Discover a delicious traditional veal rillettes recipe
The rillettes began as an age-old preservation technique—essentially nature’s refrigerator. Long before electric fridges, families cooked meat slowly in fat so it would keep through the winter, much like dried meats or sausages. Back then this charcuterie was less a delicacy than a way to survive.
And, as you’ll soon discover, the same process also locks in the goodness of any vegetables you add—two benefits in one pot.
Ingredients
Veal – Choose any cut you like; purists may prefer shoulder or breast, but what truly matters is quality. Opt for responsibly raised, local meat whenever possible—it makes a world of difference.
Tomatoes – Tomato rillettes might sound unconventional, but trust me, they’re fantastic. The tomato taste won’t dominate; its natural glutamates simply amp up the savoriness of the whole batch.
My friends are already hooked!
How to serve veal rillettes
The beauty of rillettes is their versatility: smear them on crusty artisan bread, layer them in a sandwich, scoop them straight from the jar, or dollop onto a salad—pure satisfaction every time.
If you’re feeling adventurous, whip up my chicken rillettes at the same time for double the fun.
Tips for flawless veal rillettes
First and foremost, patience. Let the mixture simmer for a loooong time—far longer than a country pâté. This slow cooking is one of two non-negotiables for perfect rillettes.
The second key is salt. Precision to the gram isn’t vital—especially with all the vegetables—but stick close to 10 g of salt per kilo of meat. Any less and the rillettes taste flat; any more and they become unbearably salty.
Veal Rillettes
Ingredients
- 1 kg veal
- 10 g salt
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs chives
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 400 g lard or another animal fat (beef, duck, goose, etc.)
- 1 glass water (add half first; once the fat has melted, make sure the meat is completely submerged)
Procédé
- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and set over low heat (3–4 on a scale of 10).
- Simmer uncovered for 4–5 hours.
- Turn off the heat, lift out the herbs, and discard them.
- Transfer the meat and vegetables to a large bowl and shred.
- In the pan you’ll see two layers: clear fat on top and dark, intensely flavourful juices underneath. We definitely want to keep those juices!
- Set a second bowl nearby. With a ladle, skim as much of the surface fat as you can into it, leaving mostly the juices in the pan.
- It’s fine if a little fat remains; pour everything from the pan into the veal bowl and stir to combine. Your rillettes are ready!
- Jarring: Have clean jam jars or other airtight containers ready. Layer two tablespoons of rillettes, then one tablespoon of the reserved pure fat, repeating until the jar is full. Finish with a final spoonful of fat.
- Seal tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks—or 1 week once opened—unless you’re comfortable sterilising jars, which is another story.
