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French · Alsace

Foie Gras d'Alsace

Alsace shares with the Southwest (Périgord and Gascony) the distinction of being France’s great foie gras region, and the Alsatian tradition of preparing foie gras entier (whole foie gras) in terrine is arguably the most refined expression of this luxury ingredient. The Alsatian approach differs markedly from the southwestern: where the Périgord tradition emphasises truffle and Sauternes, Alsace uses Gewurztraminer, quatre-épices, and sometimes a touch of Kirsch, producing a foie gras that is more aromatic and spice-scented. The preparation of a foie gras terrine begins with sourcing: a fresh, raw goose or duck liver (foie gras cru) of Grade A quality weighing 500-700g for goose, 400-600g for duck. The liver must be deveined (déveiné) with surgical precision: the two lobes are separated, the main vein is located and carefully extracted using a small knife and tweezers, pulling gently to remove the entire venous tree without tearing the liver apart. This operation is best performed when the liver is at 10-12°C (cold enough to be firm but warm enough to be pliable). The deveined liver is seasoned with 12g salt and 3g white pepper per kilogram, a generous pinch of quatre-épices (white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, ginger), and marinated with a tablespoon of Gewurztraminer for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. The marinated liver is pressed into a porcelain terrine, eliminating air pockets, the surface smoothed, and the terrine covered. It is cooked au bain-marie in a 90-100°C oven until the internal temperature reaches exactly 50-55°C at the centre (approximately 40-50 minutes) — this low temperature ensures a silky, unctuous texture. The cooked terrine is weighted (500g) and refrigerated for 48-72 hours minimum before serving, during which flavours meld and the fat redistributes. Served sliced 1.5cm thick with toasted brioche, fleur de sel, and a glass of late-harvest Gewurztraminer.

‹Swipe for the next dish›
ServesSix to eight portions
Total48–72 hours resting, plus 40–50 minutes cooking and 12–24 hours marinating
Sourced0of 8 in BC
Cook
‹ Previous · Foie de Veau à la Lyonnaise — Calf's Liver with Onions|Next · Foie Gras: Sautéed and Terrine ›
I

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

1 (500–700 g)
Whole raw goose foie gras, Grade A
or duck foie gras 400–600 g; free of bruises and bile stains
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the seasoning and marinade
12 g per kg liver
Fine salt
Your own market
3 g per kg liver
White pepper, ground
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 generous pinch
Quatre-épices
white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, ginger
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15 ml
Gewurztraminer
one tablespoon; a late-harvest style
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Optional pre-soak
500 ml
Whole milk
to cover the deveined liver
Your own market
To serve
4–6 slices
Brioche
sliced and toasted
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 pinch per plate
Fleur de sel
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
II

The Method

1
Bring the liver to 10–12 °C — cold enough to be firm, warm enough to be pliable. Separate the two lobes. Locate the main vein and extract the entire venous tree using a small knife and tweezers, pulling gently and continuously to avoid tearing the flesh. Inspect both lobes for green bile stains; any discoloured flesh is removed entirely. The liver is ready when it lies flat and intact, veins absent.
2
Optional: submerge the deveined liver in cold whole milk and refrigerate for 2 hours to draw out residual blood and any trace of bitterness. Lift, drain, and pat dry with a cloth.
3
Weigh the liver. Apply 12 g fine salt, 3 g ground white pepper, and a generous pinch of quatre-épices per kilogram of liver. Add one tablespoon (15 ml) of Gewurztraminer. Turn the lobes gently to coat all surfaces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. At the end of marination the liver is fragrant with spice and wine.
From the canon — Quatre-épices is the foundational spice blend of the French garde manger, a finely calibrated mixture whose standard ratio—by weight—is 7 parts white pepper … Quatre-Épices — The Classical French Spice Blend →
4
Pack the marinated lobes into a porcelain terrine mould, pressing firmly to eliminate all air pockets and arranging the larger lobe on the bottom. Smooth the surface flat with a spatula. Cover with the terrine lid or a sheet of foil. The surface should be perfectly level — any cavity will trap steam and compromise the final texture.
5
This is where the dish lives or dies. Place the covered terrine in a bain-marie and transfer to an oven set at 90–100 °C. Cook for approximately 40–50 minutes, monitoring the internal temperature with a probe thermometer. Remove the terrine from the oven the instant the centre reads 50–55 °C — the ideal is 52 °C, which produces the creamiest, most unctuous result. Exceeding 55 °C renders excess fat and yields a dry, crumbly terrine that cannot be corrected.
6
Pour off or reserve the pool of golden cooking fat (it is valuable for sautéing). Place a piece of card cut to fit inside the terrine rim, weighted with 500 g, directly on the surface of the foie gras. Refrigerate under this weight for a minimum of 48–72 hours. The terrine is ready when it is firm, cohesive, and the flavours have fully melded — this cannot be rushed.
7
Remove the terrine from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before serving so it reaches approximately 16 °C. Slice 1.5 cm thick with a knife dipped in hot water. Serve on toasted brioche with a pinch of fleur de sel. Below 16 °C, both flavour and texture remain muted.
From the canon — Brioche is an enriched yeast dough in which butter and eggs constitute such a high proportion of the dough (50–80% butter relative to flour weight, 4–6 eggs … Brioche — The Overnight Retard and Why Patience Is the Ingredient →
III

Quality Hierarchy

01
Reserve — Fresh Grade A raw goose foie gras (foie gras cru d'oie), 500–700 g, from a recognised Alsatian or Gascon producer; no bruising, no bile staining, a pale ivory-beige throughout. Paired with a vendanges tardives Gewurztraminer from the same region.
02
Estate — Fresh Grade A raw duck foie gras (foie gras cru de canard), 400–600 g, sourced directly from a farm of known provenance. A late-harvest Gewurztraminer from a named Alsatian domaine used for both marinade and table.
03
Market — Fresh duck foie gras purchased from a trusted butcher or specialist supplier; Grade A verified by eye — cream-coloured, yielding gently under pressure, no green patches. A standard Alsatian Gewurztraminer suffices for the marinade.
04
House — Vacuum-packed fresh duck foie gras of declared Grade A status, widely available from quality retailers. The quatre-épices may be a pre-blended commercial mix. A dry or off-dry Gewurztraminer used throughout.
IV

Sensory Tests

◇Touch. Liver holds its shape under gentle pressure during deveining and does not tear — the correct temperature is 10–12 °C
◇Smell. After 12–24 hours' marination, the liver carries a distinct spice-and-wine fragrance from the quatre-épices and Gewurztraminer
◇Touch. A probe thermometer inserted to the centre reads 50–55 °C (ideal 52 °C) — the definitive test of doneness
◇Touch. After 48–72 hours under weight, the chilled terrine is firm, slices cleanly, and holds its form when pressed lightly
◇Sight. The cut face of the terrine is a uniform pale ivory-gold, without visible voids, tears, or pools of uncongealed fat
◇Where it lives or dies. The internal temperature at the moment the terrine leaves the bain-marie is absolute: below 50 °C the collagen does not set; above 55 °C the fat renders irreversibly and the texture becomes dry and crumbly.
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VI

What to Pour

A late-harvest Alsatian Gewurztraminer (vendanges tardives): its honeyed aromatic richness mirrors the spice of the quatre-épices and echoes the marinade used in the preparation. The wine's residual sweetness provides the classical counterpoint to the unctuousness of the foie gras.

The whole pairing
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