Haitian Griot with Pikliz and Rice

Steps

1. Step 1

   Make the pikliz first, ideally a day ahead. Pack the cabbage, carrots, onion, sliced Scotch bonnets, cloves and salt into a clean 1-quart jar, pressing down as you go. Add the lime juice, then pour in enough vinegar to cover everything. Seal and refrigerate at least 24 hours (it keeps for weeks and gets hotter as it sits).

   20 min

   • 4 cups green cabbage
   • 2 carrots
   • 1/2 onion
   • 4 Scotch bonnet chiles
   • 6 whole cloves
   • 1 tsp kosher salt
   • 1 tbsp lime juice
   • 2 cups distilled white vinegar
2. Step 2

   Make the epis: put the bell pepper, scallions, garlic, parsley, thyme leaves, shallot and olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend to a coarse green paste, scraping down the sides as needed. You should have about 1 cup.

   5 min

   • 1 green bell pepper
   • 4 scallions
   • 6 cloves garlic
   • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
   • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
   • 1 shallot
   • 3 tbsp olive oil
3. Step 3

   Put the pork cubes in a large bowl. Add the sour orange juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, halved Scotch bonnet, sliced onion and all of the epis. Toss well with your hands so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

   4 hr, hands-off

   • 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
   • 1/2 cup sour orange juice (or 1/4 cup orange juice plus 1/4 cup lime juice)
   • 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
   • 1 tbsp kosher salt
   • 1 tsp black pepper
   • 1 Scotch bonnet chile
   • 1 onion
4. Step 4

   Scrape the pork and all its marinade into a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer.

   10 min

   • 1 cup water
5. Step 5

   Simmer covered until the pork is fork-tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add a splash of water if the pot looks dry.

   1 hr 10 min, hands-off

6. Step 6

   Uncover and lift the pork out with a slotted spoon onto a plate or rack; discard the chile halves. Turn the heat to medium-high and boil the liquid left in the pot down to about 3/4 cup of glossy sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour it into a bowl and set aside for serving.

   10 min

7. Step 7

   While the pork simmers, cook the rice: combine the rinsed rice, water, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand, covered, 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

   30 min

   • 2 cups long-grain white rice
   • 3 cups water
   • 1 tbsp butter
   • 1 tsp kosher salt
8. Step 8

   Pat the braised pork very dry with paper towels — wet pork will spit in the oil. Heat the frying oil in a deep heavy skillet or pot to 350°F (about 1 inch deep; a cube should sizzle briskly when it goes in).

   10 min · 350°F

   • 3 cups neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
9. Step 9

   Fry the pork in two or three batches, without crowding, turning once, until deep brown and crisp on the outside, 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Drain on a rack or paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt.

   15 min

10. Step 10

    Pile the griot on plates with the rice, spoon the reduced sauce over the pork, and add a generous forkful of pikliz alongside.

    5 min

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026