Haitian Flag Day: Celebrating with Griot & Pikliz

🇭🇹 Honoring Haitian Flag Day — May 18th

Haitian Flag Day, celebrated every May 18th, commemorates the creation of the Haitian flag in 1803 at Arcahaie, when Catherine Flon sewed together the blue and red panels — removing the white of the French tricolor — as a symbol of unity and resistance. It's a day of parades, music, pride, and of course, food.

Unlike New Year's Day (which is tied to Independence Day and Soup Joumou), Flag Day celebrations are festive and communal — think cookouts, family gatherings, and plates piled high with Griot, Haiti's beloved crispy fried pork, served alongside the punchy, vinegary condiment Pikliz.

🍖 Griot with Pikliz (Haitian Crispy Pork & Spicy Pickled Slaw)

Serves 4–6 | Prep: 30 min + marinating | Cook: 2 hrs

Ingredients

For the Epis (Haitian Seasoning Base):

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• ½ green bell pepper
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• ¼ cup scallions
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime or sour orange
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Griot:

• 3 lbs bone-in pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• ½ cup epis (from above)
• Juice of 2 sour oranges (or 1 orange + 1 lime)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
• Oil for frying

For the Pikliz:

• 2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, julienned
• ½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3–4 Scotch bonnet peppers, sliced (adjust to heat preference)
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• White vinegar, enough to cover (about 1½ cups)

Instructions

Make the Pikliz (at least 24 hours ahead):

1. Combine cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, Scotch bonnets, cloves, and salt in a clean glass jar.
2. Pour white vinegar over everything until fully submerged. Seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours — the longer, the better. Pikliz keeps for weeks in the fridge.

Marinate & Braise the Pork:

1. Coat pork chunks thoroughly in epis, citrus juice, salt, pepper, and thyme. Marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
2. Place marinated pork in a heavy pot with the whole Scotch bonnet and just enough water to cover the bottom (about ½ cup). Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours until the pork is tender and most liquid has evaporated.

Fry the Griot:

1. Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
2. Remove pork from the pot and fry in batches until deeply golden and crispy on the outside, about 4–5 minutes per batch.
3. Drain on paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.

Serve:

Plate the Griot hot alongside a generous spoonful of Pikliz. Traditionally served with diri ak pwa (rice and beans) and fried plantains (bannann peze). A squeeze of lime over everything ties it all together.

Tips

• Sour orange (bigarade) is the traditional citrus — find it at Caribbean or Latin grocery stores. A mix of orange and lime is a great substitute.
• Pikliz heat level is serious — start with 2 Scotch bonnets if you're heat-sensitive and work your way up.
• Braising first is the key to Griot — it keeps the inside tender while the frying creates that irresistible crust.
• Griot reheats beautifully in an air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes.

More Than a Meal

On May 18th, every plate of Griot is a celebration — of culture, of community, of the blue and red flag that has flown for over 200 years. Whether you grew up eating this or you're making it for the first time, we hope it brings joy to your table.

Viv Ayiti! 🇭🇹