Chicken And Duck Terrine: A Savory Meat Delight

A chicken and duck terrine is a rich, smooth pâté made from a mixture of meats, fats, and spices. It is typically cooked and served in a loaf pan or terrine mold, and can be enjoyed either warm or cold. The preparation and cooking process for a chicken and duck terrine can be time-consuming, but the final result is well worth the effort. The terrine is often served as a starter or sandwich filling, and it pairs well with a variety of condiments and sides, such as mustard, salad, cornichons, and toast.

Chicken and duck terrine ingredients

Chicken and duck terrine is a rich, smooth pâté made with a combination of meats, spices, and other ingredients. The following ingredients can be used to make a chicken and duck terrine:

Meats:

• Duck breast
• Duck meat
• Chicken breast
• Chicken legs/thighs
• Chicken livers
• Bacon
• Pork shoulder/cubed pork
• Pork fat
• Pork mince
• Foie gras

Spices and Seasonings:

• Salt
• Black pepper/peppercorns
• Thyme
• Parsley
• Garlic
• Nutmeg
• Juniper berries
• Quatre epices or Chinese five-spice powder
• Sage
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Coriander seeds

Other Ingredients:

• Bread
• Milk
• Brandy/Cognac
• Duck fat
• Olive oil
• Eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Pistachios
• Sour cherries
• Double cream
• Mustard
• Cornichons
• Onion chutney
• Watercress
• Celeriac
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon juice
• Whole-grain mustard

These ingredients are combined, layered, and cooked, often in a bain-marie or hot water bath, and then chilled to create a firm, flavoursome terrine.

Chicken and duck terrine cooking methods

A chicken and duck terrine is a type of firm pâté, a rich and smooth mixture of meat, fat, and spices that can be served cool or warm. It is often served as a sandwich filling or seared briefly and served alone.

Ingredients

The ingredients for a chicken and duck terrine can vary, but typically include:

• Chicken
• Duck
• Spices (e.g., garlic, thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon)
• Fat (e.g., duck fat, olive oil)
• Bread
• Alcohol (e.g., Cognac/brandy, port, Madeira)
• Vegetables (e.g., shallots, onions, carrots)
• Nuts (e.g., pistachios)
• Additional meat (e.g., pork, bacon)

Preparation

• Marinate the duck and/or chicken meat in a mixture of spices, alcohol, and fat. This can be done for a couple of hours or overnight.
• Prepare the bread by soaking it in milk.
• Chop, grind, or blend the meat, vegetables, nuts, and bread to the desired consistency.
• Layer the ingredients in a terrine mold or loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or bacon. A typical layering order might be: pork mince, chicken, parsley, pistachios, duck, more pistachios, and then finish with more pork mince.
• Cover the terrine with bacon, plastic wrap, or foil.
• Place the terrine in a roasting pan with hot water reaching halfway up the sides of the mold.
• Bake in the oven for around 1-2 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 140-150°F.
• Remove from the oven and let cool. Weigh down the terrine with a piece of cardboard or wood wrapped in foil to compress it as it cools.
• Refrigerate the terrine overnight or for at least a couple of hours.

Serving

A chicken and duck terrine is typically served chilled or at room temperature. It can be sliced and served with mustard, a green salad, cornichons, pickled onions, or toast.

Chicken and duck terrine recipes

A terrine is a rich, smooth mixture of meat and fat and spices that you eat either cool or warm. It is often described as a firm pâté with something inside it. Chicken and duck terrines can be served as a starter or as a main course.

Duck, Chicken and Sour Cherry Terrine

This recipe serves 8 as a starter and can be made up to three days ahead. It should be kept well wrapped in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 24 slices streaky bacon
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• A bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 75g pistachio kernels
• 75g dried sour cherries
• Buttered toasted sourdough
• Caramelised onion chutney

Instructions

• Put slices of streaky bacon onto a chopping board and use the back of a large knife to scrape and stretch out the bacon.
• Use the stretched bacon to line the bottom and sides of a 900g loaf tin, overlapping slightly and ensuring there is a little overhang.
• Butterfly the duck and chicken breasts then halve so you have 2 flat, thin pieces of each.
• Mix the pork mince, double cream, brandy and black pepper in a bowl and season with salt. Check the seasoning by frying a little of the mix and tasting it – add more if you think it needs it.
• Heat the oven to 180C/fan160C/gas 4. Start by adding a layer of pork mince to the bacon-lined terrine, and then chicken breast pieces, a layer of parsley leaves, and a handful of pistachios and sour cherries. Then add the duck breast pieces, more pistachios and cherries. Finish with the pork mince.
• Lay a few more slices of bacon along the central part of the terrine, and fold in all of the overhang. The terrine should be completely enclosed by the bacon.
• Wrap the top in a double layer of tin foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and pour off any fat from the tin.
• Cut a piece of cardboard so it fits snugly inside the tin and wrap it in foil. Use the cardboard as a lid, and top with several tins to weigh the terrine down as it cools – this will give the terrine a tight, firm texture.
• Once cool, chill overnight, still weighted down. Slice and serve with toast, cornichons, pickled onions, mustard and onion chutney.

Duck and Pork Terrine

This recipe serves 8-10 and requires overnight refrigeration. It is perfect for a special occasion.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, divided
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ cup Madeira, or port, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
• ½ pound chicken livers
• ¾ pound pork chop, boned and meat cut into cubes
• 1 pound bacon, divided
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 slices white bread, crusts removed

Instructions

• Remove the skin from the duck breast and discard it. Slice the duck breast into strips 1/4-inch thick.
• Mince 1 garlic clove and gather it into a pile on your cutting board. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt over the garlic. Using the back of a chef's knife, grind the salt into the garlic, forming a paste.
• Toss the duck breast strips, garlic paste, 1/4 cup of the Madeira or port, fresh thyme, and bay leaf in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the chopped shallots. Sauté 3 minutes.
• Then add the chopped mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of Madeira or port, and allow it to cook off. Take the skillet off the heat.
• Cut the skin off the duck legs, then use a small sharp knife to slice the duck meat off the bone and coarsely chop it.
• Put the chopped duck leg meat, chicken livers, cubed pork chop, 6 ounces bacon, the eggs, 2 garlic cloves, dried thyme, 2 teaspoons black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to chop everything evenly and scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, then puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
• Combine the bread and milk in a small bowl, until just softened.
• Then gently work the bread with your fingers into the duck-chicken liver mixture.
• Heat a little bit of olive oil in a skillet, and fry a small piece of the forcemeat. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a loaf pan or terrine with several layers of plastic wrap, allowing for overhang all around.
• Lay the remaining strips of bacon vertically in the bottom of the loaf pan, leaving the ends to hang over the outside of the pan.
• Divide the forcemeat into three portions. Using an offset spatula, spread one-third of the forcemeat evenly along the bottom of the terrine.
• Divide the mushrooms into two portions, and spread one portion over the forcemeat.
• Lay one-half of the marinated duck strips over the mushrooms.
• Then spread the second layer of forcemeat over the duck strips.
• Repeat with the forcemeat, mushrooms, and duck strips two more times. Press down on the terrine to compress.
• Fold the bacon ends over the top, then fold the hanging plastic wrap over the bacon.
• Cover again with heavy-duty foil or with the terrine lid. Set the terrine in a roasting pan for the bain-marie just large enough to hold the terrine. Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Put the roasting pan into the oven, then pour the boiling water into the pan so it's halfway up the terrine.
• Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reads 140 F.
• Carefully take the terrine out of the bain-marie and discard the foil. Fold a new large piece of foil four times so it fits on top. Weight the terrine down with a foil-wrapped brick

Chicken and duck terrine serving suggestions

Chicken and duck terrine is a rich, smooth mixture of meat and fat and spices that you can eat either cool or warm. It is often served as a make-ahead starter for a festive dinner party. Here are some serving suggestions:

Presentation

Before serving, a chicken and duck terrine should be sliced and plated. It can be served on a bed of celeriac remoulade, garnished with fresh watercress leaves, or simply with toast, cornichons, pickled onions, mustard, and onion chutney on the side.

Accompaniments

Chicken and duck terrine can be served with a crunchy winter salad, such as chicory and lamb's lettuce with walnut dressing. It also goes well with a green salad and mustard.

Occasions

Chicken and duck terrine is a good dish to make in advance for a special occasion, as it can be made up to three days ahead and kept in the fridge. It is an elegant dish that is worth the effort of preparing and is perfect for a festive dinner party.

Chicken and duck terrine storage

Chicken and duck terrine is a sophisticated delicacy that combines chicken mousse, confit duck, pistachios, and smoked bacon. It is a firm pâté with a rich, smooth mixture of meat, fat, and spices that can be enjoyed either cool or warm.

Proper storage is crucial to maintain the quality and freshness of chicken and duck terrine. Here are some detailed instructions for storing this delicacy:

Refrigeration

Chicken and duck terrine should be stored in the refrigerator to prolong its shelf life. It is best to keep it in an airtight container or well-wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent spoilage and maintain moisture. The terrine will last for a minimum of 14 days in the refrigerator if kept unopened. Once opened, it is recommended to consume it within 7 days.

Freezing

If you wish to store the chicken and duck terrine for an extended period, freezing is an excellent option. The terrine can be frozen for up to 2 months if wrapped well. It is best to use heavy-duty aluminium foil or freezer-safe containers to prevent freezer burn and maintain quality.

Thawing and Serving

When ready to serve, thaw the frozen terrine by transferring it from the freezer to the refrigerator. Allow it to thaw slowly and gradually to preserve its texture and flavour. Once thawed, let the terrine sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving. This will enhance the flavour and make it easier to slice.

Food Safety

It is important to handle the chicken and duck terrine with care to prevent foodborne illnesses. Always use clean utensils and plates when serving the terrine, and ensure that it is consumed within 2 hours of being left at room temperature. Practicing good food hygiene will ensure the terrine remains safe and enjoyable.

Extending Shelf Life

To maximise the shelf life of chicken and duck terrine, it is essential to follow proper handling and storage procedures. Here are some additional tips:

• Use a clean, sharp knife to slice the terrine, and avoid using your fingers to handle it directly.
• Store the terrine in the back of the refrigerator, where the temperature is colder and more consistent.
• If freezing, divide the terrine into portions before wrapping and freezing. This allows for easier thawing and reduces the risk of bacterial growth during defrosting.
• Label the terrine with the date of preparation or freezing to ensure you are aware of how long it has been stored.

By following these storage instructions, you can ensure that your chicken and duck terrine remains fresh, safe, and delicious.

Frequently asked questions