The Terrine Topic

[MobyP]

served with pickled figs.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/298397..._d4a9ca22ab.jpg

[Matthew Grant]

Fantastic!

[adey73]

That is glorious!

What ever happened to Culinary Bear, he's from my part of the world but don't see him around anymore. Have wondred where he works in Lancashire, anyome know?

[Abra]

This past week I've been making a "the devil made me do it" terrine full of wild ingredients. Guinea fowl, pork throat, chestnuts, and a secret chocolate ingredient which I am loathe to disclose lest you all kick me out of eG. The recipe is long but not complicated, and you can find it here.

[nibor]

This past week I've been making a "the devil made me do it" terrine full of wild ingredients.  Guinea fowl, pork throat, chestnuts, and a secret chocolate ingredient which I am loathe to disclose lest you all kick me out of eG.  The recipe is long but not complicated, and you can find it here.

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Abra, this seems like a perfect excuse to do some baking. I have a question about one of the other ingredients though. I may be wrong, because I certainly have never looked for it before, but I have a hard time imagining that I will find pork throat at my grocery store here in southern California. And I have no idea what type of meat it is. Can you recommend a substitute?

[Abra]

Oh dear, Nibor, I really don't know. The throat is just that, not the inside where you swallow, but the outer portion that hangs under the jaw of the pig. It's very fat, maybe as much as 85% fat, supposedly very flavorful, and from what I've read it's a principal ingredient in most French patés and sausages. It adds fat to the mixture that doesn't melt out in the cooking, thereby producing a creamy texture. Now that I have access to it I realize why terrines and patés I made in the US never had the "right" texture or mouthfeel.

That said, American pigs all have throats, and that meat must be available somewhere. I'd start by asking a good butcher, and if you have no luck there, maybe make the rounds of some ethnic markets.

[nibor]

Oh dear, Nibor, I really don't know.  The throat is just that, not the inside where you swallow, but the outer portion that hangs under the jaw of the pig.  It's very fat, maybe as much as 85% fat, supposedly very flavorful, and from what I've read it's a principal ingredient in most French patés and sausages.  It adds fat to the mixture that doesn't melt out in the cooking, thereby producing a creamy texture.  Now that I have access to it I realize why terrines and patés I made in the US never had the "right" texture or mouthfeel.

That said, American pigs all have throats, and that meat must be available somewhere.  I'd start by asking a good butcher, and if you have no luck there, maybe make the rounds of some ethnic markets.

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Fat! Yum. OK, I will start looking. I used to make 2 duck terrines every other week, on the day before my cleaning lady came (what a mess). I froze slices and then could have one, sauteed in a little butter, for breakfast or a snack. I am feeling inspired, so maybe I will start up by terrine routine again.

In the meantime I am watching my red wine + mother, hoping to get vinegar. You were right, of course - it does not smell bad.

[SaladFingers]

I want to make a terrine for the 1st time and would like to follow this recipe:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...ith_85947.shtml

He uses 2 pig's trotters (I presume instead of gelatine). On this occassion I do not want to use pigs trotters. Can anyone familiar with gelatine leaves tell me how many I'd need instead of the trotters? The recipe is for a 1.5 litre terrine mould.

[Baron d'Apcher]

Pâté Pantin.

Pork, chicken, chicken livers, confit gizzards, fatback, dried cherries and pistachios.

Excess pastry and forcemeat was destined to diminutive pâtés en croûte.

[nibor]

This makes me want to dive headfirst into my monitor.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Nicely done. Did the aspic layer just ooze out, or did you pour that in through the portholes?

[ianeccleston]

Lovely, lovely Baron d'Apcher.

[Baron d'Apcher]

Nicely done. Did the aspic layer just ooze out, or did you pour that in through the portholes?

The aspic was poured in through the chimneys once the pâté had cooled. Poultry pâté got the poultry aspic treatment whereas the predominant pork versions got the porcine equivalent; in both cases the respective consommé was colored with red wine and thickened with gelatin. Initial prototypes were met with modest almost disastrous results until proper dough, forcemeat and aspic recipes/proportions were determined. Anything worth screwing up twice is worth screwing up thrice and it remains a crucial exercise in learning cookery limits (heat, fat, salt, water, time, method)

Pâté pantin Richelieu. Beta version.

Pâté fail. Pastry fell apart, aspic too loose, forcemeat dry.

Pâté pantin 2.0. Special poultry edition.

Better. With poached chicken, gizzards, liver, carrot and celery.

Turkey Pâté pantin 4.0. Special Thanksgiving edition.

Well executed save for hasty pouring of the aspic. Turkey, pork, duck, poultry livers, gizzards, pistachios, currants and fatback.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thanks for all the gory details!

[johnnyd]

Most inspiring, Baron, and this...

Anything worth screwing up twice is worth screwing up thrice and it remains a crucial exercise in learning cookery limits (heat, fat, salt, water, time, method)

...couldn't be more true. I have to get back at it and conquer the terrine. My version 2 is on the menu for this weekend.

[vice]

For those with experience using nitrite in pâtés, what percent of the meat portion is required to maintain a nice pink hue?

[Baron d'Apcher]

For those with experience using nitrite in pâtés, what percent of the meat portion is required to maintain a nice pink hue?

.25% nitrite of meat weight.

Easter Pâté Pantin, special Greek Orthodox edition.

Game hen, duck, pork, chicken livers, lardo and pistachios. Should be rewarded with orchestra seats to the rapture.

[Blether]

Beautiful again. It looks like you got good structure in that pastry.

[Baron d'Apcher]

Poultry pâté pantin, special District of Columbia heraldry edition.

Cornish hen, pork, liver, foie gras, pistachio and dried apricot.

[Dakki]

Softcore. Show us the inside!

[Baron d'Apcher]

Cornish hen timbale with summer's end ragout of sweet corn and plum tomatoes. Had to use a jar since a metal timbale could not be found.

[Baron d'Apcher]

Pâté en Croûte.

Pork, pork tongue, fat back, pistachio and currant.

[ChrisTaylor]

A master craftsman. I am impressed with every one of those posts, Baron d'Apcher. Your blog is now on my list of worthy reads.

Edited January 3, 2011 by ChrisTaylor (log)

[nakji]

That said, American pigs all have throats, and that meat must be available somewhere. I'd start by asking a good butcher, and if you have no luck there, maybe make the rounds of some ethnic markets.

Coming in late here, but if this is what I think it is, it goes by the name "hang cheong sal" in Korean barbecue. And a very succulent meat it is, too.

Baron, as ever, your pastry skills shame me. What inspires you to make the elaborate patterns? Do you use a boiled water crust?

[boondocker]

This is one we have done recently. Pheasant and rabbit ballottine surrounded by chestnut and wild mushroom puree