– Recipe by Elliot Orwick, Yard Bull Meats, Roanoke
Ingredients
2 pounds pork shoulder cut into 1″ cubes
2 pounds pork belly, skin-off, cut into 1″ cubes
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 large bay leaves
2 quarts pork stock
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt
Small crock or jelly jars
Rendered pork lard
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300℉. While the oven heats, place all the pork into a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain liquid (to remove impurities).
Place drained pork into a deep baking pan with thyme, bay leaf, and pork stock. Cook in oven until the meat is fork tender (4-5 hours).
Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove thyme and bay leaf and discard. Remove pork from the pan with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid for later use. Place warm pork into a stand mixer bowl, and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until pork is shredded and mixed together, 2-3 minutes (this step can also be done by hand by simply shredding the pork and fully incorporating using your fingers and a fork). Slowly add ½ – 1 cup pork stock into the mixer until the mixture is a spreadable texture but not too loose (pulled pork consistency). Mix in sherry vinegar, lemon juice, hot sauce, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
Spoon mixture into small crocks or jelly jars, tamping out air pockets as you go, and leave at least 1/2″ empty at the top of the container. Cool uncapped jars in the fridge. Cap rillettes with 1/4″ rendered lard and seal with lid. Jars will keep in the fridge for several weeks if the lard and seal are not broken.
Prior to serving, allow the rillette to come up to room temp, garnish with Maldon sea salt and fresh herbs and serve with pickles and toasted bread.
*This recipe can be easily modified for other fun flavor profiles, such as substituting the seasoning for Asian ingredients such as sambal, fish sauce, and lime!
