Discover the Delight of Griot Food: Haiti's National Culinary Treasure

Griot Food, often hailed as the national dish of Haiti, is a flavorful and deeply satisfying culinary experience. This iconic dish features succulent pieces of pork shoulder, marinated in a vibrant blend of herbs and spices, then cooked to tender perfection and finally fried to a glorious, crispy golden brown. To truly appreciate the authentic taste of Haiti, Griot is traditionally served alongside Pikliz, a spicy pickled slaw, and fried plantains.

Authentic Haitian Griot served with crispy fried plantains and a generous portion of Pikliz, showcasing the vibrant colors and textures of this classic dish.

Why Griot Food Should Be Your Next Culinary Adventure

A Taste of Haiti in Your Kitchen: Embark on a culinary journey to the heart of the Caribbean with Griot food. If a trip to Haiti is on your bucket list, preparing this dish is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the nation’s rich culture and vibrant flavors right from the comfort of your home. The unique blend of Haitian spices and cooking techniques in Griot is sure to captivate your taste buds.
The Perfect Snack or Main Course: Griot food is incredibly versatile. While it stands out as a hearty and satisfying main course, its bite-sized pieces of crispy pork also make it an irresistible appetizer. Imagine serving a platter of Griot at your next gathering – it’s a guaranteed conversation starter and a delightful introduction to Haitian cuisine for your friends.
Unbeatable Crispy Texture: The hallmark of exceptional Griot food is its incredible crispiness. The double-cooking process, involving both boiling and frying, ensures that the outside of the pork achieves a perfect golden-brown crunch while the inside remains juicy and tender. This textural contrast is what makes Griot truly addictive and a standout dish in Caribbean cuisine.

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Griot Food

Let’s explore the key components that make Griot food so special. Below is a visual guide to the ingredients you’ll need. For precise measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the end of this article.

A curated selection of fresh ingredients for making Griot food, highlighting the pork shoulder, vibrant Epis seasoning, aromatic herbs, and essential spices.

Pork Shoulder: The Heart of Griot Food: For the most authentic Griot food experience, pork shoulder is the cut of choice. While pork butt can be used as a substitute, pork shoulder, sometimes labeled as picnic shoulder, offers the ideal fat-to-meat ratio for both flavor and texture. You can also use pre-cut pork stew meat derived from the shoulder to save preparation time.
Epis: The Soul of Haitian Flavor: No discussion of Griot food is complete without mentioning Epis. This foundational Haitian seasoning is the secret behind the dish’s distinctive and aromatic profile. Epis is a vibrant green puree made by blending fresh herbs like thyme and parsley, aromatic vegetables such as bell peppers and green onions, along with garlic, cloves, and a splash of water to bring it all together. It’s the cornerstone of flavor in countless Haitian recipes, and absolutely essential for authentic Griot food. You can find ready-made Epis in some Caribbean markets or easily make your own Epis recipe.
Maggi Cubes: A Caribbean Flavor Enhancer: Maggi cubes are concentrated seasoning cubes widely used in Caribbean and African cooking to deepen the savory notes of dishes like rice, stews, and, of course, Griot food. These cubes are packed with umami and add a rich, meaty depth to the pork. You can typically find Maggi cubes in international grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon. If you can’t find Maggi cubes, beef bouillon cubes can serve as a substitute, but remember that bouillon cubes are larger, so use only one in place of several Maggi cubes.
Scotch Bonnet or Habanero Pepper: Adding a Caribbean Kick: A touch of heat is integral to authentic Griot food. Scotch bonnet peppers are traditionally used in Haitian cuisine for their fruity flavor and significant spice. However, if scotch bonnets are unavailable, habanero peppers are a readily accessible alternative that delivers a similar level of heat and flavor complexity. Adjust the amount of pepper to your spice preference.
Seasoned Salt: The Perfect All-Purpose Seasoning: Seasoned salt, like Lawry’s brand, provides a balanced blend of salt, herbs, and spices that enhances the overall flavor profile of Griot food. While some recipes may call for Adobo seasoning, seasoned salt offers a similar savory base that complements the other Haitian flavors beautifully.

Mastering the Art of Making Griot Food: Step-by-Step

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Step 1: Cleansing the Pork – The Foundation for Flavor

Raw pork shoulder pieces being cleansed with a mixture of white vinegar and lime juice, a crucial step for tenderizing and purifying the meat before marinating.

Begin by preparing the pork shoulder. In a bowl, pour white vinegar and salt over the pork pieces. Squeeze the juice from fresh limes into the bowl and mix thoroughly to ensure all the pork is coated.

Don’t discard the lime halves! Take each lime half and rub the flesh side vigorously over every piece of pork, massaging the citrus deeply into the meat. This step helps to tenderize the pork and infuse it with a bright, citrusy note.

Place the pork, along with the vinegar and lime mixture, into a bowl. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour. This initial cleanse is essential for removing any impurities and preparing the pork to absorb the marinade. After an hour, thoroughly rinse the pork under cold water to remove the vinegar and salt, ensuring a clean base for the next flavorful step.

Step 2: Marinating for Deep Flavor Infusion

Pork shoulder chunks generously coated in vibrant green Epis marinade, ready to absorb the rich flavors of Haitian herbs and spices during the marination process.

Transfer the cleansed pork to a fresh bowl. Add the star ingredient – Haitian Epis – ensuring each piece is generously coated. Introduce the Maggi cubes and seasoned salt, distributing them evenly over the pork.

To enhance the aromatic depth, tie fresh parsley stems and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine. Place this herb bundle into the bowl along with a whole habanero pepper (adjust quantity based on your spice preference).

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients, ensuring the pork is fully enveloped in the marinade. Cover the bowl and allow the Griot food to marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight. Longer marination times result in more flavorful and tender Griot food, as the pork has ample time to absorb the complex flavors of the Epis and spices.

Step 3: Cooking to Tenderness – The Boiling Stage

Marinated pork shoulder pieces arranged on a paper towel-lined baking sheet after boiling, ready for the final frying stage to achieve the signature crispy texture of Griot food.

Remove and discard the herb bundle (parsley and thyme) and the habanero pepper from the marinated pork. Transfer the pork, along with any remaining marinade, to a medium-sized pot on the stovetop.

Turn the heat to high and cook the pork for approximately 5 minutes, or until it begins to release its juices. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and easily pierced with a fork. As the pork cooks, the marinade will reduce and thicken slightly, creating a flavorful base.

Once tender, remove the pork from the pot and set it aside in a clean bowl to cool slightly before frying. Reserve any thickened marinade in the pot for basting later, if desired.

Step 4: Frying to Crispy Perfection – Achieving the Golden Crunch

Griot food pieces frying in hot vegetable oil, transforming into golden-brown, crispy morsels, achieving the iconic texture of this beloved Haitian dish.

In a medium to large pot, heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (182 degrees Celsius). Use a food thermometer to ensure accurate oil temperature for optimal frying. Carefully add the cooked pork pieces to the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot – fry in batches if necessary.

Fry the pork for approximately 1-2 minutes per batch, or until it turns a beautiful golden brown and achieves a crispy exterior. Remove the fried Griot food from the oil using tongs and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Serve your perfectly crispy Griot food immediately, accompanied by a generous serving of Pikliz and fried plantains for a truly authentic Haitian culinary experience. Enjoy!

Expert Tips for Perfect Griot Food Every Time

Marinade Consistency Matters: During the boiling stage, the marinade should reduce and thicken, coating the pork with a flavorful glaze. If this happens, there’s no need to wipe off the pork before frying. The glaze will contribute to extra crispiness.
Dealing with Excess Liquid: If, for any reason, the marinade remains watery after boiling and doesn’t thicken into a glaze, it’s crucial to pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels before frying. Excess moisture can cause the hot oil to splatter dangerously.
Safety First When Frying: Keep a lid readily available when frying Griot food. After adding pork pieces to the hot oil, partially cover the pot with a lid (preferably a clear one) to monitor the browning process while minimizing the risk of oil splatters.
Maintaining Oil Temperature: When frying Griot food in batches, ensure that the oil temperature returns to 360 degrees Fahrenheit between each batch. This ensures consistent crispiness and prevents the Griot from becoming greasy.

Griot Food Recipe FAQs

A mouthwatering close-up of Griot food paired with fried plantains and Pikliz, highlighting the crispy texture of the pork and the vibrant colors of the accompaniments.

How to Store Leftover Griot Food & Reheating Instructions: Leftover Griot food can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, the best methods for restoring crispiness are using an air fryer or baking in a conventional oven until heated through and crispy again. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the Griot soggy.

How to Best Enjoy Griot Food with Pikliz: The traditional and most flavorful way to eat Griot food with Pikliz is to generously dip each piece of crispy pork into the tangy Pikliz juice. Alternatively, you can enjoy a bit of Griot and Pikliz together in each bite, allowing the spicy slaw to perfectly complement the richness of the pork.

It’s common practice to eat Griot food with your fingers, especially when served as an appetizer or at casual gatherings. In this case, use your fingers to grab pieces of Griot and scoop up some of the pickled vegetables from the Pikliz to enjoy in the same bite. This truly enhances the authentic Haitian eating experience.

Did you love this Griot food recipe? If so, explore these other Caribbean recipes for more culinary adventures:

Haitian Griot Recipe

Often considered the national dish of Haiti, Griot is made of pieces of pork shoulder that are marinated, cooked, and then fried until crispy brown. Serve this dish with Pikliz and fried plantains for a true taste of Haiti!

5 from 5 votes
Print Pin RateCourse: Main Course

Cuisine: Haitian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Marinating Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Alexandria Drzazgowski

Equipment

Mixing Bowl(s)
Pot(s)
Food Thermometer
Tongs
Wine Opener
Paper Towel

Ingredients

2 lb Pork Shoulder, cut into 1” pieces
¼ cup White Vinegar
½ tbsp Salt
4 limes
½ cup Epis
4 Maggi Cubes, Mini, 4 g each. Or 1 normal maggi cube
5-6 stems Parsley
4 sprigs Thyme
1 Habanero Pepper
2 tbsp Seasoned Salt, can also use adobo
Vegetable Oil, for frying

Instructions

Pour the vinegar, salt and the juice of the limes over the pork. Mix to combine.
Reserve the lime halves after juicing, and rub each piece of meat on the flesh of the lime half, making sure to really get the meat covered in the citrus.
Cover the bowl, put it in the fridge, and let it sit for an hour. When the hour is up, rinse the meat to remove the vinegar and the salt.
Put the cleaned pork in a bowl and add the Haitian Epis, maggi, and seasoning salt. Use kitchen twine to tie the parsley and thyme together, then place the bunch in the bowl along with habanero pepper.
Stir until the meat is well coated. Cover again and let the meat sit in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
Remove the parsley, thyme and habanero pepper from the bowl and discard. Add the pork into a medium pot on the stove along with the leftover marinade.
Turn the heat to high and cook the meat for about 5 minutes until it releases some juice.
Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and fork tender. The excess marinade should thicken a little. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside in a bowl.
In a medium to large pot, heat the vegetable oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the pork to the oil and fry until it turns golden brown (about 1-2 minutes). Fry the pork in batches, removing the meat to a paper towel-lined plate once it’s done frying to remove extra oil.
Serve with pikliz and fried plantains. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only. Made with counsel from Miata from Love of Yum.

Pork Shoulder: Pork butt and pork shoulder are similar, but there are some slight differences. You can use pork butt in a pinch, but pork stew meat is generally made of pork shoulder. That will work as well, and is already cut into pieces for you.
Epis: Epis is a Haitian seasoning base used in most Haitian recipes. It is made by blending together herbs (such as thyme & parsley), vegetables (bell peppers & green onions), with seasonings and water.
Maggi Cubes: Maggi cubes are seasoning cubes that are often used (especially in Caribbean and African cuisine) to add flavor to rice, meat, soups, etc. You can buy Maggi cubes on Amazon, or you can use beef bouillon instead. (NOTE: Bouillon cubes are larger than maggi cubes, so you will only need 1 if substituting).
Pepper: You can use a scotch bonnet pepper if you can find one. I cannot find them in my town, so I use habaneros instead.
Seasoned Salt: I use Lawry’s. A lot of recipes online call for Adobo instead, so you can use that as well.
When cooking the pork in the pot, The marinade should thicken on the pork to form a sort of glaze. If this is the case, you do not need to wipe the pork pieces off before frying
If, for some reason, your marinade does not thicken and the pork has liquid of a water consistency on it, make sure to wipe off the pork before frying it. If not, it will pop and splash in the oil.
Have a lid handy when frying. Add some pieces into the oil, then add the lid (preferably clear). That way, you can check on the pork without risking any oil splashing.
If frying in batches, make sure to bring the oil back to 360 degrees Fahrenheit between batches.

Nutrition

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Discover the Delight of Griot Food: Haiti’s National Culinary Treasure