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Mastering Meat 2

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The ins and outs of terrines and pâtés

What’s the deal with pâtés and terrines?
Although these days everything seems to fall under the all-encompassing heading of pâté,
there’s a subtle difference between pâtés and terrines. So what does set these delicious
meaty delicacies apart?

A terrine is a flavoured coarse forcemeat (which is really just a fancy name for ground up
meat and meat fat) that is often wrapped in bacon while it’s baked before being pressed,
sliced and served cold.

A pâté is a flavoured coarse forcemeat encased in pastry that is baked and then served hot
or cold. Effectively, it’s a terrine baked in a pastry case. The word pâté comes from the
French word meaning ‘pastry’ and often refers to what we commonly know as pies.

Then, to complicate matters further there is the parfait - a flavoured smooth forcemeat
that is baked and served cold. It has a lovely buttery consistency and is what people often
refer to as a pâté.

Top tips for terrines and pâtés

Fatty meat works best
The best meat to use for all terrines and pâtés is a good quality, fatty pork that’s a
combination of the shoulder and belly. This will ensure that you have a juicy, tender finished

product. Sausage mix also works well when combined with the pork thanks to its high fat
content. If you’re using venison or chicken for your forcemeat, both of which are considered
lean meat, you’ll need to add extra fat in the form of bacon, or include a substantial
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