French cuisine is famous for its delicacies. Foie gras is one of the most mysterious foods associated with many legends and ongoing controversy. An exquisite cold appetizer with foie gras is a delicacy of kings, which has long become an integral part of the festive table. Foie gras has to remain fresh to taste good, that is why it is important to know how to store foie gras.

How long does foie gras last? The shelf life of fresh foie gras from the moment of poultry slaughter is two days. Foie gras in a vacuum in the fridge can last for a week, and in frozen form, at a temperature of 64.4°F(-18º), foie gras can last for several months.

Ultimate Guide on How to Store Foie Gras

Storing Fresh Foie Gras

Fresh foie gras (goose or duck foie gras) is usually sold cut (at the rate of 50-70 g per serving) and is well stored for several days at a temperature of 2-4 ° C.

Do you need to refrigerate foie gras? Foie gras needs to be refrigerated. The temperature of the packed foie gras should be no higher than 3-4°C. It should always be chilled. Wrap the foie gras in a cloth and put it in the fridge close to the back wall.

Can I freeze fresh foie gras? You can freeze fresh foie gras to preserve its taste and nutritional qualities at a temperature up to 64.4°F (-18°C). You can also vacuum seal the foie gras to prevent the air from getting in the plastic bag. Foie gras freezes pretty well and can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.

Fresh foie gras is heat-treated at a low temperature of about 40-60 ° С. Since salt is a strong and reliable preservative, fresh foie gras is sometimes simply rubbed with salt and pepper, without any heat treatment at all.

Foie gras can simply be put in a pot with boiling duck or goose fat. Foie gras cooked in an earthen bowl or in a cloth (the liver wrapped in cloth is lightly simmered in broth or fat in a water bath) is usually sold whole or in pieces – in the same earthen bowl or cloth, but it is also found in vacuum packaging. It can be stored for up to 3 weeks at a temperature of 1-3°C, however, the already cut pieces of the liver must be eaten immediately, since the cut is oxidized very quickly.

How long to store foie gras? If fresh foie gras is wrapped in cloth, it will last for 2-3 days; if it is vacuum packed, this extends its shelf life up to one week, provided that it is transported and stored at temperatures no higher than 1-3°C. Recently, frozen raw foie gras can be stored in a freezer at -18°C for several months.

Does foie gras go bad? Foie gras can go bad if it is improperly stored. Bacteria in foie gras will multiply very quickly at room temperature, that’s why you need to keep them in the fridge or the freezer. The ideal temperature for storing fresh foie gras is 3-5°C in the fridge or -18°C in the freezer.

Storing Semi-cooked Foie Gras (Foie Gras Mi-Cuit)

Foie gras mi-cuit is a pasteurized product, packaged in sealed jars or terrines, but more often in plastic vacuum packaging. It can be stored in a refrigerator at 4°C for several months.

Semi-cooked foie gras hermetically sealed in a vacuum has a slightly denser texture than fresh, at the same time it retains the taste of fresh foie gras well enough, and it can be stored for several weeks at a temperature of 1-3°C. When packed in glass or metal jars, shelf life is increased from several months to a year.

Storing Canned Foie Gras (Foie Gras En Conserve)

Foie gras en conserve is sterilized in autoclaves, which somewhat impairs the taste, however, like wine, foie gras tends to ripen. A canned product can be stored for several years.

How do you store canned foie gras? Canned foie gras should be stored in a dry, cool place in the fridge at a temperature of 3-5°C for a year. Once you open canned foie gras, it must be kept in the fridge for no more than 3 days. 

Duck foie gras is slightly darker than goose foie gras. The color of any raw foie gras varies from shades of ivory to light pink and even yellow and depends very much on the diet. But the liver oxidizes rather quickly, and if the vacuum packaging is not completely sealed, then it is generally impossible to talk about differences in color shades. In any case, there must be an inscription on the package – oie (goose) or canard (duck). Many manufacturers use the color of the packaging as a mark of distinction: black for the goose, and red for duck liver.

Can you eat raw foie gras? No, you must not eat raw foie gras. Foie gras must be processed before cooking to kill all the bacteria inside. To do this, remove the liver from the refrigerator and dry it slightly with a towel or napkin. Separate the lobes very carefully. If you find a clot of fat between them, remove it carefully with your hand, being careful not to damage the membrane.

Along with truffles and black caviar, foie gras (“fatty liver” — French) is one of the cult delicacies of all times and peoples. If someone set out to create the coat of arms of gourmets around the world, no doubt, foie gras would take the first place in it. Truffles, jamon, parmesan and, of course, foie gras are the most famous elite products that have become the same symbol of luxury life as expensive champagne and black caviar.

Is foie gras a goose or duck? The name foie gras, according to French traditions, can only relate to the liver of an ordinary goose and two types of ducks: Musky and Moulard duck, and only males. Today 90% of foie gras is made from duck liver and only 10% from a goose. So, foie gras can be made either from geese or ducks. 

If 90% of foie gras is made from duck, does it mean that it is better? Not necessarily. Let’s dive into the characteristics of both duck and goose foie gras and see which is better.

Duck Foie Gras vs. Goose Foie Gras

Which is better — duck or goose foie gras? Duck foie gras has a stronger, more aromatic flavor. Goose foie gras is more bitter, than duck, however, it has a softer, smoother structure. Duck foie gras is considered better because of widespread distribution and large scale marketing. Both duck and goose foie gras have a good, unique taste and delicate aroma. 

The debate about which is better — duck or goose foie gras has been going on since time immemorial. Initially, only geese were used to produce foie gras; today, economic reasons persuade producers to choose ducks. During its life, a duck eats on average 20% less feed (ground corn), which means that its production is economically profitable.

Goose liver is preferred only in Hungary, in all other producing countries (France, Spain, Israel, Poland, USA) more than 90% of foie gras is made from duck liver. Goose liver is a rare product and therefore becomes even more expensive.

Due to widespread distribution and large-scale marketing, the duck is currently outselling goose and therefore cheaper. Goose is not an industrial product. Its price is much higher since more labor is needed to make it. To begin with, a duck has a stronger flavor. It is more aromatic. The goose, in turn, leaves a little bitterness in the mouth but has a much finer texture. In terms of preference, the manufacturer agrees that this is true. Some prefer the richness of the duck flavor, while others appreciate the finesse of the goose.

The newest history of foie gras dates back to 1778, when the Marquis de Conrad, Marshal of France and ruler of Strasbourg, told his young chef Jean-Pierre Close the legendary phrase: “Today I want to treat guests to real French cuisine”. And the young man came up with his own recipe: he cooked the liver in lard and stuffed the dough with it.

The dish was an overwhelming success and soon got on the table to Louis XVI, who, as a token of gratitude, presented the chef with 20 pistols. Jean-Pierre Close himself began to actively popularize his invention, so the fame of foie gras gradually spread throughout the world.

With the invention of canning, the production of foie gras has reached a wide scale, and today you can taste the great delicacy not only in the homeland of haute cuisine.

Where does the best foie gras come from? France remains the leader in the production of foie gras, which recently ranked this product as one of the country’s cultural heritage. So, the best foie gras comes from France. The second place in the list of manufacturers is taken by Hungary, the third — by Belgium.

Foie gras production in France is regulated by law. The best foie gras comes from a whole goose or duck liver without additives (foie gras entier). Foie gras with pieces consists of the ground liver and whole pieces of liver, the content of which must be at least 30%. A foie gras block (bloc de foie gras) consists of ground liver, and the content of goose liver must be at least 50%. Foie gras is used to make mousse, pate, parfait, galantine, terrine, or medallion – each of these products has its own method of preparation and different liver contents.

But which foie gras is better, duck or goose? Each foie gras fan has his own preferences in this regard. Goose liver is larger and has a delicate and refined taste, while the duck liver is more aromatic. In France, especially in Alsace, they eat more goose liver, while duck foie gras is more common in American restaurants. 

Grocery stores offer different types of duck and foie gras, ranging from handcrafted in Strasbourg to foie gras with truffles. For example, foie gras with 3% black truffle, also known as Perigord truffle. Truffles are bought fresh, whole, and peeled, with a quality guarantee. They are cut into strips by hand to maintain a rich and delicate flavor. The result can be felt in your mouth, feeling the firm and, at the same time, creamy texture of the product. Spread it on toast and enjoy.

Pairing Foie Gras with Food and Drinks

Duck and goose liver dishes, which traditionally should be slightly sour, are served with sweet and sour wines. The most traditional gastronomic union is foie gras and sauternes white wine. The wines of the French region of Sauternes have a sweet taste with a pleasant sourness, this flavoring shade of grapes gets under the influence of a special noble mold that appears on berries on cold foggy mornings. Only one glass of this noble drink is obtained from a whole vine, so Sauternes wines are usually not cheap. Alsatian wines also go well with duck or goose foie gras because they have a  sweetish, fruity aroma.

The combination of foie gras with white wines is a classic. If foie gras is served on the beef fillet, burgundy red wine goes well with it. There are other options as well. For example, in the south-west of France Armagnacs are drunk with foie gras. Strong alcohol softens the fat content of foie gras, and foie gras softens the aggressiveness of alcohol. Sometimes the port is good too.

You can almost endlessly enjoy the delicate flavor combinations of foie gras and wines. And, even though foie gras is a fatty and high-calorie product, this does not mean that it is unhealthy. French researchers have found that foie gras contains a large amount of non-fatty acids that help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Foie gras is considered one of the most exquisite delicacies in the world. Foie gras is not only tasty but also healthy – it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids that lower blood cholesterol levels. Goose and duck liver are used to make pates, sauces, and gravies. But more often it is simply fried and served with fruits and berries. Let’s see what goes well with foie gras.

What goes well with foie gras? Foie gras goes well with pumpkin puree, figs, fruit sauces, baked apples, mushrooms, caramelized chestnuts, and grapes. Foie gras is used to make pates, sauces, and gravies. More often foie gras is simply fried and served with fruits and berries. Fruit and berry sauces complement the taste of the liver with a slight sourness and give foie gras a delicate aroma. 

Foie gras is best served as an appetizer, while the taste buds are especially sensitive. Remove the foie gras from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving to reveal the flavor, and cut it with a sharp, hot, dry, serrated knife to preserve the delicate texture of foie gras. Serve on plain bread or with fruit and berry sauces.

Ultimate Guide on What to Serve with Foie Gras

• Baguette and white pepper

Perhaps this is the most classic presentation. Plain white bread, a slice of foie gras, and freshly ground white pepper. It is very important here not to spread the liver over the bread, but simply put a piece on top. Foie gras will reveal its taste better if the bread is warm and slightly toasted.

• Fruit and berry sauces

Sweet jams, sauces, and sour marmalades are some of the best foie gras companies. Light sweetness wonderfully complements the taste of the liver.

• Fig jam

I put fig jam separately from fruit and berry sauces since this combination is the most classic. The taste of foie gras, together with fig jam, plays with new colors, pleasantly affecting the taste buds.

• Baked apples

The light aroma and delicate texture of baked apples also go well with foie gras. A few small leaves of fresh lettuce will fit well with this combination.

• Onion chutney

Fried onions also have the pleasant sweetness that goes well with foie gras, and the refreshing spice adds a touch of sophistication. Foie gras can also be served with leek or finely chopped shallots.

• Truffles

This is the most expensive and rare ingredient. It can be replaced with any mushrooms that do not have a pronounced taste. For example, oyster mushrooms.

• Fried mushrooms

Chanterelles or those mushrooms that do not have a strong mushroom smell are most suitable. No wonder why mushrooms are added to pies with goose and duck liver, this combination is simply perfect. Foie gras can be also served with mushroom sauces, prepared with Dijon mustard, vegetable oil, and spices.

Serving Foie Gras From a Can

How do you serve foie gras from a can? Sterilize the liver at 100°C and then store it in its own juice. Take the foie gras out of the jar and cut into slices 1 cm thick. Use a special foie gras knife, or you can also take a regular non-serrated knife, but then its blade must first be held in hot water.

Canned foie gras goes well with:

• baguette slices and ground white pepper;
• sauces from berries and fruits;
• onion and fig jam.

Snacks are served with a white dessert wine.

What to Drink With Foie Gras

The rich flavor of foie gras requires a good drink. Traditionally, the most popular companion of foie gras is the French dessert wine Sauternes. However, it’s not only about the best flavor combination, but about a successful marketing move that the Sauternes skillfully made to promote their wines. For some time now the formula “sauternes + foie gras” has become so popular that gourmets stubbornly insist on it, not giving the sommelier a single chance to experiment.

Meanwhile, Sauternes is not the only wine that can emphasize the rich taste of foie gras. Moreover, for each type of foie gras, the combination will be different. There is only one rule: wines should not be too light and young, the bouquet of the wine should contribute to the full disclosure of the taste and texture of the eminent delicacy.

What wine goes best with foie gras? Traditionally, foie gras is considered best paired with the sweet white Sauternes. Wines from the Bordeaux region like Saint-Émilion or Médoc with soft tannins are ideal for foie gras with sweet confitures and foie gras with truffle. Rhone wines, especially those based on Syrah, also go well with foie gras.

Traditionally, the goose or duck liver delicacy, a regular on all winter festivals, is best paired with the sweet white Sauternes. In this, of course, there is some truth, and what a lot! But the French have long neglected the “wine rules” and can easily serve a light red with fish, and with meat, say, a white Gewürztraminer. After all, the main thing is that one emphasizes the taste of the other, and everything else is nothing more than convention. Besides, let’s face it, Sauternes is not very fashionable today. The world is moving forward and it is necessary to find new original solutions.

Red Wine and Foie Gras

Wines from the Bordeaux region like Saint-Émilion or Médoc with soft tannins are ideal for foie gras with sweet confitures and foie gras with truffles, for example. Rhone’s wines, especially those at the Syrah base, also go well with foie gras. Try wines from the South Rhone, such as the young Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Lirac. Their rich aroma and shallow tannins at the beginning of “maturation” make an excellent pair with fried foie gras.

And, of course, the ideal pair will be wines from the region where this very foie gras is produced, for example, the wines of the Southwest, especially Cahors, Bergerac, and some Madiran types (carefully look at the bottle: the year of manufacture and alcohol content — the lower it is, the better, in our case).

White Wines and Foie Gras

If foie gras is served not as a main course, but as an appetizer, which happens most often, then it is best to serve white dry wines with it, because sweet liqueur wines at the beginning of lunch/dinner will dull your appetite. What should you choose? Loire wines based on Chenin Blanc such as Montlouis, Vouvray, Anjou, or Savennières. Also look out for white Bordeaux Graves, Côtes de Provence, dry Jurançon, or aged Hardonnay like Mâcon.

Liqueur Wines and Foie Gras

Yes, they are always the perfect match. It’s a classic and beautiful. In addition to the traditional and exorbitantly expensive, but famous Sauternes from Château d’Yquem, try the sweet Pacherenc from Gers, Monbazillac from the Dordogne, Loire Coteaux du Layon, Loupiac from Gironde and, of course, the late-harvest Alsatian Gewürztraminer.

Champagne and Foie Gras

Forget about pairing foie gras with champagne. Sparkling wines will kill the taste of an exquisite delicacy, and foie gras will muffle the taste of champagne. Instead, drink champagne with something else.

How Much Foie Gras Per Person?

Okay, now you know what foie gras goes well with, but you also should know how much foie gras per person you need. French chefs advise 50-70 grams of foie gras per person as a post-snack meal. If you serve foie gras as the main dish, you will need 100-130 grams of foie gras per person. Foie gras is served cut into slices (circles) no more than one centimeter wide. For slicing, take a thin and sharp knife, which must first be dipped in warm water. Wipe off the knife after each bite.

Slice the foie gras just before serving, otherwise, the liver will lose its flavor and aroma. The liver is served with yeast, lightly toasted bread. Most often, foie gras is complemented by a white dessert wine.

Foie gras is one of the most famous delicacies of French cuisine. Foie gras is the liver of a forcibly overfed goose or duck. Like truffles and caviar, foie gras is considered one of the finest delicacies in the world, derived from French cuisine. Among those who can afford it, foie gras is also considered a traditional Christmas dish, which invariably appears on the festive table along with the roasted turkey. French law includes foie gras in the protected cultural and gastronomic heritage of France.

Not many people have yet tried this delicacy and wonder what foie gras taste and smell like. Let’s figure it out.

Foie Gras Taste and Smell

What does foie gras taste like? Foie gras has a delicate, creamy, rich, buttery taste, unlike the usual liver. Goose foie gras is bigger than duck, has a complex bouquet, a special creamy taste, and a delicate aroma. The taste of duck foie gras is brighter and has a nutty flavor. As the liver grows off of fat, it has an extremely delicate taste and texture.

It is believed that the taste differences between goose and duck liver are insignificant, but a true gourmet will definitely feel the difference. What does foie gras smell like? Foie gras has a very peculiar, delicate, and buttery smell. Duck foie gras has a richer aroma and a sharper and sharper taste than goose foie gras. Duck liver mousse is recommended to be served slightly chilled with a baguette or other fresh bread, accompanied by dry white wine or red wine from Pinot Noir grapes.

Foie gras is made only from the liver of a goose or duck that is force-fed with corn using a feeding tube, a process also known as gavage. In Spain and other countries, it is sometimes produced using natural feeding. Ducks are force-fed twice a day for 12.5 days, and geese are fed three times a day for 17 days. Ducks are usually slaughtered after 100 days and geese after 112 days.

Of course, foie gras taste will be different, depending on the bird and its routine. Foie gras can be translated from French as “fatty liver”. The delicacy is made from both duck and goose. The goose liver is large, can weigh about one kilogram, has a creamy taste, and a delicate, delicate aroma. The duck’s liver is smaller and weighs about 500 grams, the taste is bright, more intense than that of a goose. Each bird has its own gourmet fans.

Does foie gras taste good? Foie gras indeed tastes good. Foie gras taste is always described as delicious, buttery, and flavorful. Foie gras has a soft, smooth texture, unlike liver from other animals such as ordinary liver of duck, goose, chicken, or a cow. So, foie gras does not taste like chicken’s liver, even though a lot of people may think so.

Foie Gras Preparation

Foie gras is typically cooked over low heat in France, as the fat melts faster in the traditional goose version than the duck version produced in most other parts of the world. American and other New World recipes, usually using duck liver, have more options and dishes for making foie gras hot rather than cold.

In Hungary, goose foie gras is traditionally fried in goose fat, which is then poured onto foie gras and left to cool. It is also eaten warm after roasting, and some chefs smoke the liver over a cherry wood fire.

Traditional low-temperature cooking methods are used in foie gras terrines, pates, parfaits, foie gras, and mousses, often with truffles, mushrooms, or brandy such as cognac or Armagnac. These slow forms of foie gras are cooled and served at or below room temperature.

In the very traditional terrine form, au torchon (“in a towel”), a whole liver sausage is formed, wrapped in a towel, and slowly cooked in a water bath. To add extra flavor, the liver can be briefly roasted over a fire with grapevine scraps before slow cooking in a water bath; after that, the pate is served cold, in slices.

The best combination of foie gras delicate pâté is with crispy toast and something sweet or salty. In French restaurants, you can often find options when a round of foie gras is brought on fried toast, lightly sprinkled with coarse sea salt, combined with a sweet jam – from figs or lingonberries, sometimes even strawberries. This dish can be supplemented with red French wine: it will be so perfect, subtle, and complex in taste that nothing more is needed.

Another common combination is with onion jam and toast. Onions impart a characteristic sweetness and astringency, creating an excellent flavor bouquet.

Foie gras taste also depends on the way it is cooked. You should try your first foie gras in a restaurant to experience its real taste and smell. Then, you can cook foie gras at home and compare which you prefer more.

One of the largest French companies, LaBeyrie, which has specialized in the supply of foie gras for 60 years, also recommends trying the delicacy with other products. For example, fig jam, like bread, is a classic serving foie gras. Fruit and berry sauces complement the taste of the liver with a slight sourness. A baked apple gives foie gras its delicate aroma. Fried mushrooms and caramelized chestnuts are also successfully combined with a delicacy.

Types of Foie Gras

• The most expensive of all foie gras is the whole liver — Le foie gras entier. Foie gras entier consists of two lobes of the liver, or at least one lobe. Le foie gras entier has large pieces of liver from different birds pressed together (the label often says “Avec morceaux” — with pieces).
• Le bloc de foie gras consists of pieces of foie gras (at least 30% for a duck, at least 50% for a goose) of different animals and just the livers of the same animals. The least prestigious option and, as a result, inexpensive.
• Foie gras cru is a raw liver for roasting. It is practically not exported.
• Foie gras mi-cuit (half-baked foie gras) is a whole liver, which is poured with boiling bird fat right in the jars. As soon as the fat cools down, the jar is sealed. It can be stored for no longer than a few weeks and is also rarely exported.
• Foie gras cuit (baked foie gras) is a poultry liver marinated in a mixture of salt and spices, heated in a water bath to 110-120C, and packed in glass or metal jars, also with a small amount of hot fat. Such canned food is kept in the cold. They have a fairly long shelf life, and over time, baked foie gras, like a good wine, only gets better.

Foie gras must be prepared exclusively comme il faut, i.e. nothing extra. Although modern chefs make candy with almonds and licorice from foie gras, serve foie gras with pineapple marmalade or nut toasts, foie gras is traditionally served with fried chanterelles, baked apples, green salad, wild berries, wholemeal bread, chestnut puree, and caramel pears.

Foie gras requires respect and certain conventions. Foie gras is not served with a standard and boring wine, it requires a more refined, floral taste. The delicacy should be cut with a knife, dividing it into slices. But foie gras should never be spread on bread.

Foie gras is served as a snack because the receptors at the beginning of the meal are most sensitive. Foie gras is served with sauternes, dry white wine, as well as Calvados or Armagnac. However, there is also an opinion that the traditional serving with rich sauternes loses to serving light dry wines.