Recipe: Pork Rillettes

Name: Pork Rillettes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 270 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: For two large jars of homemade pork rillettes:; 4.4 lb (2 kg) of farm pork shoulder with bone (have your butcher cut 5 thick ribs from the shoulder with bone); 1 large farm pork knuckle, half-salted, cut in two (approximately 2.6 lb (1.2 kg)); 3 large onions (Cévennes) cut into large dice (mirepoix); 4.25 oz (120 g) of lard; 3.2 cups (75 cl) of dry white wine (such as Sauvignon); In a large tea infuser, place:; 2 bay leaves, 2 to 3 sage leaves, 1 thyme branch, 1 garlic clove crushed with its skin, 3 cloves, and a little ginger; Ground pepper and definitely no salt

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (68 reviews) · 🍳 51 made it

Prep 30 min

Cook 240 min

Total 4h30

Servings 10 serv.

Ingredients for 10 servings

Adjust for

servings

For two large jars of homemade pork rillettes:

4.4 lb (2 kg) of farm pork shoulder with bone (have your butcher cut 5 thick ribs from the shoulder with bone)
1 large farm pork knuckle, half-salted, cut in two (approximately 2.6 lb (1.2 kg))
3 large onions (Cévennes) cut into large dice (mirepoix)
4.25 oz (120 g) of lard
3.2 cups (75 cl) of dry white wine (such as Sauvignon)

In a large tea infuser, place:

2 bay leaves, 2 to 3 sage leaves, 1 thyme branch, 1 garlic clove crushed with its skin, 3 cloves, and a little ginger
Ground pepper and definitely no salt

Step-by-step directions

1 In a Dutch oven (such as Le Creuset), melt the lard, then once it is very hot, brown your pork ribs on each side.

2 While you're doing this, preheat your oven to 265°F (130°C) (gas mark 4/5).

3 When your ribs are well browned, add your onions, let them sweat for 5 minutes, then add your little spice sachet, the white wine, 3.2 cups (75 cl) of water, and the pork knuckles without the skin*. Bring to a boil and give a good grind of pepper, then place the covered Dutch oven in the oven. It will stay there for 5 hours!

4 Every hour, open the oven and stir well so nothing sticks to the bottom. If necessary, towards the end, add a little more water or broth.

5 When everything is well cooked, using a skimmer, remove the meat pieces onto a rack over a plate, discard the little spice sachet, and strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve.

6 Wait for the meat pieces to cool slightly, then with clean hands, remove the meat from the bones and the meat from the knuckles .

7 Process to mix everything together thoroughly, being careful that no bone fragments remain.

8 Bring the strained cooking liquid to a boil, then add your meat, stir well with a wooden spatula, and bring back to a boil, then transfer to pots, stirring until cooled.

9 There you have it, you're done! Your pork rillettes are ready. All you need to do is place them either in small jars or in a large earthenware terrine. Pour a little melted lard on top so they keep well, then once completely cold, store them in the refrigerator and ideally, wait three days for the flavors to fully blend (yes, I know, it's hard!).

10 Serve with large slices of toasted country bread (such as Poilâne), a glass of good Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, or a crisp Chablis in hand. Then you won't be far from bliss.

* Some cooks cut the skin into very small pieces and incorporate it into the pork rillettes.

A chef's advice

For the white wine, a dry Sauvignon or even a dry Vouvray works fine. When serving, skip red wine. Go for a dry, mineral white: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Chablis well chilled, that's the classic pairing and it works. The acidity cuts through the richness of the lard. If you really want red, a very fresh Beaujolais with almost no tannins can work if you must. For serving, toasted country bread (good crusty stuff), nothing else. A fresh gherkin, a thin slice of white onion, a glass of whatever wine you chose. Keep it simple, keep it good.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace the white wine with cider or broth in these rillettes?

No, dry white wine is essential for the acidity that balances the fat. Cider would tint the meat pink and change the flavour. Plain broth lacks depth. Stick with a Sauvignon or dry Vouvray.

How long do rillettes keep in the fridge with lard on top?

Properly sealed with melted lard on top and closed, they last 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. You can freeze them up to 3 months in airtight containers. Wait 24 hours after thawing before serving for the flavour to settle.

How do I check that no bone fragments remain in the rillettes before serving?

After thoroughly shredding the cooled meat, work through it by hand in small batches between your fingers. Bone fragments snag your skin, you'll feel them right away. Go slowly, batch by batch, tedious but quick.