Preserve Pork Confit at Home

Reader Contribution by Tammy Kimbler
Published on February 19, 2014
1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3

Pork confit, also called potted pork, is a frugal and tasty way to preserve meat. Like it’s cousin, duck confit, potted pork is made by lightly curing, then gently “poaching” pork meat in it’s own fat. Once cooked, the meat is then buried it in the fat, effectively keeping bacteria and air away from the meat, there by preserving it. It keeps quite well in a nice cold cellar, or in the back of your fridge, all winter long.

You barely need a recipe. While pork shoulder is often used, I went the economical route and used my locally raised fresh ham hocks. The hocks have lots of fat and meat, which are the two main requirements, and the bones and connective tissue give the confit great flavor and texture. After a brief curing with salt and flavorings overnight, the pork is slowly cooked in fat. The seasonings are classic stock flavors like onions, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves, but feel free to improvise your own combination.

Once cooked and totally submerged in fat, pork confit is ready for cold storage for up to 6 months. The meat can be pulled from the fat as needed, always recovering any remaining meat with fat. Reheat the pieces in a very hot oven, then pull the pork from the bone. Use the meat in soups and salads, finely chopped and mixed with a little fat for an unctuous rillettes spread or layered into an elegant Pork Confit Parmentier with mashed potatoes and greens. The fat also makes fantastic fried potatoes or a hot salad dressing with a little vinegar and mustard.

Pork Confit Recipe

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368