This rustic and generous terrine is a great classic of homemade French charcuterie. Composed of a savory blend of meats and spices, it is enjoyed as an appetizer with good toasted bread and pickles for an authentic and convivial experience.
⏱️165 min
📊Medium
👥8 servings
🍽️Starter
festivebudget-friendlyfamily
Ingredients
400 gpork liver
300 gpork breast
300 gpork shoulder
150 gpork fatback
3 piècesshallots
4 goussesgarlic
1 pièceegg
50 mlcognac
8 gfine sea salt
2 gground white pepper
1 gquatre-épices
2 brinsfresh thyme
2 feuillesbay leaf
Instructions
1PREPARE THE MEATS: Remove the pork liver from the refrigerator 15 minutes before use to make it easier to work with. Cut it into approximately 2 cm pieces, removing any greenish or stringy parts that could give your terrine a bitter taste. Finely mince the pork breast and shoulder into 1 cm cubes and set aside in the cold. The pork fatback should remain very cold to slice easily: cut it into regular 5 mm slices that will line the terrine.
2PREPARE THE AROMATICS: Peel the shallots and garlic, then mince them very finely with a knife or food processor until you obtain a homogeneous paste. This step is important because the shallots and garlic must be well integrated into the mixture to distribute their flavor evenly. Perform this operation as late as possible before mixing the ingredients to prevent the aromatics from oxidizing and losing their fresh flavor.
3MAKE THE FORCEMEAT: Put the pork liver, breast, and shoulder into a large bowl that has been chilled in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour the cognac over the meat and let rest 5 minutes so the alcohol is well absorbed. Add the egg, salt (8 g to properly season the mixture), white pepper, quatre-épices, and minced shallots and garlic. Mix vigorously with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes until you obtain a sticky and homogeneous texture: the meat should become slightly paste-like and hold together, which indicates that the proteins have been properly worked.
4LINE THE TERRINE: Preheat your oven to 160°C. Take a ceramic or cast iron terrine of approximately 1.5 liters and line it uniformly with the pork fatback slices, ensuring you cover the bottom and sides well. Allow the slices to overhang 2 to 3 cm above the edge of the terrine: they will wrap around the forcemeat to create a protective layer during cooking. Pour approximately one-third of the forcemeat on the bottom, press lightly with the back of a spoon, then arrange half of the remaining fatback slices horizontally. Complete with the remaining forcemeat, then the last fatback slices. Fold the overhanging slices over the forcemeat to wrap it well.
5COOK THE TERRINE: Place the bay leaves and thyme sprigs on top of the terrine, then cover with a hermetic lid or tightly wrapped aluminum foil. Prepare a water bath by filling a dish with approximately 5 cm of hot water, then place the terrine inside. Bake at 160°C for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours: cooking in a water bath regulates the internal temperature and ensures a homogeneous and creamy texture. The terrine is cooked when a kitchen thermometer inserted in the center reads 72°C, or when clear liquid runs out if you pierce it with a skewer.
6REST AND COOL: Remove the terrine from the oven and water bath, then let it cool at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, a natural gelatin will form on the surface: this is normal and delicious. After this initial rest, place the terrine in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, ideally 48 hours, so the flavors develop fully and the terrine holds together properly when unmolded. You can keep it up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Serve it in thick 1.5 cm slices, with good toasted bread, sweet-and-sour pickles, and a small frisée salad with warm lardons.