Foie Gras au Torchon

[A Canadian Foodie]

I think it worked, more or less, for my first time. Take a look at /My link and tell me what you think... because when I do it again, I want to have all the information I need! This was a tremendous experience. The sel rouge was definitely missing - and to be found nowhere, but the net for me... so I will get that first. Other feedback is really appreciated.

[A Canadian Foodie]

Maybe what I need to ask is - have you ever made this or not? Foie Gras experiences?

[Sam Iam]

Valerie,

What a perfect how-to! This is now on my list to make for our next dinner party. I Have a lobe and extra trimmings in the freezer from my last splurge.

Regards,

Sam

[A Canadian Foodie]

Valerie,

What a perfect how-to! This is now on my list to make for our next dinner party. I Have a lobe and extra trimmings in the freezer from my last splurge.

Regards,

Sam

Please let me know how it goes... because I will not try it again until I hear from others what they learned, too! Have you done anything with foie gras before? This is my first. It was a B grade lobe (still excellent) from Hudson Valley farm in the Northern US. Unfortunately, that is closer, apparently, than getting one from Eastern Canada.

Thank you for checking out what I have done!

[David A. Goldfarb]

Nicely illustrated demo! Congratulations. I particularly liked the deveining photos, which are useful.

The pink salt, containing ordinary salt and sodium nitrite, would have an effect on the texture and color and also prevents botulism. The pink color is an artificial color used to prevent its being confused with ordinary salt in the kitchen, so Himalayan pink salt isn't a substitute. Since I assume you are keeping the pate under duck fat in the refrigerator (as opposed to room temperature), it's probably okay, but I wouldn't keep it around for months as suggested for pate prepared with pink salt.

Edited February 24, 2010 by David A. Goldfarb (log)

[A Canadian Foodie]

Nicely illustrated demo! Congratulations. I particularly liked the deveining photos, which are useful.

The pink salt, containing ordinary salt and sodium nitrite, would have an effect on the texture and color and also prevents botulism. The pink color is an artificial color used to prevent its being confused with ordinary salt in the kitchen, so Himalayan pink salt isn't a substitute. Since I assume you are keeping the pate under duck fat in the refrigerator (as opposed to room temperature), it's probably okay, but I wouldn't keep it around for months as suggested for pate prepared with pink salt.

Great to know, and thank you! I basically used the Himalayan Salt for flavour and with hope it might do a little something to the colour, but I had read it didn't have the nitrate concentration. I really appreciate knowing that the pink salt also prevents botulism. That I had no idea about. Whew!

[budrichard]

Did the recipe call for sel rouge or pink salt? I agree with Davis that a pink colored salt is not a substitute for pink salt. I use Kosher salt with the addition of saltpeter (Potaassium Nitrate) as color preservative and as preservative. The prep i use is out of the Book Hudson Valley put out a few years ago(Foie Gras…A Passion),a must have if you want to prep foie.

For a non restaurant prep you can just wash your foie in water if not very bloody and remove only the larger veins keeping the foie more or less intact. Cover with the salt mixture and wrap as a torchon. After curing, eat which saves a lot of work.-Dick

Edited February 24, 2010 by budrichard (log)

[A Canadian Foodie]

^{For a non restaurant prep you can just wash your foie in water if not very bloody and remove only the larger veins keeping the foie more or less intact. Cover with the salt mixture and wrap as a torchon. After curing, eat which saves a lot of work.-Dick}

It was sel rouge... and I knew that it was a completely different product than pink salt, but not accessible anywhere in my city (Edmonton). Fortunately, Kerry, The Chocolate Doctor, one of our EGULLET colleagues has just sent me some. I cannot wait to use it. It was so outrageously kind of her. And, thank you for letting me know about not having to cooking it for home use. WHy is that? Thanks!

Edited February 25, 2010 by A Canadian Foodie (log)

[budrichard]

The salt provides the 'cure' and with the addition of the Nitrates/nitrites the safety.

When using new techniques, especially when using 'cures' a knowledge of not only the recipe but the reasons behind what you are doing is essential or you can make yourself and others ill by improper technique.

Copy of Foie Gras- A Passion would be a good idea as its the best book I have found on the subject.-Dick

[A Canadian Foodie]

The salt provides the 'cure' and with the addition of the Nitrates/nitrites the safety.

When using new techniques, especially when using 'cures' a knowledge of not only the recipe but the reasons behind what you are doing is essential or you can make yourself and others ill by improper technique.

Copy of Foie Gras- A Passion would be a good idea as its the best book I have found on the subject.-Dick

Thank you! And I do agree - and to be very honest, I did quite a bit of research to find out

A) what sel rouge was, and then

B) why it was important to use it

None of the sites, books, or literature I laid my hands on said anything about the necessity of the nitrates for the curing process to make the food "safe". All of the information I found spoke of colour and that the nitrates added in the curing process time wise...

That's what I really find so valuable about egullet. I can be working to find the information I need, and someone here will have it in their head!

Honestly, I wanted the experience. I love learning new things, and I will be making it again, with the salt, but I don't want to buy they book. I will take a look at that book if our library has it... and I sure hope so~ Thank you so much!

[Scientist]

If I remember correctly, the pink salt in the French Laundry recipe is curing salt, but is in there for its distinctive flavor, not preservation (there isn't enough to really preserve).

Tony