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Pays de la Loire
Large chunks of pork belly browned in fat, the warrior emblem of Anjou charcuterie — a rictus of flavour on warm bread.
Charcuterie speciality from Pays de la Loire.
AI-generated illustration
Rillauds d'Anjou belong to the great family of cured pork specialities. Their name comes from the regional word 'rille', which denotes pork: in Anjou people speak of rillaud, in Touraine of rillon — both words, like rillette or gratton, share the same root. As early as 1840, the term 'rilles' or 'rillés' already referred to pieces of pork cooked and cut into strips.
Rabelais mentioned these delicacies offered to neighbours as early as his Tiers Livre, but it was Honoré de Balzac who, in the 19th century, was the first to use the word 'rillauds' itself, during a stay in Saumur. Far from being a prestigious dish, the rillaud was born of peasant necessity: at a time when pigs were slaughtered only twice a year, cooking the meat in lard made it possible to preserve it while imparting a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Today, it remains a renowned speciality of gastronomic Anjou.
In Anjou, customs varied from one town to another: the gastronome and food critic Curnonsky recounted that rillauds were once bought piping hot on Sundays in Angers, whereas in Saumur they were eaten cold for breakfast, accompanied by a glass of white wine. The village of Brissac-Quincé, in the heart of the Anjou vineyards, is now its festive hub: it is here that the Confrérie des Rillauds d'Anjou et des Vins de Brissac, founded in 1973, holds its annual competition and festival.
Every first Sunday in July, Brissac-Quincé hosts the Rillaudée: both a professional competition and a popular festival, where charcutiers-caterers and butcher-charcutiers from the Pays de la Loire compete for the title of best rillaud, amidst the lively atmosphere of a dance, fireworks and a car boot sale. Today, rillauds can be found at numerous charcutiers across the region, but also at the Angers tourist office, just a stone's throw from the château.
Appearance
Large chunks of pink meat, coated in golden fat, with the appearance of whole pieces (not shredded).
Aroma
Rich aroma of cooked pork, unspiced, slightly sweet from the caramelised fat.
Taste
Rich, lightly salted confit pork flavour. Fibrous texture with intact fibres.
Texture
Firm meat, lightly browned on the surface, tender and melting in the centre.
Pork belly with its rind, cut into large cubes (about 5 cm across), seasoned with coarse salt and pepper.
Left to rest for a day or overnight in a cool place.
Gentle cooking in melted lard, for around two and a half hours, until the meat no longer releases any water.
Towards the end of cooking, fat is added — sometimes homemade caramel — to brown the meat.
The rillauds are drained and then served hot or cold.
Rillauds are enjoyed piping hot, accompanied by a red Anjou wine, or warm to cold with a white, rosé or red wine according to taste. In a salade angevine, reheated on a bed of lettuce or lamb's lettuce with finely chopped shallots and a vinaigrette, they make a classic starter. Traditionally, they were also served in a fouée, the hollow bread of Anjou.
Currently without an official PGI (IGP)/PDO (AOP) label. Protected by artisanal tradition.
Brotherhood
EARL
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