How To Make Duck Pate

duck liver

🥗Healthier: chicken liver

💰Cheaper: pork liver

Chicken liver is leaner and more accessible.

cognac

🥗Healthier: brandy

💰Cheaper: white wine

Brandy provides similar flavor at a lower cost.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil reduces saturated fat.

cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: sour cream

Greek yogurt maintains creaminess with fewer calories.

Soak duck giblets in a 5% brine solution overnight in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

Drain giblets through a colander and rinse with cold water, then hang to drip dry.

Heat a pan over high heat and add canola oil, julienned onions, and sliced shallots, tossing them around to start roasting.

Add kosher salt and a pinch of sugar to help with moisture and caramelization.

Add half a loaf of foil (optional), sliced ginger, and a big pad of butter to the pan, tossing everything together.

Roast the mixture until the onions and shallots are caramelized and fragrant.

Add heavy cream to the roasting mixture and stir with a whisk, bringing it to a simmer to emulsify the fat.

Blend the mixture on high until smooth, observing the vortex for thickness.

In a food processor, grind the giblets for 15-30 seconds until they form a paste.

Pour the hot cream mixture into the food processor while grinding the giblets to form a pate batter.

Add 2 eggs per container of giblets to the food processor for added protein and structure.

Pass the pate batter through a tamis to achieve a smooth texture, discarding any tendons or connective tissue.

Weigh out 0.2% sodium nitrite, 2% kosher salt by weight, and a sprinkle of white pepper, mixing them into the pate batter thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a terrine mold with plastic wrap, pressing it down to eliminate air pockets.

Fill the terrine mold with the pate batter, folding the plastic wrap over the top to remove air bubbles.

Cover the terrine with tin foil, creating a tent to allow steam to circulate during cooking.

Place the terrine in a hotel pan and add hot water, then bake for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the terrine from the oven and let it cool on the countertop, then check the texture for firmness.

Place a weight on top of the terrine using spacers and a sheet pan with heavy objects, then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, check the texture of the pate, ensuring it is firm and sliceable.

Release the pate from the mold using the plastic wrap and slice to serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens