Rillettes

Rillettes de Tours (Pork Rillettes)

A rustic French charcuterie from the Loire Valley: pork shoulder slowly poached in its own fat with herbs until meltingly tender, then shredded and potted under a protective layer of melted fat.

Prep

25 min

Cook

240 min

Total

265 min

Serves

8 to 10 (makes about 1 kg / 2.2 lb)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) pork shoulder, cut into 5 cm (2 in) chunks, with a good fat-to-meat ratio
• •300 g (10½ oz) pork back fat or leaf fat, rind removed, half diced for cooking, half reserved to render for the top seal
• •500 ml (2 cups) water, or dry white wine, for a slightly tangier flavour
• •20 g (4 tsp) fine sea salt
• •2 g (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground cloves or nutmeg, optional, traditional in Tours-style recipes
• •4 sprigs fresh thyme
• •2 leaves bay leaf

Steps

1. 1 In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, combine the pork chunks, the diced pork fat, water (or wine), salt, pepper, spice if using, thyme and bay leaf. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming any foam.
2. 2 Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting: the fat must barely tremble, not bubble. Partially cover and cook for 3½ to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the pork is completely tender and the liquid has reduced to a shallow layer of clear, golden fat.
3. 3 Doneness cue: a chunk of pork should crush easily between two fingers with no resistance, and shred cleanly with two forks. The pork's internal temperature will be well above 90 °C (195 °F).
4. 4 Lift the pork out with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Discard the herb stems. Strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan and let it settle for 2 minutes; pour off the clear fat into a separate bowl and reserve both the fat and any juices.
5. 5 Shred the pork by hand (traditional method) or pull apart with two forks. You want long, coarse strands, not a smooth paste. Mix in a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking juices to keep it moist, then taste and adjust salt.
6. 6 Meanwhile, gently render the reserved 150 g (5 oz) pork fat over low heat until liquid; strain and keep warm. Sterilize 2 to 3 ceramic pots or glass jars (about 250 ml / 8 oz each) by rinsing with boiling water and drying in a warm oven.
7. 7 Pack the warm rillettes firmly into the jars, leaving about 1 cm (½ in) of space at the top. Smooth the surface and let cool 5 minutes so the meat settles.
8. 8 Pour the warm rendered fat over the meat to form a continuous seal 5 mm (¼ in) thick, making sure no meat pokes through. Tap the jar gently to release any air bubbles.
9. 9 Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating so the flavours meld. Properly sealed with fat, rillettes keep 4 to 6 weeks refrigerated; once the fat seal is broken, consume within 7 days.
10. 10 Serve at cool room temperature, spread thickly on grilled country bread or toasted baguette, with cornichons and a little Dijon mustard on the side.