Did You Know: Pâtés, Terrines & Rillettes - The French Market (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between rillettes and pâté and terrines? ›

The main difference in regards to these 3 is simple. Pâtés and Terrines have a much smoother texture. They also contain organ meat such as the liver. Rillettes use meat that comes from other parts of the animal, like the thighs, ribs, or shoulders.

A pate differs from a terrine in that pate is usually made from liver, is much finer in texture and can be made in any shaped container. A terrine is generally made from much chunkier meat - chunks of pork hock, diced lamb leg meat, duck breast or minced pork.

The correct statement about serving pâtés and terrines is that they should be served cold or at room temperature. Pâtés and terrines are savory dishes typically made from ground meat or fish, often combined with other ingredients, and cooked in a mold or container.

The French word rillettes is first evidenced in 1845. It derives from the Old French rille, meaning a slice of pork, which is first attested in 1480. This is a dialect variation of the Old French reille, meaning a lath or strip of wood, from the Latin regula.

Most terrines contain a large amount of fat, although it is often not the main ingredient, and pork; many terrines are made with typical game meat, such as pheasant and hare. In the past, terrines were under the province of professional charcutiers, along with sausages, pâtés, galantines, and confit.

The word Terrine dates back to the Middle Ages and in French it simply describes an earthenware dish. Terrine has the same origin as the English tureen, meaning something made from earth, of Terra. Terrin or therin (15th Century) means earthen and comes from Latin terrenus or terra 'of the earth'.

Rillettes are pork, chicken, or duck meat (it can also be fish) that's been chopped or shredded, cooked in its own fat, minced, and mixed with some of the fat from the cooking process. Rillette's texture is loose with threads of meat visible.

Usually made in a terrine (a porcelain dish), pâté may also be referred to as terrine, used as an abbreviation of pâté en terrine. Though some consider terrine to imply a coarser, heartier pâté, the two terms are used interchangeably today.

Pâté is a classic French dish that has been enjoyed for centuries, made by blending ground meat with fat, herbs, spices, and other flavourings, then cooking it and serving it cold. It is a versatile dish that can be made from various meats, such as pork, duck, or chicken liver, or from vegetables such as mushrooms.

It's often used as a main ingredient in bread or baguette to make a delicious sandwich. Pâté can also be spread on crackers/toast , served with salad, eggs, stuffed into veggies, as dip, on meat and more. Meanwhile, terrine is best enjoyed in slices but can still be used as a spread much like pâté.

In which cuisine are pâtés and terrines often considered traditional and popular? ›

Today pâté remains a mainstay of the French diet. 25% of French people eat pâté at least once per week and 68% of French people consume pâté at least once per month. In recent decades it has become a favorite nibble and first choice of hors d'oeuvre in millions of households across America.

Paté (pronounced pah-tay) is a French term that loosely translates to paste. Paté is a savory filling of meat and fat that is baked in a terrine (an earthenware vessel) and served hot or cold. Traditionally, paté was baked in pastry, aka paté en croute.

In short, pâtés are usually spread over bread but sometimes can be sliced, terrines are pâtés that are pressed into and cooked in dishes and are usually served sliced, and rillettes are chunkier than both and contain meat that is cooked confit-style (in its own fat).

The literal translation of terrine in French is a "large earthenware pot". The English derivative of the word is tureen; a word still used today to describe a cooking pot.

No, pâté is NOT a raw dish. The base ingredients that go into it - whether liver, meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables - are pre-cooked before they're ground or sieved with the fat to form the paste. At least, this holds true for commercially produced pâté.

According to Larousse Gastronomique, when there is a pastry case the dish is pâté en croute and when there is not, and the mixture is cooked in a dish (called a terrine), it is pâté en terrine, often abbreviated to terrine or pâté, terms used interchangeably in both French and English usage.

Terrine: A Rustic Delight

A close cousin of pâté, French Terrine is a hearty dish typically prepared by layering seasoned meats with vegetables, herbs, spices (such as Piment d'Espelette PDO) or even dried fruits and nuts, then slow-cooked to perfection.

Pâté in French means "paste" which denotes a culinary preparation made of ground meat or fish with different seasonings. Since its origin in France, pâté is primarily categorized into two types: pâté en croûte, which is baked inside a pastry dough, and crustless pâté en terrine (cooked inside a mold).