What Are Rillettes? Duck, Goose & Pork, Explained
If you have seen rillettes on a French menu or a deli shelf and wondered what they are — this is the short answer, and how to enjoy them. Rillettes (say “ree-YET”) are one of the great everyday luxuries of French cooking: humble, generous and impossible to stop eating.
What are rillettes?
Rillettes are meat — traditionally pork, duck or goose — slow-cooked in its own fat until it falls apart, then shredded and packed into a jar or tin. The result is soft, spreadable and rich, somewhere between a pâté and pulled meat. They are eaten cold, spread thickly on bread.
Rillettes vs pâté vs terrine
- Rillettes — shredded and spreadable; you can see the strands of meat.
- Pâté — blended smooth to a paste, softer and finer.
- Terrine — set firm in a mould and served in slices. Learn how to eat a terrine the French way.
How to serve rillettes
Serve cold or at room temperature. Toast some baguette or sourdough, spread the rillettes on thick, and add cornichons, a little Dijon and a glass of something dry. They are a perfect apéritif and a natural centrepiece for a grazing board — pair them with Margaret River crackers and a square of chocolate to finish.
Our rillettes, from Comtesse du Barry
We stock the slow-cooked rillettes of Comtesse du Barry, made in South-West France:
- Traditional Duck Rillettes — from $9 (70g) / $17.50 (140g): rich and deep, the great French loaded-baguette filling.
- Traditional Goose Rillettes — from $9.50 (70g) / $19 (140g): rarer and more characterful.
- Pork Rillettes with Espelette & Bayonne Ham — from $9 (70g) / $17.50 (140g): the party jar, with a gentle Basque warmth.
- Magic Wands Rillettes set — $32: duck, goose and Espelette-pork in three tins, to taste all three.
Want the sliceable cousin? Browse the terrines & rillettes range, or read what foie gras is for the pinnacle of the genre.
Frequently asked questions
What are rillettes?
Rillettes are a French spread of meat — classically pork, duck or goose — slow-cooked in its own fat until meltingly tender, then shredded and packed into a jar or tin. The texture is soft and spreadable, richer than a pâté and more rustic than a terrine. You spread them, cold, on crusty bread.
How do you eat rillettes?
Serve them cold or at room temperature. Spread generously onto toasted baguette or crusty sourdough, add a cornichon or two and maybe a little mustard, and let the fat soften. They are a classic apéritif with a glass of wine, and a natural anchor for a grazing board.
What is the difference between rillettes and pâté?
Pâté is smooth and often blended to a paste; rillettes are shredded, so you can see and feel the strands of meat. Rillettes are cooked in fat and served as a chunky spread, while pâté is usually finer and firmer. Both are French charcuterie staples.
What is the difference between rillettes and a terrine?
A terrine is a moulded, sliceable loaf of meat, set firm and served in slices. Rillettes are loose and spreadable. If you can slice it, it is a terrine; if you spread it, it is rillettes.
Duck, goose or pork rillettes — which should I try first?
Pork rillettes are the classic entry point — rich and approachable. Duck rillettes are a little deeper in flavour, and goose rillettes are the rarest and most characterful. Our Magic Wands set lets you taste all three in small tins.
