Haitian Pork Griot
Pork griot (pronounced gree-oh) is one of Haiti’s most loved dishes, and it’s easy to see why. Big chunks of pork shoulder are marinated in citrus and Scotch bonnet chilies, then simmered until very tender before being fried crisp and brown.
Ingredients
- 1 small Scotch bonnet or habanero chili
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, more for serving, chopped
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more thyme leaves for serving
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cane vinegar or cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 orange or lemon
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3-pounds pork shoulder, not too lean, cut into 1-½ inch chunks
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted or olive oil, more as needed
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Quarter the chili; remove the seeds and membranes.
- Finely chop one quarter; leave the rest in whole pieces.
- Handle pieces carefully, preferably while wearing gloves, as they are extremely hot.
- Transfer quartered and chopped chilis to a large Dutch oven, or heavy pot, with a lid.
- Add onion, bell peppers, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and garlic.
- Stir in vinegar, orange or lemon juice, lime juice and Worcestershire sauce; add pork; thoroughly covering the meat.
- Cover pot and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, remove from refrigerator at least 1 hour and no more than 3 hours before cooking.
- Pre-heat oven to 325°F.
- Place pot over high heat and bring liquid to a simmer; cover and put pot in oven.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove meat from pot, allowing all excess liquid to drip back into the pot and picking any bits of vegetables or herbs off the meat.
- Transfer meat to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle meat with 2 tablespoons oil and salt to taste, and toss gently to coat.
- Strain braising liquid, discarding any solids.
- Return sauce to pot and simmer over high heat until reduced by about half; about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the broiler.
- Broil meat, tossing occasionally, until meat is evenly browned; about 5 to 10 minutes.
- You want it nicely browned in spots but not so brown that it dries out.
- To serve, drizzle meat with additional oil and top with sauce, parsley and thyme leaves.
- Serve on a bed of rice with pikliz on the side.
Notes
Haitian Port Griot is generally served with Pikliz, which can be found on our website at: https://completecomfortfoods.com/pikliz/
