This beef liver pate recipe is with raisins and cranberries soaked in non-alcoholic rum. Perfect for summer picnics!
This is not your regular beef liver pate. My beef pate recipe is French and gourmet. I’m about to tell you how to make beef liver pate. Sound good? So, to business then.
French beef liver pate recipe
Beef liver pate is a delicacy that every chef makes his own way. I make this French recipe for beef liver pate by sautéing the beef liver with onion, garlic, apple and thyme. Then I add white wine and blend everything with cream and butter. My secret ingredient is dried cranberries and raisins soaked in non-alcoholic rum. I add them at the very end when everything is well blended to a smooth consistency. When pate mass is ready, I let it hang out and cool to room temperature. Then I pour it into the containers and cover it with a thin layer of melted butter. My final touch is to sprinkle crispy fried onions and salt on top. Cover prepared containers with a lid and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Why you should make this beef pate recipe at home
This beef liver pate is rich and buttery. It literally melts in the mouth. I can boldly call it French Royal pate or Marie Antoinette pate. I’m serious. She would enjoy it. Every bite brings an unsurpassed and nearly indescribable flavor flooding over the taste buds. My beef pate recipe is blended smoothly to spread on bread or crackers. It is always a hit at the family table!
Interesting facts
- The word pâté means a mixture of meat and fat, and although no one knows exactly when it was invented, there is evidence that the famous “pâté de fois gras” from 1765 was created by famous French chef Jean Joseph Clause. He lived in Normandy.
- The Normandy region makes the finest butter in the world.
- The French eat four times more butter than Americans. They use it everywhere: spread it on bread, fry meat and fish in it, add it to stews, use it to bake cakes, make sauces and creams. They mix butter with salt and herbs. That may explain why butter is the second main ingredient in this beef liver pate recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Butter adds creaminess and a buttery flavour to liver pate. You can use vegan butter if you are lactose intolerant.
Onions add amazing taste. The best choice is organic sweet onions.
White dry wine adds a pleasant sour flavor. Alcohol helps to denature proteins, which are imperative for stable emulsions. Usually pâté calls for the addition of cream, which has a high fat content. So the denaturation that results from the addition of alcohol helps emulsify the fats for a velvety pâté with a consistent texture. If you are looking for substitutes, apple juice or cider are fine.
Garlic gives food a unique taste when cooked.
Grass-fed beef liver is leaner than its conventional counterpart. It’s also high in nutrients, including antioxidants and vitamins. The animal was given no by-products of other animals, no hormones or steroids, and no antibiotics.
Beef liver pate Ingredients
½ cup (110 g) butter + 3 tablespoons (50g) for the top layer
1 onion
2 tablespoons of dry white wine
1 clove of garlic
9 oz (250) g grass-fed beef liver
1 twig of thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 apple
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
a pich of crispy fried onions
3,5 oz (100 g) dried cranberry and raisin mixture
non-alcoholic rum to soak cranberries (if you want an even more gourmet pate version (not required))
How to make beef liver pate
1.Soak the liver in a dish or bowl of milk for 30-60 minutes. Milk removes the bitter flavor of the liver and helps tenderize it. Leave it out at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
3. Place raisins and cranberries in a bowl. Pour in non-alcoholic rum, keep it warm. You can skip this step if you don’t have dried berries. It’s fine.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes or until softened.
5. Add thyme leaves (without the stem) and cook everything for a few more minutes. Grate the apple and add it to the pot together with the white wine. Mix everything well with a wooden spoon and fry for another three minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool until lukewarm.
6. Trim away any sinew from the beef liver. Season with salt and pepper. Melt three tablespoons of butter and add the liver to a small non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry until the liver is nicely golden and cooked.
7. Once the liver is ready, transfer it to the onion pot. Add the cream. Blend everything with a hand blender until smooth. Add the rest of the butter, wait until it melts and blend everything. Stir in lime/lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
Then add rum-soaked cranberries and raisins, mix everything carefully. Place the pate mass in an airtight container. Pour melted butter on top if you want it to last longer. You can sprinkle some crispy fried onions on the butter top.
I serve it with toasted bread and caramelized onions.
How to store liver pate
Store butter topped beef liver pate in airtight container in the fridge for up to six days. Alternatively freeze it for up to three months.
How to eat beef liver pate
- My tip is to taste beef liver pate at the very beginning of a gourmet dinner, when taste receptors are most active.
- Before serving, let the beef liver pate sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Use a knife and lightly smear it on the bread.
- You can serve it with small pieces of brioche which has been lightly toasted in the oven.
- Eat it with baguette or crackers.
- Serve it with a fruit addition: grapes, figs or pears.
- It pairs well with berry or fruit sauces, onion marmalade or caramelized onions, walnuts and herbs.
Tips and tricks for making delicious beef liver pate at home
- Choose the right liver. Choose a liver that is 100% grass-fed.
- Clean the liver properly. If you have a good quality liver, there is no need to soak it in milk. Remove all the membranes.
- Don’t overcook the liver. Overcooked liver have fewer nutrients and is bitter and tough. It turns beef liver into an unappetizing dish.
- The beef liver pate will be creamier if you rub it through a sieve.
- If the consistency looks too thick for you, just add a little more cream next time.
- You can add toasted almond flakes on top if you don’t have fried onions.
- Use fresh herbs. They will add nutritional value and will add to the liver pate gourmet aftertaste. Liver pate pairs well with allspice, fennel, cloves, basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram.
- The French prepare goose pate with truffles, veal or venison. Give it a try.
- You can make venison liver pate.
Here are some kitchen tools you might need:
- Multi-Speed Immersion Hand Blender
- Sauce pan
- Pan
- Chef knife
- Strainer
- Wooden cooking spoon
- Glass jars with airtight lids
- Stainless box grater
Frequently asked questions:
Is liver pate healthy?
Beef liver pate is considered to be a superfood and the most nutritious and healthy food. It contains vitamin B12, vitamin A, riboflavin (B2), folate (B9), iron, copper and all the essential amino acids. Even though the liver is nutritious, it should not be consumed daily. Some chemicals can accumulate in the liver over time because the organ filters the chemicals from the blood.
How long does beef liver pate last in the fridge?
Once it’s opened, I would recommend finishing it within a couple of days. You can keep the butter topped beef liver pate in the fridge for up to six days. Pate can be frozen up to 3 months.
Do you have to soak beef liver?
If you have a good quality liver, I mean grass-fed beef liver there is no need to soak it in milk. If you have regular store-bought liver, soak it in milk for 1-2 hours before cooking. It will removes the bitter taste.
What does beef liver pate taste like?
Pate is a gourmet meat spread with sweet notes. Beef liver pate taste depends on what is included. Traditional pate is a bit similar to creamy mushroom soup.
Do you eat liver pate cold?
Before serving, let the beef liver pate sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Share this Beef liver pate recipe with your friends
Thanks for stopping by. If you find this beef liver pate recipe to be good enough, please consider sharing it with your friends to enjoy. Talk to you soon!
More appetizer ideas:
1.Soak the liver in a dish or bowl of milk for 30-60 minutes. Milk removes the bitter flavor from the liver and helps tenderizing it. Leave it out at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Before serving, let the chicken liver pate sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
The chicken liver pate will be creamier if you rub it through a sieve.
If the consistency looks too thick for you, just add a little more cream next time.
Ingredients
Instructions
2. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
3. Place raisins and cranberries in a bowl. Pour in non-alcoholic rum, keep it warm. You can skip this step if you don't have dried berries. It's fine.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes or until softened.
5. Add thyme leaves (without the stem) and cook everything for a few more minutes. Grate the apple and add it to the pot together with the white wine. Mix everything well with a wooden spoon and fry for another three minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool until lukewarm.
6. Trim away any sinew from the beef liver. Season with salt and pepper. Melt three tablespoons of butter and add the liver to a small non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry until the liver is nicely golden and cooked.
7. Once the liver is ready, transfer it to the onion pot. Add the cream. Blend everything with a hand blender until smooth. Add the rest of the butter, wait until it melts and blend everything. Stir in lime/lemon juice, add salt and pepper.
Then add rum-soaked cranberries and raisins, mix everything carefully. Place the pate mass in an airtight container. Pour melted butter on top if you want it to last longer. You can sprinkle some crispy fried onions on the butter top.
I serve it with toasted bread and caramelized onions.Notes