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PGI — Centre-Val de Loire
Hand-shredded pork, slowly cooked uncovered in its own fat until it takes on a golden colour and a subtly roasted flavour — the Touraine rillette is the proud, rustic cousin of its neighbour from Le Mans, yielding nothing to it.
Charcuterie speciality from Centre-Val de Loire, PGI (IGP) since 2013.
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Rillettes de Tours originated in the Middle Ages in the countryside of Indre-et-Loire, where Touraine peasants were already producing them on a highly localised farmhouse scale that endured until the end of the 18th century. The term itself — in its archaic forms: rilles, rillées, rillauds, rihelette — is attested in texts as early as the 15th and 16th centuries. This domestic economy made the most of the leftover parts of the pig, slaughtered in autumn during the grape harvest or shortly before Christmas: once the boudin, offal and a few roasts had been set aside, the remaining cuts were cooked long and slow in their own fat, simmering uncovered in a cast-iron cauldron — a nourishing winter provision and an opportunity for festive sharing among neighbours. In the early 19th century, urban artisan charcutiers, notably in Tours, adopted this peasant recipe, adapted it to their craft and handed it down from generation to generation. It is this speciality, henceforth prepared from prime cuts of meat rather than scraps, that Rabelais and Balzac — two illustrious natives of Touraine — celebrated in their writings.
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It was at the beginning of the 19th century that Touraine charcutiers took up the peasant recipe and elevated it to the status of an artisan speciality. Over time, fattier rillettes, similar to those of Le Mans, had begun to circulate under the name of Tours; to safeguard the product's authenticity, artisan and industrial producers in Indre-et-Loire came together around strict criteria — raw ingredients, cooking method, appearance and taste. Rillettes de Tours are thus distinguished by being cooked uncovered in a round cast-iron pot — a decisive detail: this open-air exposure promotes the evaporation of moisture, yielding a dry texture, whilst a final 10 to 20-minute burst of heat imparts the characteristic golden-brown colour and browned flavour. The meat fibres, at least 2 cm long, remain visible and clearly distinct — whereas rillettes du Mans, paler in colour, rely on a spreadable, less caramelised texture. This is the Touraine hallmark.
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François Rabelais, the quintessential native of Touraine — celebrations marking the fifth centenary of his birth were held in Tours in 1994 —, testified in his correspondence to the consumption of Touraine rillettes and their suitability for travel: "I shall send you some rillé to your house and will always be your friend." Honoré de Balzac, likewise a son of Touraine, praised them in Le Lys dans la Vallée (1835), evoking "the famous rillettes and rillons of Tours" and their "brown pork jam". This dual literary tribute helped establish the product's nationwide reputation long before official certifications. On 14 November 2013, obtaining PGI (IGP) status consecrated this history: henceforth, only charcutiers in Indre-et-Loire and a few neighbouring cantons can claim the name "Rillettes de Tours".
Appearance
Uniform colour, from golden-blond to golden-brown, interspersed with long meat fibres (at least 2 cm) and clearly visible chunks.
Aroma
Aroma of roasted, browned pork.
Taste
Flavour of browned meat, more pronounced and darker than rillettes du Mans, which are paler and less caramelised.
Texture
Fibrous and dry (moisture content of the defatted product ≤ 68%), with well-defined chunks of meat that separate easily.
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| Criterion | Rillettes de Tours | Rillettes du Mans |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking | Uncovered, round cast-iron pot, 5h 30 to 12h | Browning followed by slow confiting, covered (à l'étouffée) or uncovered depending on the producer, 5h minimum |
| Finish | Final burst of heat (10 to 20 min, 95–115°C) — browning | Initial browning (95–115°C) for caramelisation |
| Texture | Fibrous, visible chunks, dry texture (moisture ≤ 68%) | Also stringy, uneven pieces, non-sticky spreadable texture |
| Colour | Golden-blond to golden-brown — distinctly darker | Pinkish or greyish-blond — paler than Tours |
| Taste | Browned, pronounced | Pork flavour, less caramelised |
at over 65°C, into pots, terrines, jars or loaves, sometimes covered with a thin layer of fat or lard for preservation.
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Rillettes de Tours are enjoyed at room temperature, taken out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving so they regain their natural softness. On a slice of lightly toasted pain de campagne, with cornichons and a few grains of fleur de sel — that is the Touraine way par excellence. Loire wines are the natural accompaniment: a demi-sec Vouvray or a Montlouis brings a gentle sweetness that balances the richness of the pork; a red Bourgueil or Chinon offers a more rustic, tannic pairing. As a starter, the rillettes also pair remarkably well with wines from Anjou (Savennières, Anjou blanc).
Since: 2013
Area covered: Indre-et-Loire (37) and neighbouring cantons (excluding Sarthe)
Key requirements: Cooked uncovered in a round pot, 5h 30 to 12h, visible fibres ≥ 2 cm, mandatory final burst of heat (10–20 min, 95–115°C)
Artisan charcutier
Artisan charcutier
Regional artisan charcutier
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Saveurs Gourmandes du Val de Loire is an artisanal charcuterie house located in Truyes, in Indre-et-Loire (ZAE La Tour Carrée, 6 rue Alexander Calder), with a shop open to the public from Monday to Thursday, from 9:00 to 16:30 continuously. It offers Touraine specialities — including Rillettes de Tours PGI (IGP), rillettes de Géline de Touraine, rillons, and various terrines — as well as prepared dishes, vegetables, and desserts, sold in the shop and online. It highlights its recognition as a 2025 Stars & Métiers award winner and states that it won the silver medal for sterilised jar Rillettes de Tours PGI at the 2026 Salon de l'Agriculture.
Paris
| Address | ZAE La Tour Carrée, 6 Rue Alexander Calder, 37320 Truyes, France |
| +33 6 02 66 21 39 | |
| contact@saveursgourmandesduvaldeloire.com | |
| saveursgourmandesduvaldeloire.com | |
| Facebook page | |
| @saveursgourmandesvdl | |
| Visits | On enquiry — online sales available |
|
All production is certified organic, since 2022. |
