Five Spice Pork Rillettes

From the kitchen of Carly

Silky pork shoulder and fatback braised low and slow with five-spice powder, then shredded into a luxurious spread that tastes like French charcuterie with Chinese spice. Spread on toast or crackers for an elegant appetizer that does the heavy lifting for you.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
n/a
Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 13 garlic cloves
  • 11 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 11 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 12 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 11 pound skinless pork fatback (not salted), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 15 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  • 11 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
  • 15 scallions, 3 halved crosswise and 2 finely chopped
  • 12 cups water
  • 11/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon dry Sherry, divided
  • 11 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 1cheesecloth
  • 1kitchen string
  • 1a 4-cup terrine or crock
  • 1toasted baguette or crackers

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in lower third.

  2. Mince and mash garlic with five-spice powder, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Rub onto pork and fatback in a 5-quart heavy pot. Wrap parsley, bay leaf, and halved scallions in cheesecloth and tie with string. Add to pot with pork, water, and 1/3 cup Sherry and bring to a boil. Cover and braise in oven until meat is very tender, about 3 hours.

  3. Boil carrot until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in chopped scallion and cook 1 minute. Drain and cool slightly.

  4. Drain pork mixture in a large sieve set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Finely shred meat and lightly mash fatback with tines, transferring both to a bowl. Skim and reserve fat from liquid. Stir 1/2 cup liquid into meat with vegetables, remaining tablespoon Sherry and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cool.

  5. Transfer to terrine, pressing lightly. Top with 1/4 inch of fat. Cool, then chill 8 hours. Serve at room temperature.