Griot

Griot with Pikliz

Haiti's national dish: pork shoulder marinated in sour orange and Scotch bonnet, braised until tender, then fried so the edges caramelise and crisp. Served with pikliz slaw and sweet fried plantain for the classic plate.

Prep

30 min

Cook

90 min

Total

120 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) pork shoulder, boneless, cut into 5 cm / 2 in chunks
• •250 ml (1 cup) sour orange juice, see note for substitution
• •120 ml (½ cup) lime juice, fresh
• •1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced but kept whole, seeds in for more heat
• •8 cloves garlic, crushed
• •1 tbsp fine sea salt
• •1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• •1 tsp dried thyme
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •1 whole small onion, sliced
• •500 ml (2 cups) water
• •3 tbsp neutral oil, for braising
• •500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for frying, e.g. canola
• •3 whole green cabbage, finely shredded, for pikliz
• •2 whole large carrots, julienned, for pikliz
• •1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper, thinly sliced, for pikliz
• •1 small white onion, thinly sliced, for pikliz
• •125 ml (½ cup) white vinegar, for pikliz
• •1 tsp salt, for pikliz
• •4 whole ripe plantains, very yellow with black spots
• •500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for frying plantains

Steps

1. 1 Make the pikliz first so the flavours can meld: combine the shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, sliced onion, and sliced Scotch bonnet in a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour over 125 ml white vinegar and 1 tsp salt, toss well, and press down so the vegetables are submerged; if they are not quite covered, top up with a little more vinegar until they are. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week, and keep it refrigerated the whole time. Discard it if it smells sour-spoiled, looks cloudy-slimey or grows a film of mould.
2. 2 Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut into roughly 5 cm (2 in) chunks. Keep some fat for flavour but remove thick hard pieces.
3. 3 Make the marinade: whisk together the sour orange juice, lime juice, crushed garlic, 1 tbsp salt, black pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and the whole pierced Scotch bonnet.
4. 4 Submerge the pork in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The acid in the sour orange both flavours and tenderises the meat.
5. 5 Transfer the pork and all of the marinade to a heavy pot. Add the sliced onion and 500 ml (2 cups) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 60-75 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pork is fork-tender and the liquid has reduced to about 3-4 tablespoons. The internal temperature should reach at least 85°C (185°F).
6. 6 Remove the pork pieces with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and the whole Scotch bonnet. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid.
7. 7 Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels; surface moisture will cause the oil to splatter during frying.
8. 8 Heat 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil in a heavy, deep skillet to about 175°C (350°F). Fry the pork in batches, without crowding the pan, for 3-5 minutes per batch until deeply browned and crisp on the edges. The internal temperature should stay above 85°C (185°F). Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
9. 9 Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the frying oil. Add the reserved pork braising liquid to the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Return the pork to the pan and toss to coat in the reduced glaze for 1-2 minutes.
10. 10 For the plantains: peel by scoring the skin lengthwise and pulling it away. Slice diagonally into 1.5 cm (½ in) pieces. Heat 500 ml (2 cups) oil to 170°C (340°F) and fry the slices for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and tender. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.
11. 11 Serve the griot hot with the glazed pan juices, a generous mound of pikliz, and the fried plantains on the side. Rice and beans are a traditional accompaniment.