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.