Rillettes and pates

[shroomgirl]

Was gifted with three large pig heads last week and cooked them down until the meat is "potroast tender" about 24 hours. Separated and chilled the meat, chilled the broth..took off the thick layer of fat and will use to fry chicken.....boiled down the jelled stock until now it's jelly.

So rillettes....chopped the pig meat fairly finely, then mixed into melted leaf lard adding black pepper, grey salt, allspice, whole bay leaves....next time will powder them, ground ginger, cloves...next time will leave out, thyme, granulated <penzey's> garlic, nutmeg and lots of orange zest.
Steralized various canning jars and filled with the rillettes, topped off with 1/2"+ of rendered liquid leaf lard and then topped with a canning jar lid....did not process any further but put them in the fridge. Should last for numerous weeks if not months.....

Watched a friend make pate with pork shoulder, chicken livers, fat back, spices, parsley thyme, garlic slivers, toasted hazelnuts, brandy. Only fatback on the bottom/actually top......6-1 ratio of fat to meat. Cooked to 130* about 1.5 hours at 350* in a water bath. Foil sealed pans, then weighted and left over night.
No eggs, no panade actually of any kind, no onion, it's a much lower ratio of fat to meat than I've been using.
Hmmmm.....
thus far, my country pate has pork shoulder, back fat and pork liver about equal amounts, eggs, white wine, brandy actually I use Grand Marnier alot,
onions, garlic, spices, herbs, covered wholey in sheets of back fat and baked to 145*, in a water bath.....parchment then foil.

Pork liver Pate is ground and sieved (ugh....) cream/flour/pork broth panade,
eggs, loads of orange....it brightens the mix.....again surrounded by sheets of back fat.

Chicken liver pate, butter, livers, orange zest, orange juice concentrate, onions, currants......most people (including alot of chefs) do not recognize it as chicken livers but think it's more extravagant....that's what a ton of butter will do for you.....creamy not baked.


So, my question is what spices do you put in rillettes or pates? Do your techniques or ingredients vary from those mentioned?
It's interesting to read that leaf lard is used for rillettes, instead of just the other backfat lard.

[cape chef]

Shroom, with traditional pates I use dry basil, dry thyme,whole cloves, coriander seeds, nutmeg,mace, white peppercorns and bay leaf and powder them with a mortar and pestle. depending on the application I have added dried morels or porcini. For rillettes I use quatre epices.

[shroomgirl]

AHA.....For rillettes I use quatre epices....
so Grigson's Charcuterie book has quatre epices as: " Quatre-epices is a French blend of four spices-pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and either cinnamon or ginger- for use principally in charcuterie. It is not on general sale in England or America, but if you have not brought any back from France you can quite easily mix our own, and keep it in a well-lidded jar:
7 parts black pepper, 1 part each of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon.

Every big spice merchant has his own blend, so the proportions can vary thought pepper is always the main element. Larousse Gastronomique gives this: White Pepper, 125 grams; Cloves, 10 grams;ginger30 grams; nutmeg 35 grams

why a morter and pestle instead of a coffee grinder?
one of the chefs I've been testing pates with says to rehydrate the morels....I just threw them in the mix after crushing them.....thoughts?

[cape chef]

I don't have a coffee grinder (kidding) My wife gave me the most beautiful mortar and pestle, I love to use it. also, no need to reconstitute the morels, better flavor dry IMHO

[shroomgirl]

why do you think leaf lard rather than just lard was called for in rillettes?
have you ever heat packed them so that the rillettes would be shelf stable?
if so how? Certainly there is canned meat on the market so why not seal the rillettes since they are already cooked to tender, thus making room in the oh so small refrig space.

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

why do you think leaf lard rather than just lard was called for in rillettes?
have you ever heat packed them so that the rillettes would be shelf stable?
if so how? Certainly there is canned meat on the market so why not seal the rillettes since they are already cooked to tender, thus making room in the oh so small refrig space.

I see no problem with using leaf lard, infact why not if you can get it or the kidneys and render your own. It is the purest isn't it?

When I make rillettes I either use pork butt or duck confit and use the pork fat or duck fat for initial proving of air, then topping with a layer to seal. 2/3 weeks in the fridge, a month on the outside.No, I have never heat packed rillettes, I find it unnecessary.

[thetincook]

Have you tried adding some black cardamon to your quarte espices?

It really plays well with the other spices and the smokyness works with the pork. Gives it that je ne se quias. You only need a little since it is very strong and too much tastes medicinal.

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by thetincook

Have you tried adding some black cardamon to your quarte espices?

It really plays well with the other spices and the smokyness works with the pork. Gives it that je ne se quias. You only need a little since it is very strong and too much tastes medicinal.

I have not used black cardamom to my traditional quarte epices, but I can see how a small amount could add a interesting flavor component. How have you used it?


BTW, it's always nice to discuss the classics.

[thetincook]

Yes, I've used it. Otherwise I wouldn't have brought it up.

It's one of those flavor combos that that pop up in India and China. It's kinda like celery and carrots with out onions, if you catch my drift.

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by thetincook

Yes, I've used it. Otherwise I wouldn't have brought it up.

.

No, I understand that you have used it, but in what application? What type of pate or rillettes.

[shroomgirl]

black over green....
So what would your spice mix be tincook?

there were different variations of quatre epice between the books.

I asked a friend that worked with several French chefs prior to adding orange zest to the rillettes, thinking even the dried zest would shorten the life of the meat....it too adds a nice note. all the spice mixes are warm....
interesting, so would vanilla be too weird?

The reason I'm thinking about shelf stable is the quantity being made is so much and so rich that I'd like to use it rather than lose it.

Absolutely I have access to leaf lard....have about 20#+ rendered in the freezer.....thought it would only be used for pie crusts but am glad to find another place it's good for...but there's a texture difference between leaf lard and back fat...still working out why one is better than another for different applications...it's the why thing.

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

black over green....

Absolutely I have access to leaf lard....have about 20#+ rendered in the freezer.....thought it would only be used for pie crusts but am glad to find another place it's good for...but there's a texture difference between leaf lard and back fat...still working out why one is better than another for different applications...it's the why thing.

Shroom, maybe because back fat is less saturated = softer, and the leaf lard is very saturated so it sets up very hard. Maybe there thinking a better top seal, which I would concur with. As to your thoughts on canning (so to speak) I can see it working quite well.

[shroomgirl]

foie and pate are canned....makes sense that rillettes could be too....it's just the how part that's got me stumped.

[shroomgirl]

more saturated, so leaf lard is hard white and has alot of fiber running through it, back fat appears more liquidy when rendered. Don't remember college bio-chem getting into fat details, but that was so long ago and so far away.......
Leaf lard does not carry piggy flavor, so it appeared to be a better match with sweet pie crusts....but as rillettes are meat, in this case pork heads what would it matter which fat is used to preserve it?

[cape chef]

There is no reason you should not use belly or back lard, great flavor.I don't see any specific reason to use leaf lard. Have you ever rendered lardo to use in this type of medium?