How to make Haitian Griot or Fried Pork Chunks

Haitian Griot (Pork Bits) is one of the main dishes served in every Haitian household. Griot is served at every event (casual or formal) and is a favorite dish among the old and young generations. There is always someone asking for Griot at an event. And when you hear the request, you cannot help yourself by saying, “again! but you eat it at home!!!” It never fails.

What is Haitian Griot or Griot?

One important thing to remember is that the terms Griot and Haitian Griot do not have the same meaning. In the West African culture, the term or word Griot means story steller, whereas, in Haiti, it means fried pork cubes.

A Griot dish consists of pieces of pork marinated, boiled, and fried in oil or roasted in the oven. Many people are roasting the pork pieces instead of frying the meat. This process eliminates excess fat and will help you avoid any kitchen accident, more importantly for health reasons.

I prefer roasting my meat instead of frying it for health reasons. And let’s face it; it is much easier to bake or roast than frying meat. It is also better for you, and frying meat requires a lot more cleaning when finished.

Key ingredients are required to make a good Griot

The key to having a tasty Griot is the correct amount of lime juice and sour orange juice. The problem that may present with sour orange juice is freshness. Fresh bitter orange may be difficult to find depending on where you live. Sour orange juice is sold in bottles in many food stores, which may be the most convenient way to get the juice.

The bottles are usually found in the International/Caribbean/Spanish section of supermarkets. As they are readily available, make sure you buy a trusted brand. When purchasing the product, ensure that the sour orange juice taste “sour” and not semi-sweet. Lime juice is a good substitute if sour orange juice is not available. The key is to add the correct amount so the pork is not too acidic.

Nowadays, ready-mix dried and wet spices have made it easy to cook meat and other dishes. To obtain a more authentic taste, fresh spices are best to use. The right spice blend and the right acidic amount will make your Griot taste finger-licking good.

Have you tried this?

I also use Noubess Hot and Spicy Herbs Sauce to create that delicious and unexpected flavor. Griot is prepared with pork shoulder or shoulder picnic pork which is usually sold whole and not sliced. I would recommend having your butcher cut the meat before leaving the meat market to avoid having a fighting match with your meat. LOL.

Always remember to wash your meat before cooking to avoid cross-contamination.

Haitian Griot is served with Pikliz or Sauce Ti Malice, and now with Noubess Hot and Spicy Herbs Sauce.

Enjoy!

Haitian Griot

One of the national dishes of Haiti, Griot or fried pork pieces, marinated in herbs and spices, cooked and served with Pikliz. 

4.94 from 16 votes

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Caribbean

Servings 4

Calories 319 kcal

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Knife
• Bowl
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 lb pork shoulder or Picnic Shoulder. Cut in 5cm – 8cm (2″ – 3″)
• ½ cup sour orange juice
• ½ cup lime juice fresh, about 2-3 limes
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
• ½ tablespoon thyme leaves only
• 2 stalks scallions chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tsp Noubess Original Hot and Spicy Sauce
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper optional, if not using Noubess hot sauce

Instructions

 

• Juice the limes and set aside. Do not throw away the limes juices.
• In a bowl add the meat and rub lime pieces on each meat pieces to clean. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
• In a separate dish add all the remaining ingredients except the oil and stir to combine. Add the scotch bonnet pepper if you are not using Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce.
• Add the meat in a bag or bowl with all spices and let marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Marinate for a longer period of time for more flavor enhancement.
• Add the meat and marinade into a heavy pan or pot and boil on low to medium high heat covered for about 30 – 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat from the pot and fry the cubes in batches in hot oil. Remove them from the oil and place on plate covered with paper towel to remove any excess oil.
• If roasting in the oven, prepare a baking dish and add the meat pieces. Do not overcrowd pan. Preheat the oven 375°F degree and roast the meat until golden brown, about 20 – 25 minutes. Remove and serve hot with Pikliz or Sauce ti-malice or Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauces.

Notes

• Let meat marinate longer for more flavor.
• Use Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauces with the marinade for flavor enhancements. 
• Do not use the scotch bonnet pepper is you are sensitive to hot and spicy food unless intended. 

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 41gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 1904mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Keyword Caribbean Cooking, Caribbean Recipes, Haitian Recipes, Pork

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Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.

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