RILLETTES DE TOURS

RILLETTES DE TOURS image

Categories Pork

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 cloves of garlic
4 med-large shallots, quartered
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, crumbled
2 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
2 lbs. pork belly, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 lb. pork fat (fatback)
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. sea salt
pinch of black pepper
1 tsp. five spice powder
additional bay leaves (for decoration) optional

Steps:

* Flatten the garlic cloves with the side of the hand. Wrap garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaves and cloves in a square of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen thread. * Remove rind (and bones) from the pork belly; cut the meat into 2 inch cubes. * Melt the pork fat in a heavy 4qt. saucepan over med-low heat. Add the pieces of pork belly and brown them, turning constantly. Remove the browned meat with a slotted spoon and strain the fat through a sieve into a small bowl. Set aside. * Place the browned meat into a slow cooker. Add the cheesecloth bag and the water, cover - leaving a little space for air to escape. * Cook on the lowest setting for 5 hours, stirring from time to time, adding a little more water (by the Tablespoon) if the mixture seems too dry. The meat needs to cook low and slow - never to be boiled. * At this point, the meat should be tender but not mushy. Remove the bag of seasoning. Stir in the salt and five-spice powder and cook for another 30 minutes. * Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm, then remove meat from the pan and shred using two forks. (The shredded meat will resemble American pulled-pork). Add the reserved fat and mix well. * Turn the spread into one large container, or divide it among several smaller ones, top with bay leaves and cover. Store in the refrigerator and serve after two days. The rillettes will keep for about two weeks. Bon appétit!