Forcemeats are anancient food and are included inApicius,[4] a collection of Roman cookery recipes usually thought to have been compiled in the late 4th or early 5th century AD.
Produced by progressively grinding equal parts pork and pork fat with a third ingredient, a dominant meat, which can be pork or another meat. The portions are cubed and then seasoned, cured, rested, ground and finally placed into the desired vessel.[2]
Country-style
A combination of pork and pork fat, often with the addition of pork liver and garnish ingredients. The texture of this finished product is coarse.[2]
Thin slices of meat pressed together or folded, typically alternating in colour or texture, with fat layered between.[5]
Mousseline
Very light in texture, utilizing lean cuts of meat usually fromveal, poultry, fish, or shellfish. The resulting texture comes from the addition of eggs and cream to this forcemeat.[2]
Often, the only binder in a forcemeat is the physical structure of the protein used. Sometimes a secondary binder is necessary to hold the mixture. These binders are generally needed when preparing country-style orgratin forcemeats. The three types of binders areeggs, dry milk powder, andpanades. A panade can be made from starchy ingredients which aid in the binding process; these include well-cooked potatoes which have been puréed, cream-soakedbread, orpâte à choux.[6]
