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Pate Gan Heo Recipe

Pate Gan Heo Recipe (Vietnamese Pork Liver Pâté)

Vietnamese pork liver pâté (pate gan heo) has stirred the culinary world. Join me on this culinary exploration, where you’ll find all the step-by-step instructions and pro tips you need.
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Non-course Dish
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Pate Gan Heo, Pork Liver Pâté, Vietnamese Pork Liver Pâté
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Dietary Preference: None
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 4
Calories: 810kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Food processor
  • Frying pan and spatula
  • Glass container
  • Pot/Steamer pot
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Knife
  • Chopping Board

Ingredients

  • 1.43 pounds of pork liver
  • 0.66 pounds of pork belly
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 0.18 ounces of dried shiitake mushrooms
  • ½ onion: diced
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • Thai basil leaves

Spices:

  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon soup powder
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon red chili pepper powder
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Dice onion and mince garlic cloves. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms for half an hour in warm water. Clean the liver thoroughly under the water. Remove all of its white tendons.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 1 Prepare Ingredients1
  • Quickly roast the liver in the oven for 10 minutes at 400°F/200°C.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 1 Prepare Ingredients2
  • Slice the pork belly into small strips. When the shiitake mushrooms soften, cut them into small pieces.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 1 Prepare Ingredients3
  • Remove the roasted liver from the oven and leave it to cool.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 1 Prepare Ingredients4
  • When cooled, chop the liver into thin strips.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 1 Prepare Ingredients5
  • Soak the bread crumbs in 20 ml of fresh milk until softened. Soak the liver in the remaining milk for 15-20 minutes or longer. Afterward, take these liver pieces out and rinse them with water.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 1 Prepare Ingredients6
  • Sauté garlic and onions with butter in a hot pan until fragrant. Then, stir in pork belly and quickly sauté it for a couple of minutes. Add pork liver and continue stirring for another 2 minutes.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 2 Sauté Meat Liver1
  • Season the mixture with all the spices. Sprinkle Thai basil leaves and cook for 1 minute. Drop the soaked bread crumbs into the pan.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 2 Sauté Meat Liver2
  • Stir until evenly mixed, and turn off the flame.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 2 Sauté Meat Liver3
  • Pulse the mixture in a food processor until smooth. Then, transfer it into a glass container.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 3 Puree Meat Liver1
  • Cover the container with aluminum foil and steam it in a steamer or regular pot. Use an amount of water equal to half the glass container. Steam for 1 hour at medium-to-low flame.
    Pate Gan Heo Step 3 Puree Meat Liver2
  • Afterward, remove the pâté and serve!
    Pate Gan Heo Step 4 Present Dish

Video

Notes

  • The preparation and cooking time is based on 4 servings.
  • Make sure to prepare pork liver carefully, especially the step to remove white tendons, to make your pâté less chewy and gamey.
  • Avoid over-sautéing the liver, or the pâté will become dry and dark-colored, with a bitter taste.
  • To make pulsing easier, leave the sautéed mixture to cool down a bit.
  • If your food processor can’t handle it in one go, blend the meat-liver mixture in turns.
  • Line the container with plastic wrap before pouring the meat-liver mixture to remove it more easily.
  • Brush the pâté mixture with melted butter before steaming to preserve the dish’s moisture.
  • Tightly cover the container with aluminum foil to avoid moisture steeping in.
  • Placing a small bowl upside down inside your steamer can make removing the glass container easier.
  • To check whether your pâté is ready, use a toothpick. Steam until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Pork liver pâté is suitable for different Vietnamese sandwiches (bánh mì), including bánh mì pate, bánh mì chà bông, bánh mì thịt nướng.

Nutrition

Calories: 810kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 561mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 785mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 35352IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 40mg