Griot (food)


Griot is an important dish in Haitian cuisine. It consists of pork shoulder marinated in citrus, which is braised and then fried. It is commonly served at parties. Griot along with diri ak pwa wouj is considered by some to be Haiti's "national dish"

Etymology

The word "griot" is of the same origin as the French homonym griot, referring to an African poet. Griot may also be spelled griyo, or grillots

Preparation

Griot usually made from pork shoulder. The meat is first washed in a mixture of citrus juices, then rinsed. Meat is always washed in Haitian cooking because of a lack of food safety regulations in Haiti; sour oranges or limes are used instead of water since clean water is often difficult to access. After being washed, the meat is marinated in epis, which is a mixture of Haitian herbs, vegetables, and spices. Next, the meat is either braised or roasted until tender. The cooking liquid produced is used in the preparation of an accompanying sauce, known as sòs ti-malis. Finally, the meat is deep-fried until golden-brown and crispy. Griot is almost always served with pikliz as well as rice or bannann peze.