Crépinette is a small, usually round or oval sausage patty made from seasoned meat or forcemeat and wrapped in caul fat rather than an artificial or natural sausage casing. The caul fat is a delicate membrane of fatty tissue, usually from pork, that melts during cooking, helping keep the filling moist and creating a lightly crisp exterior.
Prepare a seasoned forcemeat with a texture suited to the recipe. Portion it into even weights and shape into compact patties or small ovals. Cut the caul fat into pieces large enough to enclose each portion, then wrap neatly, overlapping the edges so the filling remains contained during cooking. Keep the crépinettes chilled until ready to cook.
Crépinette can be pan-fried, grilled or roasted until the filling is fully cooked and the exterior is golden. The melting caul fat bastes the meat during cooking, so additional fat may not be required. Avoid excessive heat at the start if the exterior browns before the centre is cooked.
Example: pork or poultry crépinettes may be served with lentils, braised cabbage, sautéed potatoes or a mustard sauce. A small game crépinette can be used as a garnish for a composed dish.
A sausage is generally filled into a casing; a crépinette is wrapped in caul fat. The filling may be similar, but the shape, casing and cooking behaviour are different.
Chef’s tip: standardise the weight and thickness of each portion, and make sure the caul fat fully covers the filling. This helps prevent the forcemeat from breaking apart during cooking.
Food-safety note: keep raw forcemeat refrigerated and cook crépinettes thoroughly according to the ingredients and applicable food-safety requirements.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
