Confit pork belly Touraine style

Ingredients for 16 servings:

• 2 ½ kg pork belly, boned, without rind
• 20 sprigs of thyme, fresh
• 2 bay leaves, fresh
• 6 g peppercorns, black
• 45 g sea salt, coarse
• 1 kg lard
• 1 bottle of white wine (Vouvray or Riesling)

Instructions

Working time approx. 2 hours; Rest period approx. 2 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 days 5 hours 30 minutes

Rillons de Touraine

Depending on whether the rillons are to be eaten immediately or preserved in smaller jars in portions, cut the pork belly as evenly as possible into large cubes (6 cm) or 1-2 cm thick slices. Strip the thyme leaves and grind them together with the bay leaves, pepper, and half of the salt to a not-too-fine herb salt. Rub the sliced ​​pork belly well with this. Let it rest for 48 hours, preferably vacuum-sealed. Pat the cubes or slices dry if necessary and carefully fry them in portions over medium heat until dark golden brown. Melt the lard in a saucepan and add the pork belly, any fat rendered during frying, the wine, and the remaining salt. Depending on the size of the pork belly pieces, simmer uncovered over low heat for 1 1/2-2 hours. Stir gently occasionally. Then simmer uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours until the wine has completely evaporated. Occasionally skim off the foam and stir carefully. The fat temperature should not exceed 100°C. When the rillons are as tender as butter, remove them from the lard. To eat immediately, drain the rillons, filter the lard, and enjoy otherwise. To eat within a few weeks, pour the hot, filtered lard over the still-hot rillons in a lard pot, ensuring they are completely covered to a thickness of at least 2 cm. Store in the refrigerator. To preserve, pour the filtered lard over the rillons in jars, seal the jars, and simmer for at least one hour at 87-90°C. We recommend letting the rillons mature for 3-4 weeks. The enjoyment depends on the quality of the basic ingredients. Investing in a good wine is particularly worthwhile. Enjoy the preserved rillons either at room temperature on fresh bread, or heat them gently in a pan and fry a few potato slices in the lard from the rillons.