Rillettes de Tours

Cut the pork and fat

Cut the pork shoulder, pork belly and back fat into roughly 4 cm chunks. Keeping the pieces this size (not smaller) helps the meat cook gently and stay moist rather than drying out.

• 1 kg pork shoulder
• 500 g pork belly
• 300 g pork back fat

✅ C'est prêt quand : all the meat and fat are cut into even chunks

Build the pot

Put the meat and fat into a heavy, oven-safe pot (a Dutch oven works well). Add the water, wine, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, ground cloves, salt and pepper. Stir once so everything is coated.

• 250 ml water
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 15 g salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

✅ C'est prêt quand : everything is combined in the pot and lightly coated in the liquid

Cook low and slow

Cover loosely and cook in the oven at 140°C (284°F) for about 4 hours, stirring every hour, until the pork is so tender it falls apart at a touch of a spoon. The pot should barely bubble; if it ever boils hard, turn the heat down — a gentle simmer is what makes rillettes silky instead of tough.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the meat shreds easily with a spoon and the fat has fully melted around it

Strain and separate

Pour the whole pot through a colander set over a bowl, keeping all the melted fat and jellied cooking juices. Pick out and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Let the meat cool for 10 minutes, just until it is safe to handle but still warm.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the meat is separated from the liquid fat and juices, and cool enough to touch

Shred the meat

While still warm, pull the meat apart with two forks or your fingers into coarse, uneven shreds. Rillettes should look rustic, not smooth like a pâté — avoid chopping or blending it.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the meat is pulled into coarse, loose shreds with no large chunks left

Mix and season

Return the shredded meat to a bowl and mix in enough of the reserved fat and juices, a little at a time, until the mixture is moist and holds together but is not swimming in liquid. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper; it should taste quite well seasoned, since the flavor mellows once chilled.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the mixture is moist, well seasoned and holds its shape on a spoon

Pack and seal

Pack the rillettes tightly into clean jars or ramekins, pressing down with the back of a spoon to remove air pockets. Pour the remaining reserved fat (melting the extra lard first if you need more) over the top in a layer at least 5 mm thick, completely sealing the surface. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving, so the flavors settle and the fat sets firm.

• 50 g extra lard

✅ C'est prêt quand : the rillettes are fully sealed under a layer of set fat and have chilled at least a day