How to Cook Duck Liver Recipe

Learn how to cook duck liver recipes from duck or other alternative ways. The following recipe is a good substitute for “fois gras” which is a popular and well known delicacy in the French cuisine.


When I worked in the French restaurant I learned how to make a duck liver recipe as an appetizer. I was amazed at how much of the “fois gras” that we sold. To me it was terribly expensive!


“Fois gras” refers to the liver from fattened ducks and geese. The fattening is typically achieved through force feeding corn to the animals. Its flavor is described as rich, buttery and delicate unlike that of regular duck or goose liver. The act of force feeding is very controversial due to the process of the feeding and a number of countries have made laws against it. Many people love this savory appetizer so this is the reason I am passing along this alternative duck liver recipe.


If you have learned how to cook for a party, you will probably realize that you will need to serve other options also. Although duck liver recipes are very popular with many, there are a lot of people who will not eat any liver. I wold suggest some other appetizer options like a shrimp appetizer, teriyaki chicken recipe or some egg bagels. Not everyone has a taste for pate.

HOW TO COOK DUCK AND LIVER PATE RECIPE a duck liver recipe

This duck and liver pate recipe combines the delicious flavor of duck, chicken livers and pork to make a great substitution for a duck liver recipe.

  • 4 to 5 Pound frozen duckling thawed
  • ½ Pound lean pork
  • Dry sherry
  • ¼ Pound large mushrooms
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • ¾ Pound chicken livers
  • 2 Green onions thinly sliced
  • ¼ Pound diced pork fat
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 Cup frozen peas thawed
  • 2 Cans (10 ½ ounces) beef broth
  • 3 Packages unflavored gelatin

Remove skin, fat and bones from duckling; dice duckling meat and lean pork.

Combine meat with 3 tablespoons sherry in bowl; cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Reserve 1 mushroom and dice remaining; set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet; cook livers, green onions and mushrooms about 10 minutes.

Process in blender liver mixture, pork fat, salt and pepper until smooth.

Spread 1/3 of liver mixture in bottom of 4 ½ X 8 ½ inch loaf pan; sprinkle with 1/3 of peas and top with 1/3 of duck mixture.

Repeat layers two more times; press mixture down firmly.

Place loaf pan in a 9 X 13 inch baking pan; add water 1 inch up side of loaf pan.

Bake 1 ¾ hours at 350F degrees; cover with foil and place 2 heavy cans on top.

Chill overnight.

Four hours before serving in saucepan sprinkle gelatin over undiluted beef broth and ½ cup sherry.

Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved.

Pour 1/8 inch gelatin in bottom of 9 X 5 inch loaf pan; refrigerate until set.

Cut reserved mushroom into ¼ inch slices.

Arrange mushrooms slices on top of gelatin; top with 1/8 inch gelatin and refrigerate until set.

Remove cans and foil from pate; remove pate from pan and place on top of gelatin.

Pour remaining gelatin mixture around pate; cover and refrigerate until set.

Run knife around pan to loosen pate; dip bottom of pan in hot water.

Turn pate out on platter.

How to Make Duck Liver Recipe

Make sure the animals have been slaughtered at their fattest. Slice chilled liver and put it in a pan that has been heated several minutes on high with duck or bacon fat or a high temperature oil like olive. Add a little butter after you put the liver in. Cook it very fast, a couple minutes on each side until it is crispy but pink on the inside. Eat like this or make it into a pate.

The duck liver can also be cooked in the oven. Add butter, chopped onions, mushrooms and brandy or sherry. Cook at 225F degrees until soft. Eat the liver like this or make a pate.

Either duck liver recipe you choose to follow can be made into a pate. Remove the liver from the heat and let set 15 to 20 minutes. Place it in a food processor with whipping cream, sherry, 1/8 teaspoon salt, a little ginger and a little nutmeg. Process it until very smooth. If it is a little runny it will firm up in the refrigerator.

A duck liver recipe is one of the best make ahead appetizer recipes; great for special occasions.

GOOSE LIVER PATE RECIPE

How to Make Goose Liver Pate RecipeHow to Make Goose Liver Pate Recipe
  • 1 Package softened Neufchatel cheese
  • 8 Ounces goose liver (or Braunschweiger)
  • 2 Ounces plain yogurt
  • 1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons of green onion

Blend goose liver and Neufchatel in mixing bowl.

Add yogurt, mustard and chopped parsley; beat until smooth.

Place in covered bowl and refrigerate.

Stand at room temperature a few minutes before serving with bread sticks or crackers.

NOTE: I lined a small bowl with plastic wrap, pressed mixture in bowl and then turned out onto a serving plate.

DUCK PATE RECIPE with plum sauce

  • 1 Duck
  • ¾ Pound fresh (Not smoked) bacon in 1 piece
  • ¾ Pound fatty pork (boned spareribs, belly or throat)
  • ¾ Pound veal
  • 2 Tablespoons green peppercorns
  • 2 Cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon ground mace
  • ¾ Cup dry white wine
  • 4 Tablespoons brandy

OPTIONAL:  For garnish few strips bacon, small bay leaves, cranberries

Plum sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Place the duck upside down on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes.

Remove duck from oven and set to cool.

If you choose to garnish, cut about 5 thin strips off the piece of bacon; set aside.

Cut the pork, veal and remaining bacon in pieces; grind or chop fine in food processor.

Mix altogether in a large bowl.

Cut flesh off the duck discarding the skin and bones; dice meat very fine by hand and stir into bowl.

Add peppercorns, garlic, salt and mace to the bowl; stir in the wine and brandy.

Blend mixture well and let set for 1 to 2 hours.

PREHEAT oven to 300F degrees.

Line a bread pan or terrine with the strips of bacon placed diagonally across.

NOTE: (or decorate bottom with bay leaves and cranberries.

Pile the pate mixture in the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Stand pan in a roaster pan hot water half way up sides of pate pan.

Place in oven and cook for 1 ¾ hours; remove pan from water and set to cool.

When cooled top with a double thickness of wax paper; top with a 2 pound weight.

Place pate in the refrigerator (with weight on) for 2 days.

Turn out onto a flat plate to serve with plum sauce.


HOW TO MAKE PLUM SAUCE

  • 2 Pounds canned plums drained
  • 1 ¼ Cups red wine
  • ½ Teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ Teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ Teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ Cup red currant jelly
  • 5 Teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 5 Teaspoons orange juice

Put the plums in a saucepan with red wine; add spices and bring to a boil.

Simmer uncovered 10 minutes until thickened.

Melt the jelly in double boiler over simmering water; put through a sieve.

Mix jelly with mustard and orange juice; stir into the plums and set aside to cool.

NOTE: Store sauce in refrigerator. Serve it cold with pates and cold meats. Serve sauce hot with duck, turkey, goose or ham.