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Overhead close-up of pork rillettes in an open jar with toast and cornichons on wood.

Pork & charcuterie-based cooking

Rillettes de Porc

By David Lebovitz

Spread these rillettes thickly on a baguette and add a cornichon for a sharp bite against the rich pork. Shoulder and belly cook slowly with garlic, wine, juniper and allspice until they can be pulled into soft strands. David Lebovitz’s version keeps a little texture rather than becoming a smooth pâté. Adding back the cooking fat gradually lets the meat settle into a moist, generous spread for a leisurely starter.

Prep
Not stated
Cook
Not stated
Total
Not stated
Serves6
Jump to recipe ↓David Lebovitz ↗

Ingredients

Rillettes

Method

  1. Combine shoulder, spirit, garlic, salt, pepper, juniper and allspice. Cover; refrigerate overnight.
  2. Gently render belly with water over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring; replenish evaporated water.
  3. Heat oven to 120°C / 250°F. Add marinated pork, its liquid and optional thyme; stir-cook 15 minutes.
  4. Cover; bake 90 minutes. Press fat pieces, add wine, cover and bake another 1–2 hours until very tender.
  5. Discard thyme; press remaining fat chunks, then discard those chunks.
  6. Reserve most pan fat. If juices are abundant, strain and cool until fat separates. Transfer meat, remaining juices and browned bits to a mixer bowl.
  7. Mash with paddle on low-medium speed, or a fork. Rewarm separated juices with meat, if applicable.
  8. Moisten with reserved fat, approximately 2–4 US tbsp.
  9. Serve at room temperature.

Equipment

Covered marinating bowl; Ovenproof saucepan or casserole with lid; Fork; Small bowl for reserved fat; Stand mixer with paddle, or fork for hand-mashing; Optional sieve and bowl when separating juices

Notes

  • Choosing fat: suitable belly or jowl fat renders more readily than the very firm fatback Lebovitz first tried. Ask a butcher if the cut is unclear.
  • Adjusting texture: reserve most of the rendered fat, then return what the meat needs. If it needs more moisture or richness, Lebovitz’s reply to a reader allows cooking liquid or duck fat.
  • Using rendered lard: Lebovitz permits this in another reader reply, suggesting about half the stated quantity of added fat as a starting point.
  • Seasonings: leave out juniper if you cannot find it. Bay or shallots may cook with the pork, although no quantities are given. Add optional thyme during marinating or cooking and remove its branches before mashing.
  • Avoiding added alcohol: use alcohol-free apple cider with a little lemon juice instead of both the spirits and the wine.
  • Serving: bring to room temperature and eat with baguette and cornichons, or use as a sandwich filling.
  • Storage: Lebovitz gives one week to ten days refrigerated. He advises against freezing, which can leave the thawed texture soggy.
  • Planning and belly quantity: allow the overnight marinade and long oven cooking. The source’s 5 oz and 155 g belly measures do not agree; the stated 155 g remains the recipe quantity.

Photos

11 photos
Pork rillettes, source article photographIngredientsJuniper berriesPork rillettes, source article photographStep 2Diced pork fatPork rillettes, source article photographStep 4Wine added to the cooking porkPork rillettes, source article photographStep 4Tender pork after slow cookingPork rillettes, source article photographStep 7Pulling the pork into strandsPork rillettes, source article photographFinished dishThe finished pork spreadPork rillettes, source article photographServingCornichons to serve alongsidePork rillettes, source article photographServingBaguette slicesPork rillettes, source article photographServingRillettes on bread with cornichonsPork rillettes, source article photographServingPork rillettes ready to spreadPork rillettes, source article photographServingA generous spoonful of rillettes

Rillettes de Porc

Recipe photos

About this dish

Rillettes grew from the pork-preserving cooking of Touraine households, making use of less prized cuts before town charcutiers developed the preparation during the nineteenth century. Their visible meat fibres and spreadable richness still distinguish them within French charcuterie.

The name makes David Lebovitz think of a card game: “Care to play a few rounds of rillettes?” His recipe adapts Georgeanne Brennan’s La Vie Rustic, with allspice added to suit his taste. Getting the fat right took more than one attempt. French and American butcher’s cuts did not translate neatly, and firm fatback barely rendered in his first trial; softer jowl or belly fat worked better. He and Brennan agree that the cook must judge the final texture. Different pork releases different amounts of liquid and fat, so the useful principle is to reserve most of the fat, then restore enough to make the meat moist and spreadable.

Recipe and cooking notes adapted from David Lebovitz.