Pate makes a delicious starter at a dinner party. There are so many different varieties, the most common being chicken liver pate, but you can also get fish pates like mackerel or salmon, and vegetarian pates such as mushroom and red pepper.
However, pate doesn’t have a long shelf-life. You can keep it in the fridge for about a week. After that, it starts to go off. So, what if you have made a lot of pate and you don’t think that you can use it up in time?
The answer is simple. You can freeze it. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze pate and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze Pate
Pate is delicate so care needs to be taken when freezing it. However, if you follow our instructions you should be successful. You can freeze your pate either as a whole or in portions, depending on how much you think that you will want to use. It isn’t a good idea to refreeze it so it is best to freeze only as much as you need.
How To Freeze Pate Whole
If you go out and buy a packet of pate, you can just put it in the freezer as it is, unless you think that you don’t want to use it all in one go. In that case, portion it out. If you make the pate yourself, this is the way to freeze it.
- Wrap the pate in cling film.
- Put the pate in a freezer bag.
Make sure that you squeeze all the air out of the bag otherwise freezer burn can occur. If this happens, the pate will still be safe to eat, but it will lose flavor, texture, and color. It definitely won’t be edible.
- Put the freezer bag in an airtight container.
This gives extra protection for your pate.
How To Freeze Pate In Portions
It’s a good idea to portion out your pate if you think you’re only going to use a little at a time. The best way to do this is as follows.
1. Get your tray ready
You can freeze your pate in a silicone ice cube tray. Then you will have portion size servings although people might need two servings. You can also use a small silicone cake tin if you think you need more pate. Put the pate into the tray.
2. Flash freeze
Put the tray in the freezer and freeze for around three to four hours.
3. Put the pate into a freezer bag
Put the portions of pate into a freezer bag. Make sure that you squeeze out all the air out of the bag so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
4. Put the pate back in the freezer
Put a label on the freezer bag with the date frozen and what is in the bag. You might freeze different pates so you will need to know which is which. It is also important to put on the date so that you don’t keep the pate in the freezer for longer than it should be.
Tips For Freezing Pate
These are our tips for freezing pate. We hope that they will give you good results.
- Divide the pate into portions so that you only defrost as much as you need.
- Flash freeze the portions. This stops them from sticking together so when you want to use the pate, you only need to take out as much as you need.
- Wrap the pate in several layers of cling film to stop air from getting to the pate, then put it into a freezer bag. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Finally, put the pate in an airtight container. These steps will stop your pate from getting freezer burn and becoming tasteless.
For How Long Can You Freeze Pate?
It is definitely an advantage to freeze pate if you have some left over. It keeps for just a week in the fridge but in the freezer, it will last for up to three months. It isn’t a good idea to leave it in the freezer for any longer as it may start to separate and it won’t be edible. Just a little forward planning is all that is needed. Decide on how many times you think you will eat pate in the next three months and freeze this amount in portions.
How Do You Defrost Pate?
There are two ways in which you can defrost pate and we suggest that you defrost it in a slower way. This is because it allows the pate to get to the right temperature without bacteria forming. If you defrost your pate on your kitchen counter top, it will probably take a few hours.
After two hours at room temperature, bacteria can form in food and this can lead to food poisoning. The best option is to take the pate out of the freezer the night before you want to use it. It will then defrost slowly and safely and you will then be able to use it for lunch or dinner.
However, you may have been planning a dinner party with pate as the starter and you have forgotten to defrost the pate. Is there a solution? Yes, there is, although this isn’t our number one choice. Just take a bowl and fill it with water which is at room temperature.
Take the freezer bag of pate out of the container and put it in the bowl. It will take around an hour to defrost. Change the water intermittently as it will cool down with the freezing pate. Do ensure that the freezer bag is tightly sealed as you don’t want the water to seep in and ruin the pate.
Can You Refreeze Pate?
Pate is high in fat so it doesn’t refreeze well. It will have a tendency to separate and will become a bit of a mess on the plate. Ice crystals will also form so it will become watery. Again we advise you to freeze pate in portion sizes so that there is no need to refreeze your pate.
Is it a Good Idea to Freeze Pate?
Pate is not the easiest thing to freeze as it can separate and will therefore not be edible. However, if you follow our instructions, you should get good results. You might notice a slight change in texture, but this will be minimal and you should be able to enjoy your pate as if it was fresh.
However, there is a solution if you do find that your pate is separating. Give it a quick blend. Don’t do this for too long as it may become watery. Otherwise, it should still be very tasty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, this article has set you up for freezing pate, but if you want to know more, we have answered a few questions here.
Can you freeze vegetarian pates?
Yes, vegetarian pate freezes remarkably well. The texture of vegetables is ideal for freezing and you can freeze just about any vegetable. Vegetable pate will probably contain cream so it should be frozen soon after it has been made to stop it from separating. The best vegetarian pate to freeze is mushroom. The texture of mushrooms lends itself to freezing. You can also freeze red pepper pate or a bean pate.
Can you freeze fish pate?
Yes you can. Just follow the same instructions we have given you. You can make mackerel pate and smoked salmon pate. Smoked salmon pate is a treat and is ideal for a dinner party with melba toast. Just blend the smoked salmon with cream cheese, dill, and black pepper.
Does chicken liver pate freeze well?
Chicken liver pate is probably the most popular of pates and is often served at dinner parties and in restaurants. It freezes well but may separate a little. If it does, just give it a stir before serving.
