Pork Rillettes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is pork rillettes made of? ›

Rillettes were traditionally made with fatty pork belly or pork shoulder. The meat was cubed, salted and cured, cooked slowly over low heat until very tender, then raked into small shreds and blended with the warm cooking fat to form a rustic paste. Rillettes could be stored in crocks for several months.

While rillette has a chunky texture, pâtés have a smoother texture. Another difference is in the type of meat that is found in rillettes and pâtés. Pâtés are made from meat such as liver, while rillette is made from chunks of meat harvested from a leg, breast, rib, or thigh.

Rillettes are best served at room temperature spread thickly on toasted bread. Don't forget to eat with cornichon and a smear of Dijon mustard. Rillettes also make amazing salads and even quiches.

Both methods consist of meat that is slow-cooked in its own fat (typically pork, though other varieties are also given this treatment on occasion) and then sealed under a layer of the fat to prevent spoilage. Rillettes are similar to pâté, in that they have a more even consistency than rillons do.

Rillettes are great served with crackers or a nice rustic loaf of bread, along with cornichons—those vinegary little French pickles—whole grain mustard, and fruit preserves.

ril·​lettes ri-ˈlets. -ˈyet. : cooked shredded meat (such as pork or duck) or fish preserved in fat.

Gizzard Rillettes are a great source of protein. (Along with a host of vitamins and minerals, and cholesterol to boot.) Plus, a slow and low braise gives plenty of time to break down this tough organ into the tender goodness it should be.

Rillettes has a rich, fatty flavor that is offset by a touch of acidity. The texture is smooth and creamy, with a slight graininess from the shredded meat. There is also a hint of smokiness from the cooking process. Overall, rillettes is an intensely flavorful experience that is sure to satisfy anyone's hunger.

Are rillettes served hot or cold? Serve salmon rillettes at room temperature. While you can certainly enjoy this dish immediately after all the ingredients are combined, allowing it to chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours first will ensure the flavors have had time to meld.

When the meat is finely and evenly shredded, transfer the rillettes to a large bowl, cover with a piece of paper greased with pork fat and refrigerate. They are best left to ripen for a few days in the fridge. Serve chilled or at room temperature, or gently warmed until the fat runs.

What wine goes with pork rillettes? ›

Burgundy Pinot Noir, a wine from the Burgundy region of France, is a great match for Pork Rillettes.

The Pork Pirates are a group of pigs. These pigs live in The Pork Camper and listen to music. In MuskStix's fandom, they're poor pigs who ride in the back of a pork truck going to a slaughterhouse.

Rillettes are best eaten after a few days when the flavors have melded, although they are also tasty straight away. The rillettes will keep in the fridge for at least 2 months, and much longer if they are entirely covered in fat with no air gaps.

If you're hoping to serve rillettes right after cooking the meat, make sure to budget at least two hours for the rillettes to set in the fridge before serving. Rillettes will last in the fridge for up to a month, or pop them in the freezer to store them for up to six months (defrost them in the refrigerator overnight).

Once opened eat within 7 days. The rillettes are preserved in fat and can last much longer, use your judgement.

In short, pâtés are usually spread over bread but sometimes can be sliced, terrines are pâtés that are pressed into and cooked in dishes and are usually served sliced, and rillettes are chunkier than both and contain meat that is cooked confit-style (in its own fat).