Gascon Fricandeaux

Frícandeaux, sliced and served with cornichons, onions, and whole grain mustard.

Gascon Fricandeaux is a type of cooked meatball consisting of pork, potatoes, onions, and liver. I discovered this provincial French dish on my first culinary adventure  across the pond. Somewhere between the Kitchen at Camont and the Chapolard farm, I learned to reproduce my own fricandeaux - I credit my wonderful teachers, Kate Hill and Christiane Chapolard

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INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo - pork meat (shoulder, belly, or cheeks with a decent amount of fat)
100 grams - blanched pork liver
100 grams - peeled and cooked potatoes
100 grams - white onion
14 grams - salt
2 grams - black pepper
caul fat, soaked in warm water

NOTE: To procure some fresh caul fat, check with your local butcher shop or slaughterhouse. If you don't have a local butcher shop, quit your job and start one!

Caul fat soaking in warm water 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grind pork meat, cooked potatoes, onion, and blanched liver in a grinder. Mix thoroughly.

2.  Add salt and pepper (14 grams of salt and 2 grams of pepper per kilo of meat).

3.  Mix to homogenize. The farce (meat mixture) is ready when it becomes sticky.

4.  Make a ball of the farce (meat mixture), roughly 250 grams and knead with your hands to extract any air pockets.

5. Dunk the meatball in a bowl of water to keep it moist.

6. Drape caul fat over the ball then trim. Tuck excess under the ball. 

7. Place meatballs in a baking dish.

8. Place a water bath in a separate pan below the baking dish.

9. Cook at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours

10. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

11. Serve chilled.

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Still a little confused?

Check out the video below.

A quick recipe video on French Fricandeaux by Jack Matusek of Raw Republic Meats. https://jackmatusek.com/