How to Make Pate Campagne
A recipe for a coarse country style pork pate…
Pates, terrines, rilletes et al are truly one of life’s greatest simple pleasures. A slice of a well flavoured terrine with some warm bread and a few pickles is my idea of good honest food. The attraction is in part to do with a time gone by when meats were potted, preserved, baked and eaten cold for lunch or supper. This kind of food was never elaborate and it is nice to see that this particular recipe has, by and large been left alone much to the joy of the likes of me.
Pate campagne is, essentially a pork loaf, it might feature one or two other ingredients which you wouldn’t normally associate with a standard pork loaf depending on your location but this, in its simplest form is what it is. This is a dish which embodies rustic country style food and is open to derivatives to the extent that in many a French restaurant it would be named terrine du chef or pate maison to avoid controversy and, more likely to allow for the use of leftovers.
What I make is a mixture of pork shoulder, pork liver and pork back fat. All of this is put through a coarse mincer and then mixed with chopped onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, juniper berry, white wine and brandy. Because it is served cold the seasoning should be generous and so salt, white pepper and nutmeg are used and mixed thoroughly before a small piece of the mixture is cooked and tested for seasoning. What you can do is line your terrine mold or tin with bacon for added flavour and fat content, I sometimes lay slices of pancetta across the top prior to baking because too often a terrine which has been fully lined can look messy if the bacon falls away from the meat. You should always line any mold with cling film before filling with your mix unless you intend to scoop the pate out once baked, it is far nicer to be able to turn out the cooked terrine and slice it into even pieces so ensure the cling film overlaps the edges of the terrine.
The assembled terrine is then baked in a roasting tray three quater filled with water, use a temperature probe to accurately guage the cooked temperature. Leave to cool before refrigerating overnight.
Recipe for Pate Campagne
2lb/1kg minced pork
4oz/100g minced pigs liver
20z/50g minced or diced back fat
1 chopped white onion
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp chopped thyme, sage and parsley (all combined)
Salt, pepper and nutmeg
Combine all of the ingredients thoroughly, leave to rest in a refrigerator for an hour or two before cooking.
Here’s what the raw mixture should look like….
Pate Campagne Mix
Chef,
that’s impressive !
I wonder how many places still make their own pate today ?
Cheers
Rod
October 31, 2009 @ 11:35 am
Rod,
Hardly any to be honest, it’s a dying art.
Miles
November 1, 2009 @ 10:30 am
That’s why you’re better than the rest in Lincolnshire !
Don’t forget it !
Rod
November 1, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
Miles,
What temperature and for how long should this terrine be cooked?
This is the sort of dish that most of us could manage even without a mincer….. a butcher could do that part. My local butcher seems genuinely pleased to help when asked to prepare something rather than just bagging it up and selling. I fancy a meat terrine like this for my Boxing Day table so thanks Miles, another great idea.
Cid
November 1, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
Rod,
Cheers Uncle!
Miles
November 1, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
Cid,
A butcher should do that for you, some recipes will suggest cutting the meat into cubes but I prefer it this way. I’d cook it for a good ninety minutes, use a temperature probe and take it to around 75 degrees C.
Miles
November 1, 2009 @ 7:13 pm
Miles,
This really does look good. I’d love to give something like this a go.
Do you need to weight pâtés down as they’re cooling the same as with terrines or isn’t it necessary?
GDave
November 2, 2009 @ 4:55 am
GDave,
No, not with this one because when you slice it you have a nice rounded top like a bread loaf, it’s what it says on the proverbial packet..rustic!!
Miles
November 2, 2009 @ 9:48 am
Hi,
So you put the mix into a terrine that’s been lined with cling wrap for an hour or two in the fridge, then you put it in the oven in a bain marie at 75 degrees celsius for an 1H30. Does the cling melt, do you cover the pate in the oven? I do not understand this sentence: ” Because it is served cold the seasoning should be generous and so salt, white pepper and nutmeg are used and mixed thoroughly before a small piece of the mixture is cooked and tested for seasoning” Does that mean you cook it on a stove top to check teh seasoning or do you sauteed a little bit and then mix it up with the rest of the unbaked pate? Can you also add peppercorn on top?
Thank you,
Magida
December 10, 2009 @ 3:32 am
Magida,
Welcome to the site. What you do is line the mould with sufficient cling film for it to overlap the terrine, you can put a lid on it but you don’t have to. The cling film doesn’t melt. You cook the terrine in the oven UNTIL THE CORE TEMPERATURE OF THE PATE REACHES 75 DEGREES C. USe a temperature probe and push it into the middle of the terrine. Basically food tastes different at different temperatures so season the mix well, make a little cake from the mix and cook it first, leave it to cool and then try it. You can add crushed peppercorns if you wish.
Hope this helps.
Miles
December 10, 2009 @ 8:44 am