Rillettes de Tours (Rillettes de Tours)

Rillettes de Tours is one of France's oldest and most beloved charcuterie preparations — pork belly and shoulder cooked for hours in their own fat until the fibres can be pulled apart and folded with fat into a silky, spreadable paste. Tours, in the Loire Valley, is its spiritual home, and the dish dates to the 15th century. It is the antithesis of hurried cooking: patient, generous, and deeply satisfying.

Serves: 8–10 (fills one 1-litre jar)

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2¼ lb) pork belly, skin removed, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) chunks
• 500 g (1 lb) pork shoulder, cut into 5 cm chunks
• 300 g (10 oz) pork lard or duck fat
• 200 ml (¾ cup) dry white wine (a Loire Muscadet or Vouvray works beautifully)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp (5 g) sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp ground white pepper
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• Cornichons and crusty baguette, to serve

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy casserole or Dutch oven. Mix well and bring to a very gentle simmer over low heat — the fat should bubble lazily, never boil aggressively.
2. Cook uncovered (or barely covered with a lid slightly ajar) on the lowest possible heat for 4–5 hours, stirring every hour, until the meat is completely falling apart and the liquid has almost entirely evaporated, leaving meat sitting in pale golden fat.
3. Remove thyme and bay leaves. Using two forks or your hands (once cool enough), shred the meat coarsely — rillettes should have texture, not be smooth like a pâté.
4. Fold the shredded meat with the cooking fat. Taste carefully and season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and allspice.
5. Pack tightly into sterilised jars or ramekins, pressing out air pockets. Pour a thin layer of melted lard or duck fat over the surface to seal.
6. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Rillettes keep refrigerated for 2 weeks, or up to 3 months with the fat seal intact.

Cook's Notes: The long rest is not optional — the flavours need time to marry and the fat to firm. Serve at room temperature, not cold, spread generously on thick slices of toasted baguette with sharp cornichons to cut the richness.