Terrine is a French forcemeat loaf that is served at room temperature. Forcemeat is meat that is ground or finely chopped. Terrine also refers to the covered, glazed earthenware cooking dish used to cook the terrine meatloaf.

Pate is also a French blend of meats and is often considered the same as terrine. However, pate may consist of meat that is more finely ground and terrine may contain meat that is more coarsely minced. Terrine is widely associated with the cooking dish. The terrine cooking dish also serves as a mold.

The meat mixture is placed into the covered terrine and the dish is placed into a hot water bath called a bain-marie. A bain-marie uses very hot, but not boiling, water so that the heat is evenly distributed throughout the terrine cooking dish and the different meats cook without browning. A flavorful jelly forms in the dish after the terrine cools.

When the terrine is cooled, it must be pressed. Pressing involves placing a heavy object on top of the dish while the dish stays in the refrigerator for up to a few days. This pressing method releases trapped air pockets that keep the terrine from being smooth.

Since the meat mixture must be marinated in a wine and herb mixture and left in the refrigerator for a day, then cooked and cooled the next day and then left up to two days for proper pressing to occur, terrine is a time-consuming dish. However, the demand for terrine has only increased since its humble beginnings as a hearty meal for French laborers. Terrine has evolved into a very fancy meatloaf dish served in the most upscale restaurants.

Elegant French restaurants layer herbs decoratively in the meat to make terrine an attractive dish. Traditionally, less expensive meats such as fatty pork as well as wild game birds such as grouse or partridge were used. However, restaurants are likely to use duck, truffles and goose livers to compliment the meat in a terrine.

Some cooks use chicken and vegetables or even cheese in their terrines. Seafood terrines, made with a variety of seafood, are also fairly common. Many terrine variations are made in a terrine dish, but are actually casseroles if they are baked in an oven rather than a bain-marie.