Your Meat Spreads Need a Tangy Jam

Spreadable meat is kind of a weird concept, but it’s a weirdness that’s worth making peace with. Once you’ve done that, and have begun to enjoy the luxurious life of pâté and liver mousse, you can get real weird and introduce tangy, fruity jam into the situation.

Of course, put in the context of my oeuvre, jam and pâté is not that weird of a combo, but you’d be surprised by how many people still balk at the concept of eating meat alongside fruit. But acid and sweetness pair exceptionally well with rich and savory things, and meat-based spreads possess both of those qualities in spades.

Like any good, balanced bite, one component (the spreadable fruit) helps to reset the palate with acid, letting you eat and enjoy more of the richer, fattier component (the spreadable meat). With all that contrasting flavor, you’ll also want to make sure you have some contrasting texture, so make sure to serve something crunchy and/or crispy alongside the two spreads (such as severely toasted bread, or hearty crackers).

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You can serve each component separately and set a jar of pâté next to jar of tangy preserves, or you can borrow a Martha Stewart move and spread a thick layer of raspberry jam on top of a pot of chicken liver mousse just before serving. Mousse or pâté both work, though I prefer a smoother spread, as opposed to something coarser like a country terrine. You can use store-bought or homemade, depending on the amount of effort you’d like to exert. (I have a pretty good chicken liver mousse recipe here, if you’re into that kind of thing.)

Jam-wise, this is a good time to experiment, but try and keep it a little tangy. Apricot, raspberry, and strawberry-rhubarb would all be exquisite, but I think a citrus marmalade could be confusing on the tongue (or maybe it’s great; try it and let me know). Cranberry sauce would be pretty good, too, I bet.