Rillettes
Cleaning the meat is an essential step to obtain a delicious dish, so make sure to remove the skin and any bones, focusing on keeping only the best part of the meat. After cleaning the meat, wash it well under a stream of cold water and dry it with absorbent towels to remove excess water. Cut the meat into large cubes, about 3-4 cm, to allow for even cooking and a pleasant texture.
Choose a glazed earthenware or cast iron pot, ideally with a lid, to retain moisture. Start by layering alternating layers of meat and onion. Add a bay leaf, 2-3 allspice berries, 2-3 juniper berries, 3-4 peppercorns, as well as some finely chopped garlic, freshly grated nutmeg, and sea salt to each layer. After placing a layer of meat, follow with a layer of onion, continuing this process until all ingredients are used. It is important that each layer is well seasoned to achieve an intense and savory flavor.
When you have finished layering the ingredients, place a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top or sprinkle dried thyme, then pour the remaining wine, ensuring that the liquid covers the last layer of meat and onion by about a finger's width. Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius. Let it cook for 4-5 hours or until the meat becomes very tender and pulls apart easily.
If you prefer, you can use a slow cooker, letting the dish cook for 5-6 hours. Check the top layers from time to time, ensuring they do not burn and that the wine does not evaporate completely. After cooking, remove the pot from the oven and let it cool slightly, just enough to handle the meat without burning yourself.
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve to obtain a clear sauce. Boil this liquid over medium heat for 10 minutes until it reduces and only the fat remains. Then, take the meat piece by piece and shred it with two forks, removing the spices and herbs. It is preferable to leave the meat shreds a bit larger to maintain texture.
Rillettes can be served immediately, but to achieve an authentic taste, let it cool covered with the fat obtained for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. This step allows the meat to soak in the fat, giving it a special flavor. It is best to wait 3 days to truly taste the dish.
When serving rillettes, do so at room temperature alongside fresh or toasted bread, and add pickles, green onions, or olives for a contrast of textures and flavors. Rillettes can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks in airtight containers. If you want to preserve it for a longer term, choose to store it in jars covered with hot fat or sterilize it in a water bath for 20 minutes. This way, rillettes will last between 6-9 months, giving you the joy of this refined dish whenever you want.
Ingredients: -1.6 kg of fatty pork (preferably pork belly, with all the fat, with a minimum ratio of 1/3 fat and the rest meat) -2 onions, sliced thinly -3 bay leaves -4-6 allspice berries -4-6 juniper berries -9-12 peppercorns -4-6 cloves of garlic, minced as finely as possible -nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste -2 teaspoons of sea salt -500-600 ml of good quality dry white wine -3 sprigs of fresh thyme / 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
