I bought a jar containing an entire duck foie gras in France. It's in
a glass jar sealed with a rubber gasket. I doubt the seal is as tight
as commerical products although it has not leaked.
Is fois gras preserved like this safe to eat? I bought it at a food
show in Paris and the dealer who sold it said it was OK out of the
refrigerator. It was not refrigerated at the time but I noticed in the
airport that similar glass jars were refrigerated.
I want to give this foie gras to a friend but I don't want to poison
them.

On 29 Sep 2004 07:02:25 -0700, (William) wrote:

>I bought a jar containing an entire duck foie gras in France. It's in
>a glass jar sealed with a rubber gasket. I doubt the seal is as tight
>as commerical products although it has not leaked.
>Is fois gras preserved like this safe to eat? I bought it at a food
>show in Paris and the dealer who sold it said it was OK out of the
>refrigerator. It was not refrigerated at the time but I noticed in the
>airport that similar glass jars were refrigerated.
>I want to give this foie gras to a friend but I don't want to poison
>them.

It's totally safe. Foie gras canned in a sealed glass jar can be kept
out of the fridge for years - it even gets better with age. A few
hours before you plan to eat it, put it in the fridge. Then, one hour
before, half-fill your sink with very hot tap water, open the jar, put
it in the water (of course the water level must be low enough not to
get into the jar), wait 30 seconds, then take the jar out of the water
and scoop the foie gras out of the jar onto a little dish. Cover the
foie gras with clingfilm, put back into the frige, take out just
before serving - and don't forget good toasted bread.

Nathalie in Switzerland (who cans her own)

William > wrote:

> I bought a jar containing an entire duck foie gras in France. It's in
> a glass jar sealed with a rubber gasket. I doubt the seal is as tight
> as commerical products although it has not leaked.
> Is fois gras preserved like this safe to eat? I bought it at a food
> show in Paris and the dealer who sold it said it was OK out of the
> refrigerator. It was not refrigerated at the time but I noticed in the
> airport that similar glass jars were refrigerated.
> I want to give this foie gras to a friend but I don't want to poison
> them.

This depends on how it was prepared, if at all. Is there a label on the
jar? Is it raw (cru) foie gras? Is it mi-cuit or frais, barely cooked
to pasteurise it? Is it "en conserve" (which would mean that it
requires no refrigeration)? Are there whole lobes, or is it a pté?
All of this can be relevant. Also, if the foie gras is going to be
consumed 'as is', as distinct from searing whole lobes of it, it *has*
to be chilled beforehand, for the simple reason that warm foie gras is
barely palatable. Could it be that was what the dealer was trying to
say?

Victor

(Victor Sack) wrote in message >...
> William > wrote:
>
> > I bought a jar containing an entire duck foie gras in France. It's in
> > a glass jar sealed with a rubber gasket. I doubt the seal is as tight
> > as commerical products although it has not leaked.
> > Is fois gras preserved like this safe to eat? I bought it at a food
> > show in Paris and the dealer who sold it said it was OK out of the
> > refrigerator. It was not refrigerated at the time but I noticed in the
> > airport that similar glass jars were refrigerated.
> > I want to give this foie gras to a friend but I don't want to poison
> > them.
>
> This depends on how it was prepared, if at all. Is there a label on the
> jar? Is it raw (cru) foie gras? Is it mi-cuit or frais, barely cooked
> to pasteurise it? Is it "en conserve" (which would mean that it
> requires no refrigeration)?

Yes, the label says "en conserve".

Are there whole lobes, or is it a pté?
> All of this can be relevant. Also, if the foie gras is going to be
> consumed 'as is', as distinct from searing whole lobes of it, it *has*
> to be chilled beforehand, for the simple reason that warm foie gras is
> barely palatable.

Thanks, I'll be sure to chill it.

Could it be that was what the dealer was trying to
> say?
>
> Victor

William > wrote:

> I bought a jar containing an entire duck foie gras in France. It's in
> a glass jar sealed with a rubber gasket. I doubt the seal is as tight
> as commerical products although it has not leaked.
> Is fois gras preserved like this safe to eat? I bought it at a food
> show in Paris and the dealer who sold it said it was OK out of the
> refrigerator. It was not refrigerated at the time but I noticed in the
> airport that similar glass jars were refrigerated.
> I want to give this foie gras to a friend but I don't want to poison
> them.

This depends on how it was prepared, if at all. Is there a label on the
jar? Is it raw (cru) foie gras? Is it mi-cuit or frais, barely cooked
to pasteurise it? Is it "en conserve" (which would mean that it
requires no refrigeration)? Are there whole lobes, or is it a pté?
All of this can be relevant. Also, if the foie gras is going to be
consumed 'as is', as distinct from searing whole lobes of it, it *has*
to be chilled beforehand, for the simple reason that warm foie gras is
barely palatable. Could it be that was what the dealer was trying to
say?

Victor