# Pig Jam



## Oaken (Jan 28, 2015)

I'm going to try making rillettes for the first time for Sunday.
Probably following Bourdain's recipe, with some garlic and herbs added.

I'd appreciate any tips you guys have.


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## daveb (Jan 28, 2015)

Uhmmm. Bad news is that Pig Jam is in Plant City, just outside Tampa. Good news is that it's not until November. So you have time for some practice runs...

You know the pics or it didn't happen drill?


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## WildBoar (Jan 28, 2015)

tkern made this all the time at A&S -- hopefully he'll see this and chime in.


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## Dardeau (Jan 28, 2015)

I have no idea what Bourdain's recipe is, but as long as you are slow cooking pork with some sort of aromatics in a fat and stock mixture, and mixing the reduced stock and some of the skimmed fat back in, maybe with a little mustard, it is going to taste pretty good. Go from that point to make it taste the way it makes you happy. What cut of pork are you planning on using? The fat content is important in the rillette game.


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## tkern (Jan 28, 2015)

What Dardeau said. Also decide if you want a smooth rillette, where the pork has been mixed in a robot coupe, or a chunkier rillette, where the pork is mixed with a paddle. Next think if you want it to be something dipped (potted) into, and if so save some fat to cover the top of it, or if you want it rolled into logs with plastic wrap to be sliced. And pickles always go nice with rillette.


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## Zwiefel (Jan 28, 2015)

I have no idea what Rillettes are......but I get the definite sense that is my loss. :sad0:


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## apicius9 (Jan 28, 2015)

Pork in pork fat, what's not to like? Thanks for the tips, always wanted to try that. Unfortunately, making it for myself in small portions seems not worth it, and all my friends here are health nuts who would run away if I offered that... 

Stefan


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## WildBoar (Jan 28, 2015)

apicius9 said:


> ...and all my friends here are health nuts who would run away if I offered that...


Wow, they sure don't sound like friends material to me :viking:


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## apicius9 (Jan 29, 2015)

I think I can say that with a very high probability I am the heaviest Public Health and Health Psychology expert in the country. Gotta be proud of something 

Stefan


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## Oaken (Jan 29, 2015)

Dardeau said:


> I have no idea what Bourdain's recipe is, but as long as you are slow cooking pork with some sort of aromatics in a fat and stock mixture, and mixing the reduced stock and some of the skimmed fat back in, maybe with a little mustard, it is going to taste pretty good. Go from that point to make it taste the way it makes you happy. What cut of pork are you planning on using? The fat content is important in the rillette game.



Bourdain's recipe is just belly and shoulder with a 2:1 ratio and S&P. I've read others that use garlic, bay, thyme and parsley and I plan on adding those.
Some recipes start with a layer of fat pieces (not already rendered), so I'm hunting for a bit of that.
I like the idea of a touch of mustard.
I'm going to pot it in small bell jars and then fat cap them and store in the garage beer fridge.

I'm a fairly healthy eater, but what is life without a bit of pork fat?


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## Oaken (Jan 29, 2015)

Zwiefel said:


> I have no idea what Rillettes are......but I get the definite sense that is my loss. :sad0:


why it's pig jam!
I actually got inspired after reading your hog butchering thread. 
I think it was a common way to preserve scraps back in the pre refrigeration days.


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## Zwiefel (Jan 29, 2015)

Oaken said:


> why it's pig jam!
> I actually got inspired after reading your hog butchering thread.
> I think it was a common way to preserve scraps back in the pre refrigeration days.



Went a read up on it....man...spreadable pork, that's a whole new area of exploration!


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## Dusty (Jan 29, 2015)

Bourdain's recipe looks pretty sound. For a nice, savoury mellow garlic flavour, I'll add lots of peeled garlic to my cooking pork and then just squish that into the pork. I also like to shred the pork with my hands, rather than forks, its a visceral pleasure.

I don't like adding many herbs, because of the shelf life issue, if anything perhaps some thyme.

Quatre Epices (French four spice mix) is also a pretty traditional and delicious seasoning for rillettes, and I like to keep some in my pantry for lots of charcuterie uses.

7 parts ground white pepper
1 part ground nutmeg
1 part ground clove
1 part ground cinnamon


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## brainsausage (Jan 29, 2015)

I prefer pork belly, and cofiting in duck fat. I also like to cure the belly for a couple days ahead of time, intensifies flavor and gives a nice finished color.

Cube the belly and toss with the following:
1.8% kosher salt
.25% instacure #1(optional, but really changes the flavor profile IMO)
2% turbinado sugar
.5% coarse ground black pepper
.5% white pepper fine grind
.1% mace
.5% garlic powder
.5% onion powder
.5% mustard powder
.1% fennel seed fine grind
.1% fresh thyme
1-2 bay leaves, fine grind for every 2# pork
1/3 cup riesling for every 2# pork ( a decent Gewurztraminer will also work)

Let pork cure for 48 hours under refrigeration, overhauling after 24 hours. Alternately, you could vac seal, and skip the overhauling. Confit at 275 degrees farenheit for approximately 3-4 hours or until the pork is close to mashable. Let cool, and whip in a stand mixer at low speed with the paddle attachment while slowly adding room temp fat until you reach the desired consistency. I like to take about a third of the confited pork (before whipping) and sear them lightly, adds a little more nuance and texture to the finished product. I use dried garlic over fresh, as I find it to be less aggresive. Not a big fan of raw garlic in general honestly. If you don't have any mace, well- you really should, it's much more interesting than nutmeg. I haven't confited sous-vide in a bit, so I can't recall off the top of my head the time/temps...


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## brainsausage (Jan 29, 2015)

In addition- if you use the above recipe, and then tightly pack the mixture into small ramekins, and seal with warm fat, They'll keep for a ridiculously long time in the fridge.


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## tkern (Jan 29, 2015)

You're really letting us down with the sous vide time and temp. People here want details and you're just not delivering.


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## brainsausage (Jan 30, 2015)

Sorry Travis. I'll do bettererer next time...


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## daveb (Jan 30, 2015)

Could be worse. On another forum someone asked for time/temp to sv a hot dog before searing on grill. Ha!


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## mise_en_place (Feb 1, 2015)

Zwiefel said:


> I have no idea what Rillettes are......but I get the definite sense that is my loss. :sad0:



Check out this duck rillettes recipe: [video=youtube_share;mb-pXczfe7A]http://youtu.be/mb-pXczfe7A[/video]


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