The Art Of Terrine Forcemeat: A Step-By-Step Guide

Terrine forcemeat is a type of pâté made of meat, fat, and spices. It is cooked in a dish called a terrine. The forcemeat is typically made by combining pork meat and fat with another type of meat, such as chicken, veal, or fish, and then pureeing it with egg, bread, and/or cream. The mixture is then baked in a water bath in an earthenware mold and served cold.

Prepare the forcemeat and garnishes

The first step in preparing a terrine is to gather your ingredients and tools. Forcemeat is a lean meat emulsified with fat, often pureed with egg, bread, and cream. You can use a food processor to emulsify the ingredients, but if you want a very smooth texture, you can pass the mixture through a tamis sieve.

For the meat, you can use any type, but tougher meats like beef are not recommended as they are too dense. Game, pork, rabbit, hare, wildfowl, venison, boar, and poultry are good options. You will also need fatback or bacon, and possibly caul fat, to line the mould.

For the garnishes, you can use blanched leafy vegetables such as spinach, leeks, or herbs.

Chill all your ingredients and tools before preparing the forcemeat. Cut the meat and fat into small pieces and place them in the freezer, along with your bowls and grinder or food processor.

Next, prepare your inlay, if using. An inlay is a large piece of meat or other ingredient that goes down the middle of the terrine for added flavour and contrast. Examples include duck breast, boiled eggs, or pork tenderloin. Keep your inlay chilled.

Now you are ready to prepare the forcemeat. Grind the meat and fat in the food processor or meat grinder, keeping everything chilled to prevent the emulsion from breaking. If your recipe calls for multiple grinds, do the second grind with a fine setting. If your mixture seems too dry, you can add a small amount of heavy cream to add richness and aid emulsification.

Once your forcemeat is prepared, mix in your desired garnishes, such as chopped herbs or spinach. Keep the forcemeat and garnishes refrigerated until you are ready to assemble your terrine.

Line a mould with fat, vegetables or another liner

To line your terrine mould, you can use 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.

If you are using plastic wrap, cut a piece big enough to go into the mould and be folded over the top once the stuffing is in. Sprinkling a few drops of water throughout the mould can make it easier to ease the plastic wrap into all the crevices.

If you are using bacon, you can prepare it beforehand by stretching each rasher on a board with the back of a knife to flatten it out. This will cut down on the number of rashers you need and prevent the bacon from overpowering the terrine. Layer the bacon slices in the mould, with each slice overlapping the previous one and make sure there is enough overhang to cover the top of the terrine once it is filled.

Other traditional lining options include ham, blanched and shocked green leeks, prosciutto, and caul fat.

Fill the mould, tapping to remove air pockets

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

If you're using a liner, fold it over the forcemeat and, if necessary, use additional pieces of fat or backfat to completely cover the surface. If you like, you can garnish the top of the terrine with herbs that were used in the forcemeat.

Fold the liner over the forcemeat

Once you've filled the lined terrine mold with the forcemeat and garnishes, it's time to fold the liner over the forcemeat. This is a crucial step in ensuring the terrine holds together and cooks evenly. Here's a detailed guide:

• After filling the mold, use a spatula to gently press down on the forcemeat, removing any air pockets that may have formed. This step is important to prevent the terrine from collapsing during cooking.
• Now, carefully fold the liner (bacon, backfat, or blanched leafy vegetables) over the top of the forcemeat. Make sure the liner completely covers the surface. If there are any gaps or the liner is not long enough, use additional pieces of fat or backfat to fill in the spaces.
• At this point, you can add garnishes to the top of the terrine, such as herbs used in the forcemeat, for extra flavour and presentation.
• Cover the terrine with its lid, or if it doesn't have one, use aluminium foil to seal it tightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). While the oven is heating up, prepare a water bath by filling a roasting pan with hot water. The water bath will help regulate the cooking temperature and prevent the terrine from drying out.
• Place the covered terrine into the water bath and put it in the oven. Make sure the water level reaches about halfway up the sides of the terrine mold.
• Cook the terrine until the internal temperature reaches the desired level. For meat-based forcemeats, this is typically around 60°C (140°F). For fish or vegetable-based forcemeats, aim for 55°C (131°F). Use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature.
• Once the desired temperature is reached, remove the terrine from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Remember, the key to this step is to ensure the liner covers the forcemeat completely. This will help the terrine cook evenly and maintain its shape during the cooking process.

Bake in a water bath at 350°F

Now that your terrine is assembled, it's time to bake it. Place your empty terrine mold into your roasting pan and fill it to the rim of the terrine with hot water from the tap. Remove the mold and put the roasting pan in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

The pre-heating stage should take at least 45 minutes. Once the water bath is ready, carefully take it out of the oven and place the terrine mold into it. Put the water bath back into the oven and set a timer for the cooking time recommended in your recipe.

When the timer goes off, check that your terrine is cooked through and done. There are a few ways to do this:

• Use a meat thermometer – Poke a thermometer into your terrine and follow the directions in your recipe. Not all recipes use the same temperature to determine when the terrine is done. For example, a chicken, pork, and pistachio terrine should register 150° to 160°F (65° to 71°C), whereas a pork liver terrine should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F/63°C.
• Use a skewer or toothpick – If the skewer or toothpick comes out clean, your terrine is done.
• Use your fingertip – Press the terrine gently with your fingertip. If it’s firm to the touch and juices run clear, then it’s ready!

When your terrine is done, carefully remove it from the water bath and let it cool down.

Frequently asked questions