Impressive, delicious, and easy
Pork rillette’s one of those luxury treats you pay a zillion dollars for at the store, but it’s ridiculously easy to make at home, and it keeps for a week in the fridge. And much cheaper to make at home too.
How to make pork rillette:
Set the oven to 275 F. Put half a pound of pork shoulder (also called pork butt or boneless country style ribs) in a roasting pan, sprinkle a handful of dried thyme on top, and pour a half a cup of water into the pan. Cook undisturbed, covered with a cookie sheet, for three hours.
Remove from the oven, uncover, and let the meat cool until it’s easy to handle, about ten minutes. Lift the meat out into a bowl and shred it with two forks. Pour 2/3 of the liquid (fat and water) from the pan into the shredded meat. Add a large pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg or allspice, and a teaspoon of lemon juice, mix, and pack the meat into a ramekin or tupperware. Pour the rest of the fat on top to seal it, cover, and put in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Serve with a knife, to spread on crackers.
Vegetarian or vegan
Pork rillette is not at all vegan or vegetarian, sorry.
Can I keep rillette for later?
Yes, you can keep it in the refrigerator, well sealed up in a tupperware, for a week. It won’t freeze well though.