French · Starter · Easy
Rillettes
Slow-cooked pork shredded into its own fat until spreadable, seasoned with thyme and pepper. The original French comfort spread.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Rillettes, in 5 ideas
- Low and slow is everything; rushing makes tough meat instead of silk.
- The fat cap on top is the traditional seal that preserves the rillettes for weeks.
- Serve at room temperature, never fridge-cold; the texture should be creamy, not waxy.
- Duck rillettes follow the same method and are even more luxurious.
- A glass of dry white wine or a cold beer is the perfect partner.
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut in chunks
- 1/2 lb pork fat or belly
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
How to make it
Directions
- Combine everything in a Dutch oven with 1 cup of water.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook at 300F for 4 hours until the meat falls apart.
- Remove the onion, bay, and thyme. Shred the meat with two forks, leaving some texture.
- Beat the shredded meat with enough of the cooking fat to make a spreadable paste.
- Pack into jars, pour a thin layer of melted fat over the top to seal, and chill overnight.
- Serve at room temperature with cornichons and crusty bread.
Money saver. Pork shoulder is one of the cheapest cuts in the case. This peasant dish turns bargain meat into something that tastes like a fortune.