--- title: "Pâté: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Pâté is a rich spread or loaf of finely ground meat, liver and fat, seasoned and cooked. See how chicken liver pâté is made and how long it keeps." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pate" --- # Pâté Pâté is a rich spread or loaf of finely ground meat, liver and fat, seasoned and cooked. See how chicken liver pâté is made and how long it keeps. Also called Pate, Liver pâté, Leverpastej. Pâté is a mix of ground or puréed meat, usually liver, with fat and seasoning, cooked and then served cold. It can be smooth and spreadable, or coarse and firm enough to slice. It is eaten on bread or toast as a starter or part of a [charcuterie](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/charcuterie) board. Fish and vegetable versions exist too. ## How to do it This is a quick smooth chicken liver pâté. 1. Trim about 500 g (1 lb) of chicken livers. Cut away any green spots and stringy bits. 2. Cook a sliced shallot and garlic in butter until soft. 3. Add the livers and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. 4. [Deglaze](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deglaze) the pan with a splash of brandy or port. 5. Blend the livers with the pan juices and about 100 to 150 g (½ cup) of soft butter until very smooth. Season well, since it tastes milder once cold. 6. Press through a sieve for an extra smooth result. 7. Pack into small dishes, cover with a thin layer of melted butter to seal, and chill until set, at least 4 hours. ## How to tell it is done The livers must be cooked through. Food safety agencies advise cooking chicken livers until no pink remains in the center and the [internal temperature](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature) reaches 74°C (165°F), because undercooked liver is a known cause of food poisoning. The finished pâté is smooth, holds its shape on a knife and spreads easily. ## How to store it Keep it covered in the fridge and eat it within 2 to 3 days once opened. A butter seal on top helps keep air out. Pâté freezes fairly well for up to a month, though the texture softens. ## Common mistakes * Leaving the livers pink. It is a food safety risk, not a style choice. * Under-seasoning. Cold food tastes flatter. * Leaving it out. It should go back in the fridge within 2 hours. ## In recipes The word is used loosely. Smooth pâté is often baked in a mold and sliced, at which point it overlaps with a [terrine](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/terrine). _Pâté en croûte_ is baked in pastry. [Rillettes](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/rillettes) are shredded, not ground. Swedish _leverpastej_ is a baked liver pâté eaten on bread. Pregnant people are advised to avoid all pâté. ## Pâté recipes 1 recipe from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2021/06/Pate-Sucree-8-scaled.jpg)Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Tart Dough)www.onceuponachef.com · 45 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/pate-sucree-sweet-tart-dough.html) ## Related terms * [TerrineA terrine is a loaf of seasoned meat, fish or vegetables pressed into a deep mold, cooked slowly in a water bath and served in cold slices.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/terrine) * [RillettesRillettes is meat, often pork or duck, cooked slowly in its own fat until it shreds, then packed into jars as a spread. See how to make and store it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/rillettes) * [CharcuterieCharcuterie is cured, smoked and cooked meat such as ham, salami, pâté and rillettes, often served on a board. See what to buy and how to serve it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/charcuterie) * [DeglazeTo deglaze is to pour liquid into a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Those bits become the flavor base of a quick pan sauce.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deglaze) * [Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature) [More in dishes](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/dishes)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)