Rillettes de Porc

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 140°C / 275°F.

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2. Put the pork, fat, wine, water, garlic, bay, thyme, peppercorns, cloves and salt into a heavy casserole.

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3. Cover and cook in the oven 240 minutes, until the meat falls apart at a touch and is swimming in clear fat.

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4. Lift the meat out with a slotted spoon and discard the bay, thyme and cloves. Strain the fat and keep it.

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5. Shred the meat with two forks into fine threads. Do not use a processor.

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6. Beat in enough of the warm fat to make it loose and glossy — about two-thirds of it. Season with the white pepper, allspice and more salt, then chill briefly and taste again, since cold fat mutes salt.

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7. Pack into small pots, level the tops and pour the remaining melted fat over to seal. Chill until set.

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Chef’s Tips

• Two forks, never a processor. Threads, not paste.
• Season cold, then taste again. Fat hides salt.
• The fat cap is the seal — keep it unbroken.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Toasted baguette
• Cornichons
• A glass of Chinon

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 weeks while the fat seal is unbroken; a week once opened. It freezes for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.