An old tradition that comes to us from the West
Mainly on the banks of the Loire where, in Tours, people already made what were called “rilles” in the Middle Ages. Tours is also the only city in France whose rillettes, always finely chopped, benefit from a PGI, Protected Geographical Indication. That said, Le Mans made it its gastronomic emblem in the 20th century when Albert Lhuissier, based in Conneré, began the industrial production of a dish that until then had been found on the tables of Touraine or on the farms of Sarthe. , Mayenne and southern Normandy.
A way to eat pork all year round
The rillettes are initially a way to preserve longer the meat of Mr pig, this unique pig that we found in all the farms and that we killed in the fall. We cooked certain pieces for 7 hours and put them in jars and covered the meat with lard to prevent it from spoiling. Incidentally, rillettes are always made like this: pieces of pork cooked for a very long time, often overnight, which are crushed by mixing in lard before covering them with lard. It’s not “light” that’s for sure but what’s good! Ideal for picnics with two or three pickles on a good slice of country bread.
Now a lot of variants
Since then, pork rillettes have grown, well, if I may say so, like goose or duck rillettes, or salmon or tuna rillettes often enjoyed as an aperitif.
The cuisine is famous dishes like rillettes, but above all it’s a lot of heart.