Pork Rillettes Recipe: Classic French Charcuterie Spread 2026

Pork rillettes are one of the great treasures of French charcuterie, a rustic spread made by slowly confiting pork in its own fat until the meat collapses into tender, spoonable shreds. The most famous versions come from Tours and Le Mans: the Tours style is golden from searing the meat uncovered, while the Le Mans style skips the searing for a finer, paler texture.

The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, when cooks preserved meat by cooking it gently in fat at low temperatures for hours. This version stays close to that French heritage, using just a handful of ingredients: fresh pork shoulder and belly, lard, garlic, thyme, rosemary, a clove, nutmeg and a splash of brandy.

The result is spectacular and rewards patience more than skill. After four hours in the oven the meat is shredded, mixed back with its confit fat and left to mature in the fridge, where the flavors deepen over several days.

Ingredients for Pork Rillettes

This recipe makes about 10 servings, ideal for serving as an appetizer or starter.

• 800 g fresh pork shoulder, diced
• 260 g pork lard (40 g for searing and 220 g for confiting)
• 240 g fresh pork belly, cut into pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 clove
• 1 shallot, peeled
• 12 g salt
• 2 g black peppercorns
• 100 ml brandy or dry white wine
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 1 dried bay leaf

How to Make Pork Rillettes Step by Step

1. Sear the Pork Shoulder

Sear 800 g of fresh diced pork shoulder in 40 g of lard in a heavy pot, preferably cast iron, over very high heat. It is best to sear the meat in batches, because if you add it all at once the juices will pool in the pot and the meat will stew instead of browning. Preheat the oven to 120 °C (250 °F).

2. Add the Pork Belly, Garlic and Bouquet Garni

Add 240 g of fresh chopped pork belly to the pot along with 4 peeled garlic cloves. Make a bouquet garni with 10 sprigs of fresh thyme and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, and add it to the pot as well.

3. Add the Salt and Black Peppercorns

Stick 1 clove into 1 peeled shallot and add it to the pot together with 12 g of salt and 2 g of black peppercorns. Ground black pepper works just as well here.

4. Add the Lard and Mix

Add 220 g of pork lard and stir to combine. You can substitute duck fat for the pork lard, which gives an exceptional flavor, though it is harder to find unless you order it online.

5. Pour in the Brandy

Once the lard has melted, add 100 ml of brandy, or dry white wine if you prefer, along with 1 dried bay leaf. Let everything come up to a boil.

6. Cover and Bake

Cover the pot, take it off the heat and place it in the oven so the meats confit for 4 hours. Stir the rillettes with a wooden spoon from time to time. They can stay in the oven for up to 6 hours, though that works best when the pieces of meat are not too small.

7. Strain the Meat from the Fat

Remove the pot from the oven, take out the bouquet garni, the shallot and the bay leaf, and tip the meat into a strainer to drain off all the fat and liquid released during confiting. Reserve this fat to use again later.

8. Shred the Meat

Shred all the meat with the help of a fork, or with clean hands if the meat is not too hot.

9. Mix with the Confit Fat and Chill

Return the shredded meat to the pot and pour in 125 ml of the fat it was confited in, mix well and let it rest for 24 hours in the fridge.

10. Whisk to Lighten the Rillettes

Add 80 g of the fat used to confit the meats and beat the meat to mix and lighten the rillettes a little. You can do this with an electric mixer or with a whisk.

11. Jar the Rillettes and Let Them Mature

Store the rillettes in the fridge in previously sterilized jars, covered with a little of the fat used to confit the meats to improve their keeping. Ideally the rillettes should mature in their jars for 3 to 7 days in the fridge so the flavors develop fully.

12. Serve the Rillettes

To serve the rillettes, take a jar out of the fridge, let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature and serve with sourdough toast, gherkins and coarse-grain mustard.

Tips for the Best Pork Rillettes

Use the Right Cuts

For the perfect texture you need a combination of two cuts of pork: the shoulder and the belly, both fresh and neither cured nor salted. The fat can come from pork or from duck, and duck fat gives an exceptional flavor. Aromatic herbs and spices such as thyme, bay, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves round out the flavor of the rillettes.

How Much to Serve per Person

If you serve the rillettes as a starter or appetizer, 50 g per person is enough, but if you want to serve them as a main dish, plan on 80 to 100 g per person. They are served at room temperature, usually with pickled gherkins and Dijon mustard to balance their richness.

Serving and Pairing Ideas

Rillettes can also be presented with jams or chutneys, and it is worth sprinkling them with a pinch of Maldon salt or grey sea salt. They also pair beautifully with a few grapes or with pickled onions.

30 Go-To Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a rotation that covers cozy classics, dishes from around the world, and sweets that make everyone happy.

Some nights I want something luxuriously rich, and that's when I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a truly indulgent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I'm after something fruity and soothing, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my reliable pick.

For mornings that call for something easy and for lighter plates, I'll whip up these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And whenever I need a gluten-free staple for the pantry, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

When tapas and Mediterranean cooking are calling, I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crispy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, silky Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This crisp Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion feels a bit more special.

Hearty midday meals and comforting suppers? These are the ones I'm always recommending: this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, traditional Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply savory Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and velvety Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When I'm after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, rustic Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually lead me to this juicy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crackly Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine for a quick appetizer or snack.

And when I'm hosting and putting together drinks alongside a full menu, I'll often serve dinner with this refreshing Original Cuban Mojito recipe, this potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To bring the whole table together, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or finishing things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for Your Family

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes boil down to three things: straightforward methods, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something a little more celebratory for friends and family.

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When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually make the classic Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For cozier, more filling meals, I frequently point people to the satisfying Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also a big fan of sharing dishes with roots in other countries, such as the authentic Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crispy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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