Overview
Paté de Cerdo is a country-style terrine of pork meat, liver and fat, seasoned with wine or brandy and baked until fully set. Unlike a smooth liver mousse, it keeps some grain and visible structure.
Where it's from
The cut
How to recognise it
A good country pâté has a moist brown-pink slice, visible meat grain and a balanced liver aroma. Brandy, pepper and herbs should support the pork. Separated fat, a wet grey centre, sourness or a livery metallic finish are faults.
Origins and history
Pâtés and terrines developed as practical ways to use liver, jowl, neck, belly and trimmings together. French charcuterie strongly influenced the modern Spanish form, but the technique fits naturally into the Iberian matanza: cook the perishable organs promptly, enrich them with fat and spice, and preserve the result for a short refrigerated period. Country pâté also turned irregular pieces into an attractive slice that could be shared at the table, packed for a meal away from home or served as part of a wider charcuterie spread.
- Protection
- Unprotected.
- Seasonality
- The winter matanza.
Serving and cultural significance
Serve in substantial slices with bread, mustard, cornichons, onions or an acidic fruit preserve. Let it lose the refrigerator chill so the pork and spice become aromatic, but return unused pâté promptly to cold storage. It also works as the centre of a simple lunch with salad, cheese and a dry wine.
Recipe and cure
This is not a finished recipe. It is a window into how this meat is traditionally cured. Before you follow any process, please run it through one of our curing calculators, so the salt, cure and timings are right and safe for your own batch.
- Meat
- pork
- Cut
- liver, collar, jowl, belly
- Salt (%)
- 5.5
- Fermented
- No
- Smoked
- No
- Maturation
- cook, chill, rest
- Basis
- per 1000 g green meat
- Style
- Country pork pate
Ingredients
- brandy5% · 50 g/kg
- white wine5% · 50 g/kg
- kosher salt5.5% · 55 g/kg
- brown sugar1% · 10 g/kg
- black pepper0.5% · 5 g/kg
Notes
- This is a cooked product. Cook thoroughly to a safe internal temperature and cool promptly; cooking does not kill botulinum spores, so keep the warm-holding window short and refrigerate.
In the Codex
What this product teaches, and where to read more.
Temple. Pillar, Hygiene Control