic French Recipe
By definition, pork rillettes are made using a preservation method similar to duck confit. The pork is seasoned, then slow-cooked submerged in fat and cooked at a grandmotherly pace for several hours. Afterward, the pork is shredded and packed into sterile containers, covered in a thin veneer of fat and stored. While rillettes are most commonly made with pork, they can also be made with other meats such as goose, duck, chicken, game birds, rabbits and sometimes even with fish such as anchovies, tuna, or salmon.
Pork rillettes make a perfect snack, an easy appetizer, a picnic staple, or a salad topping.
Pork Rillettes
Because of the lengthy cook time, Lisa and I like to make a big batch of rillettes every winter and freeze them in small jars ready to enjoy all throughout the year. Rillettes are best served at room temperature spread thickly on toasted bread.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (.68kg) pork shoulder boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb (.45kg) Pork Belly cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 duck legs
- 2 cups (454ml) white wine
- 5 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 cups (454ml) Melted Pork Fat (lard or duck fat)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (121ºC).
- In a large Dutch oven over high heat, combine the pork shoulder, pork belly, duck legs, wine, salt, nutmeg, star anise, cinnamon stick, rosemary, thyme, and fat.
- Bring to a boil, cover and braise in the oven for about six hours, or until the meat completely falls apart at the slightest touch.
- Remove from the oven. Use a Chinese wire mesh strainer to lift out all the solid pieces, reserving the liquid.
- Discard the duck bones, star anise, cinnamon stick, rosemary, and thyme.
- Shred the pork either by hand or put it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Pack into clean jars and top with a thin veneer of liquid fat.
- Cover and refrigerate for a few days before digging in or freeze and keep until you are ready to eat.
Notes
3 Ways to Serve Pork Rillettes:
As an appetizer: In a clear glass jar with a latching lid crammed full of pork rillettes arranged on a rustic wooden cutting board with cornichon, 24-hour pickled onions, Dijon mustard, and toasted baguette.
As heartier main course salad: I like to toss whatever bitter greens you can find at the farmers market or in your local greengrocers.
In a quiche (seriously how French is that?): In Jane Grigson cult classic Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery, she mentions a regional quiche called Quiche Tourangelle. Find a basic quiche recipe online and instead of using ham and cheese, or whatever they use as the filling simply put a layer of rillettes down.
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