Game Terrine: A Classic French Meat Dish Explained

A game terrine is a fancy pâté or meatloaf made with a variety of meats, including game birds and rabbit. The meats are layered with a forcemeat made from sausage meat, spices, breadcrumbs, egg, and seasoning, which acts as a binding agent. The dish is cooked gently in a water bath and typically served cold with cornichons, salad, mustard, and crusty bread.

Game terrine ingredients

Game terrine is a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of meats and ingredients. Here is a list of ingredients that can be used to make a delicious game terrine:

Meats:

• Duck: Boneless duck breast with the skin on, duck fillets, or duck livers are commonly used.
• Bacon: Streaky bacon or pancetta, flattened with the back of a knife, is used to line the terrine dish and add flavour.
• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thigh or chicken livers can be added.
• Pheasant: Breasts cut into strips or fillets are commonly used.
• Pigeon: Breast fillets or other pigeon meat can be included.
• Rabbit: Saddle and hindquarters, boned and cut into strips.
• Venison: Lean strips from the leg or fillet.
• Hare: Saddle and hindquarters, boned.
• Grouse: Breasts pounded thin or other grouse meat.
• Other game birds: Quail, snipe, partridge, or wild fowl.

Other Ingredients:

• Sausage meat: This is combined with the chopped liver and other ingredients to create the forcemeat or binding agent.
• Breadcrumbs: Fresh or dried white breadcrumbs are used to add texture to the forcemeat.
• Herbs and spices: Parsley, thyme, juniper berries, allspice, and black pepper are commonly used, but you can also include mustard seeds, bay leaves, or sage.
• Alcohol: Brandy, whiskey, Armagnac, or Madeira add depth of flavour.
• Eggs: Used to bind the ingredients together.
• Vegetables: Shallots or garlic provide flavour and moisture to the terrine.
• Nuts: Pistachios or other nuts can be added for texture and flavour.
• Dried fruit: Cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries, or currants soaked in alcohol add a touch of sweetness.
• Oil or fat: For frying the meat and lining the terrine dish.

Optional Ingredients:

• Berries: Fresh or dried berries like cranberries, blueberries, or lingonberries can be added for a touch of sweetness and colour.
• Salt: Kosher salt or curing salt can be added to enhance flavour and preserve the meat.
• Stock: Adds moisture to the terrine mixture.
• Cornichons: Pickled gherkins often served as a condiment with the terrine.
• Chutney: Fruit chutney is a traditional accompaniment to the game terrine.

Game terrine preparation

Preparing a game terrine is a project, but the results are well worth it. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare a game terrine:

Ingredients

Firstly, gather your ingredients. A game terrine typically includes a selection of lean game meats, such as pheasant, duck, rabbit, hare, or venison. You will also need streaky bacon, sausage meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic, juniper berries, parsley, thyme, brandy or whiskey, and oil or fat for frying.

Preparation

Start by cutting the game meat into strips of roughly the same size, about 1-2 cm thick. If using duck, carefully cut the skin from the breast and finely chop it. Set aside some bacon rashers for lining the tin, and cut the remaining meat and bacon into small pieces.

Next, prepare the forcemeat by combining the sausage meat, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, thyme, juniper berries, garlic, brandy or whiskey, and seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together thoroughly.

Cooking

Heat oil or fat in a heavy-based frying pan and fry the game pieces for a couple of minutes until they are nicely browned.

Line a loaf tin or ceramic terrine dish with the stretched bacon rashers, leaving some overhang. Add a layer of forcemeat, followed by a layer of game meat. Repeat these layers, finishing with a layer of forcemeat.

Fold the overhanging strips of bacon over the top of the terrine and cover with kitchen foil. Place the terrine dish in a roasting tin half-filled with hot water and cook in the oven at 160-180°C for approximately 1½-2 hours.

Cooling and Weighing

Once the terrine is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about an hour in the water bath. Then, remove it from the water bath and leave it to cool completely.

To achieve the best texture and make the terrine easier to slice, it should be pressed as it cools. Find a piece of cardboard or wood that fits snugly inside the terrine dish and wrap it in foil. Weigh it down with heavy cans or bricks and leave it to cool completely for several hours or overnight.

Serving

Finally, remove the weights and cardboard and slice the terrine thickly with a very sharp knife. Serve it cold with cornichons, salad, crusty bread, and chutney. Enjoy!

Game terrine cooking

Game terrine is a type of pâté, or fancy meatloaf, made with a variety of meats and often fruits, vegetables, or nuts. It is cooked gently in a water bath and served cold.

Ingredients

Game terrine can be made with any type of game meat, including:

• Breasts of pheasant, duck, or pigeon
• Rabbit or hare meat
• Venison
• Grouse
• Snipe
• Dove hearts
• Wild duck livers
• Pork

Other ingredients include:

• Breadcrumbs
• Bacon
• Spices (e.g. juniper berries, parsley, thyme, allspice, black pepper)
• Brandy or whiskey
• Eggs
• Butter or oil
• Shallots or garlic
• Salt

Method

• Cut the meat into strips or chunks and brown in a frying pan.
• Line a loaf tin or terrine dish with bacon.
• Create a forcemeat by mixing together sausage meat, spices, breadcrumbs, egg, and seasoning.
• Layer the meat and forcemeat in the dish, finishing with a layer of forcemeat.
• Fold the bacon over the top and cover with foil.
• Place the dish in a roasting tin filled with hot water and cook in the oven at 160-180°C for 1.5-2 hours.
• To cool, weigh down the terrine with a piece of cardboard or wood wrapped in foil and place in a cool place for a maximum of two hours, then transfer to the fridge.
• Serve cold in thick slices with cornichons, salad, and crusty bread.

Game terrine serving suggestions

Game terrine is a versatile dish that can be served at any occasion, from a formal dinner starter to a simple lunch. It is best served cold, accompanied by cornichons, salad, mustard, and crusty bread or crackers.

For a more sophisticated presentation, serve the game terrine with a small salad of lightly dressed green leaves and a dollop of good fruit chutney. You can also offer a selection of pickled items on the side, such as cornichons, and a variety of mustards.

When it comes to drinks, a glass of red or white wine pairs well with the game terrine. If you want to be more specific, a white burgundy is recommended as a splendid partner for this dish.

If you have any leftovers, wrap them tightly in foil and store them in the refrigerator, where they will keep for 3 to 4 days. However, the terrine is not suitable for freezing.

Game terrine health benefits

A game terrine is a French classic that is often found on restaurant menus. It is a type of pâté or meatloaf made with a variety of meats, including game, that are cut to different finenesses and layered with a forcemeat made of sausage meat, spices, breadcrumbs, egg, and seasoning. The entire mix is then wrapped in bacon and baked, resulting in a dish that is impressive in both taste and appearance.

While a game terrine may not be the healthiest dish due to its high content of meat and fat, it does provide some nutritional benefits. Here are some of the potential health benefits of consuming a game terrine:

• Protein Content: With various types of meat, a game terrine can be a good source of protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair.
• B Vitamins: Meats used in the terrine, such as chicken, duck, and bacon, contain B vitamins, including B6 and B12, which are important for energy metabolism and red blood cell formation.
• Minerals: Game meats and bacon can provide minerals like zinc, iron, and selenium, which support immune function, transport oxygen in the blood, and act as antioxidants.
• Healthy Fats: Some of the meats used, such as duck and bacon, contain unsaturated fats, which can have benefits for heart health when consumed in moderation.
• Nutritional Variety: By using a variety of game meats and adding ingredients like berries, nuts, and vegetables, a game terrine can offer a diverse range of nutrients not typically found in a single dish.

It is important to remember that a game terrine should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. The high content of meat, saturated fat, and sodium may not make it suitable for frequent consumption or for those with certain health conditions.

Frequently asked questions