Terrine — ground or whole meats seasoned, packed into a mold, and baked in a water bath until set, then pressed cold until firm — requires precise seasoning (the flavour of cold preparations is perceived differently from hot), precise cooking (the internal temperature must reach pasteurisation temperature without over-cooking), and sufficient aspic (from the gelatin in the meat) to bind the cold terrine for clean slicing.
- **Cold seasoning rule:** Preparations served cold require 25–30% more salt and seasoning than those served hot — cold suppresses the perception of salt and aromatic compounds. Season the farce (ground meat mixture) until it tastes over-seasoned at room temperature; it will be correctly seasoned cold. - **The farce (forcemeat):** Ground pork and fat (typically 70:30 lean to fat), seasoned and bound with egg — the fat provides both flavour and structure in the cold terrine. - **The water bath:** The terrine mold sits in a bain-marie during oven cooking — the water moderates the oven temperature and prevents the terrine from reaching above 80°C at the edges. The target internal temperature: 72–75°C. - **Pressing:** After the water bath, the terrine is weighted and pressed cold overnight — the pressing expels any excess liquid and compacts the layers.
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