COUNTRY VENISON LIVER PATE
Venison, pork fat, and a small amount of liver are ground and mixed into a country-style pâté, then baked gently in a water bath until firm enough to slice. It is a good make-ahead charcuterie piece for serving cold or at room temperature with mustard, pickles, crackers, or bread.
Ingredients
- 22 1/2 ounces boneless venison, sinew and fat removed
- 9 1/2 ounces pork fat, diced
- 4 ounces venison liver, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon homemade venison blend (optional: see the ingredients at the bottom of the page)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons brandy or bourbon
- 1/2 cup smoked ham, diced (optional)
- 1/2 cup roasted nuts, optional
Instructions
Make the Pate Mixture
- Grind the venison and the pork fatback into the bowl of an electric stand mixer that is sitting in an ice bath.
- Scoop out 1/3 of the ground venison mixture and place it in a separate bowl. Add the livers, garlic, onion, optional spice mix, salt and pepper. Grind this into the same both as the venison and pork fat grind from step 3. Place in the refrigerator until its thoroughly chilled (30 minutes to an hour).
- In a clean bowl, add the flour, heavy cream, eggs and brandy. Whisk until it is thoroughly blended with no lumps. Pour this into the mixing bowl with the ground venison mixture that's in your refrigerator. Now is the time to add the optional diced ham and toasted nut garnishes if you are using them.
- Attach your mixing bowl to your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is sticky. This will take around 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Now is a good time to check for seasoning. You can fry a small piece in a pan or poach in water. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Keep in mind that this will be served cold or at room temperature. And cold food needs more salt.
Assemble
- Prep your terrine vessel by lining it with plastic wrap. Line a 1 1/2 quart terrine mold or baking dish with plastic wrap. Make sure to have around 4 inches of plastic wrap overhanging to ensure you can full enclose the top of the terrine.
- Fill the terrine mold with your forcemeat. Use a rubber spatula to work the mixture into the crevices of the vessel tightly. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the forcemeat so that it is completely covered. Tap the vessel onto the counter-top a few times to get rid of any air pockets. Cover the terrine with either aluminum foil or a lid if one came with your vessel.
Cook the Pate
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
- Make a water bath. In order to keep the fat in the pate from separating, it should be cooked gently. Place your terrine vessel into a high-sided roasting pan and pour in enough hot tap water so that it covers around 3/4 of the terrine vessel. Place it into your preheated oven.
- Alternatively, you can place the roasting pan and terrine vessel in your oven first and then add the hot tap water. This will minimize the chance of you spilling the water.
- Cook to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. To be safe, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer.
Chill and Rest
- Chill, Press and Refrigerate. Remove the venison terrine from the water-bath and let it cool to room temperature. The terrine should now be pressed to ensure that it has the proper density.
- Simply cut a thick piece of cardboard, wood or plastic to the inside dimensions of the vessel and wrap it in foil. Now set something that weighs 1 to 2 pounds on top of the terrine to press it down. A brick turned on its side or canned food work perfectly.
- Refrigerate the terrine overnight or at least 8 hours before serving. This allows the flavors to mature and makes for easier slicing.
To Serve
- Unwrap your terrine and cut into slices that are anywhere from a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Use sharp non-serrated knife or meat slicing knife.
NOTES
- Keep everything very cold. Chill the meat, fat, grinder parts, bowls, and mixer bowl before you start so the forcemeat stays tight and the fat does not smear.
- Grind the liver with part of the meat. Run the liver, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and seasonings through with part of the venison so it blends in evenly instead of leaving big livery pockets.
- Mix until it turns sticky. Once the cream, eggs, flour, and brandy go in, mix just until the forcemeat feels tacky and fully bound. That is what helps the pâté slice cleanly later.
- Test the seasoning first. Cook a small piece in a pan or poach it before filling the mold, then adjust the salt or spice while it is still easy to fix. Cold pâté usually needs a little more salt than hot meat.
- Pack the mold tightly. Work the mixture firmly into the corners, tap out any air pockets, then cover it well before baking so the finished loaf stays dense and even.
- Bake it in a water bath. Cook at 300 F, with hot water reaching about three-quarters of the way up the mold, until the center reaches 145 F. The gentle heat keeps the fat from separating.
- Press and chill overnight. Cool it first, then weigh it down and refrigerate it at least 8 hours so it firms up enough to slice neatly.
- Slice and store it cold. Cut it 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick with a sharp knife. Leftovers keep about 1 week in the refrigerator or about 1 month in the freezer.
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon mace
- 1 tablespoon - ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon ground bay leaf powder
- 2 tablespoons dried marjoram
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons ground mustard
- 3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons juniper berries
- Toast the fennel seeds, black and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a spice grinder or coffee grinder, grind all of the ingredients into a fine powder.
- Store in an airtight container in a dry, dark and cool place.
Nutrition
Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1322mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 1783IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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