Incredible Pork Terrine

This classic French-style Pork Terrine is rich, savoury, and beautifully balanced with the sweet-tart pop of cranberries and the crunch of pistachios. Made with pork shoulder, chicken livers, and a hint of brandy, it’s a showstopping make-ahead dish perfect for holiday gatherings, elegant entertaining, and summer picnics.

Feeling fancy? This French Onion Soup recipe is a ‘made from scratch’ classic made from homemade beef stock, caramelized onions and Gruyère. Or, serve Pommes Duchesse at your next family gathering or dinner party. These buttery potato pillows are easier to make than you think!

Pork Terrine

Today we’re going country style… with a French country terrine! This terrine recipe may look complicated, but I promise you, it is almost as easy as mixing and baking a banana bread, with a few extra steps.

This one is for all the meat lovers out there! There’s nothing as comforting as a meatloaf unless it’s the French version of meatloaf. The incredible flavour is from the unique blend of herbs and spices, plus the addition of cognac (or brandy), pistachios, dried cranberries, and BACON.

However, it’s the smooth texture that is the real treat. Cooking the terrine in a water bath at a low temperature and then cooling and compressing it under a weight is the key to achieving this smooth sliceable texture. It may sound like a lot but it’s straight forward and the result is a lovely appetizer or starter you can proudly to serve your holiday guests.

To serve this pistachio and cranberry terrine, slice it in thick slices and serve with crusty bread, cornichons, pickled onions, and grainy or Dijon mustard. A dollop of fruit chutney or fig jam is a welcome touch, too. Alternatively, you can serve it with a leafy salad for a light yet satisfying meal.

What is a Terrine?

In French cuisine, a terrine is a loaf of forcemeat (mixed meat stuffing) or aspic cooked in a special loaf pan (also called a terrine) in a bain-marie, or water bath. The meat mixture may contain game or poultry, seafood or even fruits and vegetables in addition to flavourings like cognac and other additions like nuts.

Though they are very similar, there are few things that distinguish a terrine from a pâté. After cooking, a terrine must cool for at least 24 hours and is generally eaten cold while pate can be eaten cold, warm or hot. Terrines often have a coarser texture than pâtés and the latter may be cooked en croute (in pastry).

Ingredients in Pork Terrine

There’s almost an infinite amount of ingredient combinations when it comes to terrine recipes. While the volume of the mixture is limited by the cooking vessel, you can add or substitute ingredients as you see fit.

• Bacon
• Pork Shoulder
• Chicken Livers
• Dried Cranberries
• Pork Fat
• Brandy
• Pistachios
• Allspice
• Garlic
• Thyme
• Black Pepper
• Salt
• Egg

Choose thin rindless bacon rashers for this recipe. Alternatively, you can use the more traditional lining of caul fat or mix it up with prosciutto, spinach, or seaweed.

Use veal liver in place of chicken livers for a more pronounced flavour or no liver at all (but add more ground pork). Trim and cut the pork shoulder before processing and add either pork fat or pork belly to the forcemeat.

Use brandy or cognac to rehydrate the dried cranberries before folding them into the mixture then add to the forcemeat for extra flavour.

How to Make a Pork Terrine

Essentially, the ground pork is mixed with spices and herbs, egg, and a few chicken livers until it achieves a fine texture. Next the meat mixture is layered with chicken livers in a terrine mold lined with thinly sliced bacon strips. It cooks in a bain-Marie (water bath) at a low temperature then cools and compresses under a weight to achieve a smooth sliceable texture.

NOTE: If you don’t have a terrine mold you can use a loaf pan or loaf tin for this recipe. You will also need a food processor, a spatula, measuring spoons, a high baking dish or roasting pan, and plastic wrap. Use a can of beans or veggies and a second loaf pan or shaped cardboard to press the terrine as it cools to room temperature.

To begin, preheat the oven to 325°F and soak the cranberries in the brandy for 15–20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To prepare the terrine mold, start by using the back of a knife to gently stretch the bacon slices—this helps reduce shrinkage during baking. Then line a loaf pan or terrine mold (see recipe note) with the bacon, allowing the ends to hang over the sides.

Prepare the Meat Mixture

To prepare the meat mixture, place the trimmed pork shoulder, ground pork fat (or belly), garlic, thyme, allspice, black pepper, salt, and egg in the bowl of a food processor. Process until mostly smooth.

Next, add half of the chicken livers and pulse until incorporated—you want a cohesive but still slightly textured mixture. Set aside the remaining chicken livers. Finally, fold the soaked cranberries (with any remaining brandy) and pistachios into the meat mixture by hand. You may need to turn the mixture out into a mixing bowl to do this.

Spoon in half the terrine mixture, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets. Scatter the reserved whole chicken livers over the center. Add the remaining meat mixture and press down again. Fold the bacon ends over the top to enclose the terrine completely, then cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Cooking and Resting the Terrine

Place the terrine mold into a deep roasting pan and pour boiling water into the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the mold. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the terrine reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and feels firm to the touch.

Carefully remove the terrine from the water bath. While still hot, place a weight on top to compress it slightly—this helps create a smooth, sliceable texture. Use a second loaf pan with a couple of cans or cover with aluminum foil then cardboard cut to fit the mold and two cans.

Allow the terrine cool completely to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to allow the flavours to develop fully.

Storage

Once fully chilled and properly wrapped, the terrine will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to prevent drying out and absorbing fridge odours. The flavour will develop and improve after a day or two which makes it an excellent ‘make ahead’ appetizer.

Terrine freezes well and can be frozen in ‘serving’ sizes. To freeze the terrine, wrap portions in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Alternatively (and highly recommended) seal in portion sizes using a vacuum sealer. Freeze for 3-4 months.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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