Pork and Chicken Terrine

Terrine is easy to make and lasts a while in your fridge.

It needs to be made at least a day in advance, which keeps the preparation simple on the day you serve it.

You can use a specialised terrine pan, or do what I do and just make it in a loaf pan.

Get the best ingredients you can. This dish has a small serving size, so it’s not expensive per serving. Don’t scrimp on the fat either; terrine needs enough fat to bind it together and provide the luscious mouth feel it’s known for.

Serve it with pickles, cornichons, or chutney to cut the fat in the mouth.

1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) pork neck or belly, finely minced

400 grams (14 ounces) chicken breast or thigh, cut in 2-centimeter cubes

200 grams (7 ounces) unsliced smoked bacon or speck, cut into 1-centimeter cubes

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

100 grams (3-1/2 ounces) pistachios

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped sage

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons sweet sherry or mirin

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, beaten

20 slices bacon or prosciutto (to line the pan)

Half a cup chopped parsley

Cut the chicken into cubes.

Dice and then mince the pork to a rough consistency and cube up the bacon.

Combine the minced pork, chicken, and cubed bacon in a large mixing bowl.

Add the salt, pepper, allspice, Dijon mustard, parsley, sage, egg, sherry, garlic, and onion.

Mix well by hand to combine the ingredients uniformly.

Line a terrine pan (or watertight loaf pan) with cling film, making sure it overhangs the sides of the pan.

Place the bay (or sage) leaves in the bottom of the pan.

Line the pan with bacon strips, making sure the strips overlap adjacent strips and the sides of the pan.

Fill the pan with the meat mixture to about 2 centimetres (3/4 inch) from the top edge of the pan, pressing the meat down as you go to remove any air bubbles.

Fold the bacon over the top, then the plastic wrap

Cover the top with foil

Place in a slow cooker or Bain Marie

Fill the slow cooker with hot water to just under the lip of the pan

Cook the terrine for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 72 degrees C (162 degrees F).

Remove from the slow cooker

Place a weight on top of the Terrine to compress it and Refrigerate overnight.

I’m using a small block of timber covered in foil and weighed down with a brick

Remove from the Fridge

Unwrap the foil and the plastic wrap

Upend onto a cutting board and remove the pan and plastic wrap

Your Terrine is now ready to slice and serve