Pork Liver Pâté

also called pâté · liver pâté · pate · the spread in a bánh mì · pa tê · banh mi pate · pork liver pate · bò pâté · country pâté

The table

Preheat oven 325°F (165°C)
1 lb(450 g; trimmed of ducts and cut in chunks)pork liversoak cold 2 hr, draingrind coarsepulse inline the terrine, bake 90 min in a water bathweight, chill 12 hr
2 cups(475 mL)whole milk
4 large(about 1 cup, sliced)shallotssweat 10 min, no colour
6 cloves(sliced)garlic
2 Tbs(30 g)unsalted butter
8 oz(225 g; cut in 1-inch cubes)fatty pork shoulder
8 oz(225 g)diced pork fatback
2 largeeggs
1/3 cup(80 mL)heavy cream
2 Tbs(30 mL)fish sauce
2 Tbs(30 mL)brandy
1 tspfive-spice powder
1 Tbs(10 g)kosher salt
1 tsp(coarsely ground)black pepper
1 tspsugar
6 oz(170 g; cut thin, or streaky bacon)sliced pork fatback
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.23 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2soak cold 2 hr, drain

3sweat 10 min, no colour

4grind coarse

goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made

5pulse in

goes in with what step 4 made

6line the terrine, bake 90 min in a water bath

goes in with what step 5 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 15 hr 30 min2 of 6 steps give no time
Needs you
about 10 min
If you get it wrong
Unforgiving — a terrine is baked to 160°F at the centre and held cold afterwards, and getting that wrong is a safety failure rather than a texture one

  1. soak cold 2 hr, drain

    2 hrwalk awayfrom the start

  2. sweat 10 min, no colour

    10 minneeds you(we think)from the start

  3. grind coarse

    not timed2 hr in

  4. pulse in

    not timed2 hr in

  5. line the terrine, bake 90 min in a water bath

    1 hr 30 minwalk away2 hr in

  6. weight, chill 12 hr

    12 hrwalk away3 hr 30 min in

You'll need food processor · fridge · oven · roasting pan · skillet · terrine

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Pork Liver Pâté
>> category: Dressings & Dips
>> tags: pork, liver, vietnamese, terrine, oven
>> servings: 12
>> time: 16 hr
>> slack: unforgiving — a terrine is baked to 160°F at the centre and held cold afterwards, and getting that wrong is a safety failure rather than a texture one
>> counters: Phở & Bánh Mì, Deli
>> aka: pâté, liver pâté, pate, the spread in a bánh mì, pa tê, banh mi pate, pork liver pate, bò pâté, country pâté
>> pairs-with: baguette, do-chua

>> step: preheat oven 325°F (165°C)
Preheat the #oven{} to 325°F (165°C).

>> step: soak cold 2 hr, drain
Soak @pork liver{1%lb}(450 g; trimmed of ducts and cut in chunks) in @whole milk{2%cup}(475 mL) in the #fridge{} for ~soak{2%hr}, then drain and pat dry.

>> step: sweat 10 min, no colour
Sweat @shallots{4%large}(about 1 cup, sliced) and @garlic{6%cloves}(sliced) in @unsalted butter{2%Tbs}(30 g) in a #skillet{} over low heat for ~sweat{10%min}, until soft and sweet with no colour on them.

>> step: grind coarse
Grind @&(~2)drained liver{}, @&(~1)aromatics{}, @fatty pork shoulder{8%oz}(225 g; cut in 1-inch cubes) and @diced pork fatback{8%oz}(225 g) in a #food processor{} to a coarse paste still flecked with fat — this is a country pâté, not a mousse.

>> step: pulse in
Pulse @eggs{2%large}, @heavy cream{1/3%cup}(80 mL), @fish sauce{2%Tbs}(30 mL), @brandy{2%Tbs}(30 mL), @five-spice powder{1%tsp}, @kosher salt{1%Tbs}(10 g), @black pepper{1%tsp}(coarsely ground) and @sugar{1%tsp} into @&(~1)paste{} in short bursts.

>> step: line the terrine, bake 90 min in a water bath
Line a #terrine{} with @sliced pork fatback{6%oz}(170 g; cut thin, or streaky bacon), pack @&(~1)forcemeat{} in and fold the ends over, then stand the covered terrine in a #roasting pan{} of boiling water and ~bake{90%min} to 160°F (71°C).

>> step: weight, chill 12 hr
Weight @&(~1)baked pâté{} with a foil-wrapped brick and chill ~chill{12%hr}, overnight, before turning it out.