Liver. Some people love it, some people hate it. If you’re in the first group, mix up the normal routine of liver and onions, and try something different. This recipe for venison pate is a great snack that has converted many previously non-liver-eaters into connoisseurs. Hopefully, more interesting and tasty preparations translates into to fewer livers being left in the woods. Here’s how to make a soft spread or a baked pate loaf with the same basic ingredients. Because everything gets pureed, you can freeze your livers and make pate any time of year. Paired with toasted bread, spicy mustard, and veggie pickles, you’re sure to win some people over at the next wild-game dinner.
Ingredients all amounts are approximate
- 1 deer liver
- 3 carrots
- 4 stalks celery
- 3 onions
- 2 apples
- 1 cup wine or beer
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley or other herbs
- Bacon fat or oil
- Kosher salt, pepper, oregano
- 3-4 eggs
Directions
Soft Pate
- Soak deer liver overnight in salt water or milk, and rinse, squeeze, and drain thoroughly.
- Chop all ingredients into small chunks and saute it all together with the seasoning and a handful of herbs.
- Deglaze the pan with wine or beer and reduce down. You may need to add a splash of water as it cooks.
- Buzz everything in a food processor while it’s still relatively hot. You may need to do several batches.
- Slowly incorporate the milk into the mix (add the eggs if you plan to do a loaf style pate).
- Emulsify everything together in the food processor, and then run it through a sieve or strainer into a mixing bowl.
- Mix some fresh herbs or other additions by hand. At this point you can chill and serve it, or go on to make a loaf pate.
Loaf Pate
- Grease a deep rectangular cake pan(s) and fill it with the pate.
- Cover the pan with parchment paper and aluminum foil.
- Place the cake pan in a wide Pyrex baking pan.
- Fill with enough water to come about halfway up the cake pan.
- Bake at 350° for roughly 2 hours
- Let cool, and firmly overturn the pan onto a cutting board.
