Country Style Whiskey Pate with Yard Eggs

Pates are really fun to make and there are infinite varieties.  The best part is that they are inexpensive and impressive! For this one I'm going with a rustic style, which means the meat is corse ground instead of emulsified. I also did not use any liver, only because I didn't have any when I started to make it. If you want liver simply subtract 1/4 pound of pork and add 1/4 pound of finely ground or emulsified pork or chicken liver. 

2-pounds course ground fatty pork 

8-slices of bacon

3-boiled eggs

2-tablespoons curing salt

1-teaspoon cayenne powder

3-bay leaves for garnish

Fresh thyme for garnish 

1/2 cup of whiskey, cognac or dry white wine

 

Add the following to a spice grinder and grind until very fine

2- bay leaves

2-tablespoons black peppercorns 

1-teaspoon coriander seeds

1-teaspoon caraway seeds

1-teaspoon mustard seed

2- sprigs fresh thyme

 

We start by mixing all your dry and wet ingredients together with the pork. Mix until well incorporated and the mixture is sticky. Next we line the pate pan with bacon. You can also use cald fat, but bacon is a lot easier to find. This keeps the pate from sticking to the pan. Some people like the bacon in the final product some don't. I leave it on and let my guests decide if they like it or not. 

Fill the pate pan halfway with the pork mixture and add the boiled eggs down the center. 

Stuff the rest of the pork mixture tightly around and over the eggs. Make sure to get it in all the nooks and crannies. 

Flip your bacon ends over and garnish with bay leaves and some fresh thyme. 

Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

The next day remove the plastic wrap put on the lid and place in a large casserole dish. Fill the casserole dish with water until it is halfway up the sides of the pate pan.  

Place in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300 and  cook for one more hour. Remove from water bath. 

Once cooled, refrigerate overnight and now it's ready to serve! 

 

Slice into half inch slices and serve with homemade mustard and pickled condiments! 

 

Cheers and enjoy! 

Quick Pickles

 

We love pickles! This recipe is designed to be ready to eat in a minimum of eight hours, twelve is better! 

These pickles are at their best when eaten within two days of canning. 

Just follow the recipe which is set up for each pint jar. I use seedless English cucumbers in this recipe because the best pickling cucumbers are coming out of season. 

Sterilize your jars and add all your spices! 

1-tablespoon canning salt

1/4-teaspoon black peppercorns 

1/8- teaspoon coriander seed

1/8-teaspoon caraway seed

1/4-teaspoon red chili flake

1-clove garlic

1/4-slice jalapeño 

1-dried red chili 

3-sprigs dill

1/2-teaspoon pickle crisp

3/4-white vinegar

1/4-water

Put all dry ingredients garlic and jalapeño slice in each jar. 

So now all you have to do is thinly slice you cucumber and fill the jars with them. I like to use a vegetable peeler to make stripes down the length of the cubumber. It adds a nice visual appeal, and takes away some of the bitterness that the skin adds. 

Fill your jars 3/4 way with white vinegar and 1/4 with water after you have filled them with slices. Seal and shake until the salt is dissolved. Let sit at room temperature for two hours then refrigerate overnight. Then the next day they are ready eat!  

You can use the same basic recipe for all your picking needs. I made some green beans by boiling the vinegar-water   mixture before adding it to the jar. Just let it refrigerate for at least ten days! 

We have let the pickles go up to weeks, those are our favorite! 

Cheers!!