Pâté de Campagne

Name: Pâté de Campagne
Cook time: 220 min
Total time: 220 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 500g Pork Shoulder, boneless, diced; 300g Pork Belly, or fatback, diced; 200g Pork Liver, diced; 80g Country Bread, about 2 slices, crusts removed, torn; 80ml Whole Milk; 2 large Eggs; 60ml Heavy Cream; 2 Shallots, finely chopped; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp Thyme Leaves, fresh (or 1/2 tsp dried); 30ml Cognac, or Armagnac; 16g Fine Sea Salt; 1 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 1 tsp Quatre Épices; 3g Pink Curing Salt, Prague Powder #1, optional but traditional; 4 Juniper Berries, lightly crushed; optional but common; 11 slices of Streaky Bacon, thin slices; or 200 g caul fat; 2 Bay Leaves; Some Cornichon; Some Dijon Mustard; Some Country Bread

This rustic Pâté de Campagne is a coarse, flavorful country-style terrine that balances rich pork, savory liver, and fragrant herbs into a spreadable centerpiece. Braised aromatics, a splash of cognac and a touch of cream make the mixture silky while bacon-lined terrine and a resting period develop deep, sliceable texture—perfect with crusty bread, Dijon and cornichons.

This rustic Pâté de Campagne is a coarse, flavorful country-style terrine that balances rich pork, savory liver, and fragrant herb... Show more

Traditional French Recipe

Health Grade

A- · Excellent

Rating

4.1

Time

3 hrs30 min

Price

1,47 €

Calories

463 kcal

low calorie

nutritious

meal prep

low carb

Method

Prep the ingredients

Cut the Pork Shoulder, Pork Belly, and Pork Liver into about 1-inch pieces. Trim the crusts from the Country Bread, tear the soft crumb into pieces, and let it soak in the Whole Milk until it is completely softened. Rinse and dry the Flat-Leaf Parsley, then finely chop it along with the Shallots and Garlic.

Mix the pâté

Squeeze the soaked bread gently to remove any excess milk, then add it to a large bowl with the meats, chopped shallots, garlic, and parsley. Mix in the Egg, Heavy Cream, Cognac or Armagnac, Fine Sea Salt, Pepper (Black), and Quatre Épices. If you’re using it, add the optional Pink Curing Salt, the Thyme Leaves or dried thyme, and the lightly crushed Juniper Berries, then work everything together with clean hands or a sturdy spoon until the mixture is evenly blended, sticky, and still coarse.

Preheat the oven

Heat the oven to 325° F and set a rack in the lower-middle position. Put a roasting pan nearby so it is ready for the water bath.

Line and pack

Line a loaf pan with the thin Streaky Bacon slices, overlapping them like shingles so there are no gaps and leaving some overhang; use caul fat instead if you prefer. Tuck the Bay Leaves flat on top or against the sides for fragrance, then pack the meat mixture in very firmly, pressing out air pockets as you go. Fold the bacon overhang over the top to seal the pâté.

Bake gently

Set the pan in the roasting pan, pour in hot water until it comes halfway up the sides, and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The center should feel set and read 160° F on a kitchen thermometer inserted into the middle, not touching the pan.

Press and chill

Lift the pan out of the water bath and let it cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Lay a piece of parchment or foil on top, set a small board or a couple of cans over it to weight it down, and refrigerate it overnight so the pâté firms up and the slices hold together.

Slice and serve

Unmold the pâté, remove any bay leaves from the surface, run a thin knife around the edges if needed, and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve thick slices with Cornichons, Dijon Mustard, and country bread on the side.