Meat Terrine: A Step-By-Step Guide To Making This Delicious Dish

A meat terrine is a loaf-shaped dish made from meat or fish, layered with vegetables and sometimes containing nuts and berries. It is cooked in a water bath in a covered pottery mould, also called a terrine, and served cold. The term terrine is often used interchangeably with pâté, but they are different dishes. A pâté is usually smooth and light, whereas a terrine is a more textured dish.

Choosing your ingredients and preparing your meat

Choosing and preparing your ingredients is a crucial step in making a meat terrine. The beauty of a terrine is that it can be anything from a simple rustic dish to an elaborate haute-cuisine creation. The limitation is only your imagination!

Firstly, you will need to select your meats. Popular choices include game, such as wildfowl, venison, boar, rabbit, and hare, which offer distinct, clear flavours. Pork is also commonly used, often as a supporting meat to add moisture and bulk out the terrine. You could also use sausage meat, veal, or a mixture of pork and veal. If you want to include offal, a combination of light and dark meats works well. Remember to choose meats with clear, distinct flavours that will not be overwhelmed by heavy seasonings.

Once you have selected your meats, you will need to prepare them. This could involve grinding or mincing the meat, or cutting it into different-sized pieces, from big chunks to finely ground. You can play around with the texture of your terrine by varying the size of the pieces you include. If you are using a mixture of meats, you will need to prepare each type separately.

In addition to your meats, you may want to include other ingredients to add flavour and texture to your terrine. This could include fresh herbs, spices, nuts, berries, or even vegetables. For example, you could add juniper, mace, allspice, brandy, or Port to enhance the flavour of your meat. Fresh breadcrumbs can also be added to absorb any fat or grease given off by the meats. Don't be afraid to experiment and create a unique combination of ingredients!

Finally, you will need to season your meat. This is a crucial step, as it will bring out the flavours of your chosen ingredients. Be sure to taste your mixture as you go to ensure that it is seasoned to your liking.

Once you have chosen and prepared your ingredients, you will be ready to start assembling your terrine. But that is a topic for another time!

Line your mould with fat, vegetables or another liner

If you're using fat as your liner, cut it into thin slices. If you're using vegetables, blanch them first. For a vegetable terrine, you can line the mould with blanched spinach and then alternate layers of two or three different vegetable fillings to create contrasting colours and flavours. You can also suspend brightly coloured vegetables in mousseline forcemeat for a unique style of vegetable terrine.

Once you've lined your mould, it's time to fill it with the forcemeat and garnishes. Be careful not to create any air pockets as you fill the mould. Tap the mould several times on a solid surface to remove any air pockets that may have formed.

After filling the mould, fold the liner over the forcemeat. If needed, use additional pieces of fat or back fat to completely cover the surface. If desired, garnish the top of the terrine with herbs that complement the flavours of your forcemeat.

Fill the mould with meat and/or garnish

Now that you've prepared your mould and forcemeat, it's time to assemble your meat terrine. The first step is to line your mould with a liner. This can be thin slices of back fat (such as bacon or pork fat), blanched leafy vegetables, or another appropriate liner. The lining should overlap slightly and extend about an inch over the edges of the mould.

Next, fill the mould with your forcemeat and any garnishes, taking care not to create air pockets. Tap the mould on a solid surface several times to remove any air pockets that may have formed. You can also press the mixture down with a spoon to ensure it is packed in tightly and to remove any air bubbles. If you are creating a mosaic effect with your terrine, be sure to layer the forcemeat with garnishes.

Once the mould is filled, fold the liner over the forcemeat. If necessary, use additional pieces of fat or back fat to completely cover the surface. If desired, you can garnish the top of the terrine with herbs that were used in the forcemeat.

Your meat terrine is now ready to be baked! Cover the mould with its lid or aluminium foil and bake in a water bath at 350°F in the oven. Regulate the temperature so that the water stays between 170°F and 180°F.

Fold the liner over the meat and cover with more fat if necessary

Once you've filled the terrine with the forcemeat and garnishes, it's time to fold the liner over the meat. You should be careful to avoid creating air pockets as you do so. If necessary, use additional pieces of fat or back fat to completely cover the surface of the terrine. You can then garnish the top of the terrine with herbs that were used in the forcemeat.

The liner you use to cover your terrine can be thin slices of back fat (such as bacon or pork fat), blanched leafy vegetables, or another appropriate liner. The lining should overlap slightly, completely covering the inside of the mould and extending over the edges. A good measurement is about one inch.

After folding the liner over the meat and covering with more fat if necessary, you'll then cover the terrine with its lid or aluminium foil and bake it in a water bath.

Bake in a water bath

Now that you've assembled your terrine, it's time to bake it in a water bath, also known as a bain-marie. This technique ensures your terrine cooks gently and evenly, resulting in a moist and flavourful dish. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Prepare the Water Bath

Fill a baking dish or roasting pan with hot water, ensuring it reaches halfway up the sides of your loaf tin. Place this in the oven and set the temperature to 350°F (180°C). Ideally, you want to maintain a water temperature of 170°F–180°F (77°C–82°C) throughout the cooking process.

Cover the Terrine

Cover your assembled terrine with a lid or aluminium foil. If using foil, ensure it's securely wrapped around the edges of the tin.

Bake the Terrine

Place the covered terrine into the baking dish of hot water and bake for approximately 90 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on the recipe you're following and the type of forcemeat used. For meat-based forcemeats, cook until the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C). For fish or vegetable-based forcemeats, aim for an internal temperature of 170°F (55°C).

Remove and Cool the Terrine

Once the desired internal temperature is reached, remove the terrine from the oven and water bath. Leave it to cool slightly before placing it in the refrigerator to chill and set. This step is crucial for the terrine to firm up and develop its characteristic texture.

Serve or Store

Your terrine is now ready to be served! It can be enjoyed on its own or with accompaniments like crusty bread, cornichons, pickles, salads, and mustard. If you're not planning to serve it immediately, terrines can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for future enjoyment.

Remember, the beauty of creating terrines lies in their versatility. You can experiment with different ingredients, flavours, and textures to make it your own. Enjoy the process and savour the delicious results!

Frequently asked questions