Mixing terrine ingredients by hand

When I asked charcuteir, Lawrence Kocurek, of Kocurek Family Charcuterie  in Austin, Texas, if he’d share a recipe for the Field & Feast website, he gladly provided me with his Duck Liver Terrine with Porcini.

He also provided the following caveat: “The process on this can be difficult and is very old school French charcuterie but I like it best. I will try to make it as easy as possible.”

What you need to know about t his recipe is you can not make it in the morning and serve it in the evening. It takes about two days to make this recipe, and is well worth the time and effort.

Prep time 1.5 hours
Cook time 3 hours (Your time may vary. use an instant read thermometer to be certain the terrine is done)

Ingredients

• 2 Cup Milk, heated
• 1/2 medium white onion
• 1 small carrot
• 1 rib celery
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 bay leave
• 5 thyme sprigs

• 2.2 lb Duck Livers (may substitute chicken livers)
• 4.4 lb Hard Pork Fat (from the back or Ham–Lawrence used salt pork)
• 1 Tbsp Quatre Epices
• 3 Tbsp Red wine
• 1 tsp Cure#1 (Optional)
• 1 Tbsp Sea salt
• 4 Tbsp Cognac
• 9 eggs
• 3 oz flour
• 1oz dried porcini soaked in brandy (Lawrence used port)
• Caul fat (optional)

Procedure

1. First steep your milk with the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay and thyme until it has reduced by half; this will take about thirty minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cooled strain and reserve liquid in refrigerator for later use.
2. Next cut the fat into 1/2-inch cubes and blanch for 10 minutes in simmering water. Once the fat has simmered remove from water and place into an ice bath to cool. This will take about 15 minutes. Save the fat that has rendered off to cook with later.
3. Next clean the livers of any visible fat or veins. Place some of the livers and some of the cooked fat into a food processor and a few eggs. Turn the machine on and slowly add some of the reserved milk until the mixture starts to emulsify. This will take about three minutes, per batch until all has been pureed.
4. Place mixture into the frig to cool for 30mins.
5. Next place mixture back into food processor, now adding the flour slowly through the hole in the top of the machine at this time also add brandy, red wine, and porcini, making sure this is done in stages until it has all been emulsified.
6. Next place the duck liver terrine into a caul fat lined, terrine mold (you can also just cover the terrine with teh fat, or not use the fat at all.
7.  Place the terrine into a water bath and bake at 200 degrees for about three hours until internal temperature registers 170.
8.  Allow to cool and setup for 24 hours.
9. Serve on crackers or slices of baguette, and served with something acidic to help cut through the richness of the terrine. Lawrence suggests serving the terrine with a sparkling wine.