Country Terrine

A classic French country-style terrine made with a luxurious blend of ground pork, veal, chicken livers, and ham, seasoned with aromatic spices and Cognac. This rustic pâté is wrapped in bacon and perfect for serving as an elegant appetizer.

12 servings

35 hr 18 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 cup finely chopped onion (1 large)
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•2 cloves garlic cloves
•1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
•1 tablespoon kosher salt
•1 teaspoon black peppercorns
•½ teaspoon whole allspice
•¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
•1 leaf bay leaf
•½ cup heavy cream
•2 large eggs
•3 tablespoons Cognac
•½ lb chicken livers
•1 lb ground fatty pork shoulder
•½ lb ground fatty veal
•½ lb baked ham
•12 slices bacon
•1 serving accompaniments
•1 set equipment

Cooking Instructions

1.
Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl set in a bowl of ice.
11 min
2.
While onion cools, pulse salt, peppercorns, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaf in grinder until finely ground. Add to onion mixture and whisk in cream, eggs, and brandy until combined well.
5 min
3.
Pulse chicken livers in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to onion mixture along with ground pork and veal and mix together well with your hands or a wooden spoon. Stir in ham cubes.
10 min
4.
Line bottom and long sides of terrine mold crosswise with about 6 to 9 strips of bacon, arranging them close together (but not overlapping) and leaving a 1/2- to 2-inch overhang. Fill terrine evenly with ground-meat mixture, rapping terrine on counter to compact it (it will mound slightly above edge). Cover top of terrine lengthwise with 2 or 3 more bacon slices if necessary to cover completely, and fold overhanging ends of bacon back over these. Cover terrine with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours to marinate meats.
480 min
5.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
15 min
6.
Discard plastic wrap and cover terrine tightly with a double layer of foil.
5 min
7.
Bake terrine in a water bath until thermometer inserted diagonally through foil at least 2 inches into center of terrine registers 155 to 160°F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Remove foil and let terrine stand in mold on a rack, 30 minutes.
120 min
8.
Put terrine in mold in a cleaned baking pan. Put a piece of parchment or wax paper over top of terrine, then place on top of parchment another same-size terrine mold or a piece of wood or heavy cardboard cut to fit inside mold and wrapped in foil. Put 2 to 3 (1-pound) cans on terrine or on wood or cardboard to weight cooked terrine. Chill terrine in pan with weights until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Continue to chill terrine, with or without weights, at least 24 hours to allow flavors to develop.
1440 min
9.
Run a knife around inside edge of terrine and let stand in mold in a pan with 1 inch of hot water (to loosen bottom) 2 minutes. Tip terrine mold (holding terrine) to drain excess liquid, then invert a cutting board over terrine, reinvert terrine onto cutting board, and gently wipe outside of terrine (bacon strips) with a paper towel. Let terrine stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then transfer to a platter if desired and cut, as needed, into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
32 min

Ingredients

•1 cup finely chopped onion (1 large)

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•2 cloves garlic cloves

•1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

•1 tablespoon kosher salt

•1 teaspoon black peppercorns

•½ teaspoon whole allspice

•¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•1 leaf bay leaf

•½ cup heavy cream

•2 large eggs

•3 tablespoons Cognac

•½ lb chicken livers

•1 lb ground fatty pork shoulder

•½ lb ground fatty veal

•½ lb baked ham

•12 slices bacon

•1 serving accompaniments

•1 set equipment

Cooking Instructions

Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl set in a bowl of ice.

11 min

While onion cools, pulse salt, peppercorns, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaf in grinder until finely ground. Add to onion mixture and whisk in cream, eggs, and brandy until combined well.

5 min

Pulse chicken livers in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to onion mixture along with ground pork and veal and mix together well with your hands or a wooden spoon. Stir in ham cubes.

10 min

Line bottom and long sides of terrine mold crosswise with about 6 to 9 strips of bacon, arranging them close together (but not overlapping) and leaving a 1/2- to 2-inch overhang. Fill terrine evenly with ground-meat mixture, rapping terrine on counter to compact it (it will mound slightly above edge). Cover top of terrine lengthwise with 2 or 3 more bacon slices if necessary to cover completely, and fold overhanging ends of bacon back over these. Cover terrine with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours to marinate meats.

480 min

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

15 min

Discard plastic wrap and cover terrine tightly with a double layer of foil.

5 min

Bake terrine in a water bath until thermometer inserted diagonally through foil at least 2 inches into center of terrine registers 155 to 160°F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Remove foil and let terrine stand in mold on a rack, 30 minutes.

120 min

Put terrine in mold in a cleaned baking pan. Put a piece of parchment or wax paper over top of terrine, then place on top of parchment another same-size terrine mold or a piece of wood or heavy cardboard cut to fit inside mold and wrapped in foil. Put 2 to 3 (1-pound) cans on terrine or on wood or cardboard to weight cooked terrine. Chill terrine in pan with weights until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Continue to chill terrine, with or without weights, at least 24 hours to allow flavors to develop.

1440 min

Run a knife around inside edge of terrine and let stand in mold in a pan with 1 inch of hot water (to loosen bottom) 2 minutes. Tip terrine mold (holding terrine) to drain excess liquid, then invert a cutting board over terrine, reinvert terrine onto cutting board, and gently wipe outside of terrine (bacon strips) with a paper towel. Let terrine stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then transfer to a platter if desired and cut, as needed, into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

32 min