Pork and chicken liver terrine
"Terrines are a wonderful vehicle for a wide range of flavours, and the variations I’ve suggested (see notes) are just the beginning. Just keep in mind that the ratios in this recipe result in a great finished texture, so try to keep within these parameters. You can also substitute the pork shoulder with another meat, such as venison or chicken, but keep the pork jowl in there as it adds just the right amount of fat.” - Luke Powell
Recipe note: You’ll need a 1L terrine mould and a baking dish deep enough to hold the mould, a meat mincer with a 10mm plate (or see notes) and a probe thermometer. Begin this recipe 2 days ahead.
This is an edited extract from Quality Meats by Luke Powell, published by Murdoch Books, $55. Available July 30, 2024.
Ingredients (13)
- 500g skinless pork shoulder, coarsely minced with 10mm plate (or see notes)
- 500g skinless pork jowl, coarsely minced with 10mm plate (or see notes
- 16.5g fine salt
- 1g sodium nitrite (curing salt #1, see notes)
- 3g freshly ground black pepper
- 100g trimmed chicken livers (no sinew or blemishes), cut into 2cm cubes
- 100g finely diced eschalots
- 50ml port
- 100g egg white (from about 3 eggs), beaten
- Oil spray, to grease
- Dijon mustard, to serve
- Cornichons, to serve
- Crusty bread, to serve
Don't forget you can add these ingredients to your Woolworths shopping list.
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1.Weigh and prepare the ingredients, then refrigerate for at least an hour; everything must be at 4°C before mixing.
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2.Line the base of the terrine mould with baking paper, then lightly spray the inside of the mould with oil.
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3.Put the minced pork shoulder and pork jowl into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the salt, curing salt and pepper, then sprinkle them over the pork and mix slowly until well combined, with a slightly sticky texture. Add the liver, eschalot and port and gently mix until incorporated. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the egg white and mix until thoroughly combined.
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4.Use a wet hand to scoop up a handful of the terrine mix, dragging it up against the side of the bowl. Shape it into a rough ball, then - and this can be slightly tricky, so try to be careful and accurate - throw the ball into the mould with a firm slap (this expels any air pockets, resulting in a uniform texture in the finished terrine). Continue until all the terrine mix is used, then run a wet hand over the surface to smooth the top and ensure there are no gaps.
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5.Cover surface of the terrine with plastic wrap, then place it in the fridge overnight to cure and allow the flavours to develop.
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6.The next day, preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Uncover the terrine, then place the mould in a deep baking dish and bake until the top is a nice golden brown, about 30 minutes.
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7.Reduce oven to 100°C/80°C fan-forced. Boil a kettle, then pour hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mould. Keep baking the terrine until a probe thermometer inserted into the centre reaches 75°C.
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8.Remove terrine mould from baking dish. Let cool for an hour before covering and placing in the fridge overnight to set.
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9.The next day, run a knife around the inside of the terrine mould, then carefully turn out terrine. It will have accumulated some juices that will have turned to jelly; this can be gently scraped off or served with the terrine – it can be a bit messy, but it tastes delicious.
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10.Cut a thick slice of terrine. Serve it with mustard, cornichons and crusty bread.
Recipe Notes
Any leftover terrine can be refrigerated for up to a week. If you don’t have a mincer, roughly chop pork shoulder and jowl and whiz in a food processor until finely chopped. Sodium nitrite is optional, but without it, the terrine will lose its pink colour and some of its sharp flavour.
You can also try these other variations below
Parsley and green peppercorn terrine: Fold 50g chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (5% of the total weight of meat) and 150g drained green peppercorns in brine (15% of the meat weight) through the terrine mix along with the liver and shallot. Use a good brand of peppercorns so they aren’t too soft; inferior peppercorns can be disappointingly mushy in the finished terrine.
Orange and pistachio terrine: Finely grate in the zest from 1 orange and fold in 150g pistachios (15% of the total weight of meat) along with the liver and shallot. You can swap the chicken livers for duck livers, which are a classic pairing with orange.
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