How to choose your foie gras ?

 
 

With the festive season approaching, and foie gras making its way onto every table, it's not always easy to find your way around the wide range of products on offer. Maison Dubernet helps you choose your foie gras!

Duck or goose?

There are two types of foie gras, made from duck or goose, with different characteristics. It's all a matter of taste:

  • Duck foie gras: the most popular foie gras among consumers. It accounts for 95% of French production. It has a powerful, rustic aromatic character. It is slightly less expensive than goose foie gras.

  • Goose foie gras: reputedly a more refined product than duck foie gras. Firmer in texture and rosier than its acolyte, its flavors are also sweeter and more subtle. As such, it lends itself to more sophisticated pairings.

How should foie gras be cooked?

The foies gras marketed have undergone various cooking methods which have a direct influence on their organoleptic qualities, uses and preservation:

  • Raw foie gras: this is the freshest foie gras, as it has not been cooked. It is most often used for cooking, either pan-fried or in a terrine for homemade foie gras. Once purchased, it can be refrigerated for up to one week.

  • Semi-cooked foie gras (semi-conserve): foie gras prepared using a gentle method, with low-temperature cooking (pasteurization between 70° and 85°). Ready to eat, it is generally sold in jars or trays, and must be kept in a cool place for 6 months. This undercooking allows the foie gras to retain its fat and therefore its smoothness.

  • Preserved foie gras: preserved foie gras is cooked at high temperature (sterilization at over 100°). As a result, it can be stored at room temperature for several years. It matures nicely over time, and has a more distinctive taste. It's the ideal foie gras for gift-giving, as it's easy to transport.

Whole, foie gras or block?

Foie gras is sold under three trade names that determine its composition, and therefore its quality and price:

  • Bloc de foie gras: a preparation made from emulsified foie gras and water. Bloc de foie gras may include pieces - minimum 30% for duck and 50% for goose - and is then called "Bloc de foie gras avec morceaux".

  • Foie gras: a preparation composed of pieces from different lobes of foies gras (3 at most), agglomerated and seasoned. It can be recognized by its marbled appearance when cut.

  • Whole foie gras: Whole foie gras is the crème de la crème of foies gras, and the one most appreciated by connoisseurs. It is most often made from a whole foie gras from the same animal. When cut, it has a uniform texture and color. It's the most upmarket product, and therefore the most expensive.

Spot the signs of good foie gras

Once you've chosen your type of foie gras, it's time to find the best piece! There are a number of clues to help you choose the foie gras of your choice, especially as labels usually contain very little information. So it's best to keep an eye out!

  • Origin: even if the origin has no direct impact on the quality of foie gras, it's best to opt for French foie gras. Eastern European countries such as Romania export their foie gras for further processing at destination. The fewer intermediaries, the better!

  • Quality labels: a number of labels guarantee the quality of foies gras through strict rules, from rearing to manufacturing and marketing. Maison Dubernet offers "IGP" (Protected Geographical Indication) labels: "canard à foie gras du Sud-Ouest" and "Oies du Périgord".

  • Appearance: a beautiful, fresh foie gras should be uniform in color, without blemishes or hematomas, ranging from beige to ivory to pink, depending on the animal's diet. To the touch, it should be neither too firm nor too soft: supple and resistant at the same time, foie gras should return to its initial shape.

  • Weight: too much foie gras is not necessarily ideal! It will render too much fat during cooking. Count on around 500g for duck foie gras and 750g for goose. A reasonably sized foie gras won't melt too much during cooking.

Discover the full range of foies gras Maison Dubernet on La Halle des Gourmets!