Once considered to be a fancy French delicacy, in recent years pâtés have been steadily gaining popularity as one of the UK's most favourite spreads, making their way to the shelves of all major supermarkets. The sheer variety of different pâtés can be overwhelming if you have never tried it before. However, if you are curious about delving into the wonderful world of these delectable treats, read on!
In this article, we will help you to choose what is best for your taste, budget and dietary requirements, as well as will demystify the ingredients used. We have ranked the top 10 best pâtés sold in the UK online supermarkets such as Tesco, Asda, and Waitrose to help you shop with confidence.
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When deciding on which pâté to buy, there are a number of things you need to consider. In this section, we will explore the different types of meat and ingredients that are normally used for making pâtés. Different meats, of course, have different tastes and nutritional properties, so keep reading to find out what you need to bear in mind.
Traditionally, the most common ingredients in pâté making are pork and veal. However, the spread can also be made with wild game such as rabbit, pheasant and duck as well as fish. Although this is not always the case, it is good to bear in mind that pork fat is frequently added to other types of meat, so if eating pork is against your religious beliefs, for example, make sure you check the ingredient label carefully before buying the pâté.
Which part of the animal the meat is from is also important to take into consideration. Generally speaking, liver pâtés are likely to have a smoother and creamier texture than those that are made from other types of meat. Pâté recipes can also include heart, liver, lungs and other edible organs.
Many classic pâté recipes involve cooking down the meat together with port, champagne and brandy. Of course, throughout the cooking process, the alcohol will eventually evaporate, leaving only the sweet, smooth, woody flavour imparted by oak barrels.
However, if you wish to experience the pure taste of the meat, or perhaps due to religious reasons, you may want to avoid consuming foods that have been cooked in alcohol. If that's the case, please check the label carefully.
If you happen to have a sweet tooth or want some variation from regular pâtés, we would recommend giving fruity pâtés a try. Pâté is a very rich delicacy, so its flavour can be further enhanced by combining it with something sweet and acidic to add some contrast.
This is why it is common to serve pâté with fruit chutney, conserves, jelly, mustard or pickles. Many pâtés in the UK supermarkets are sold with jelly already included as an extra top layer, and some of the most popular jellies include orange, cranberry and port.
Generally speaking, pâtés are usually divided into coarse and smooth. The coarse pâté will often be called something like "Ardennes pâté", "pâté de campagne", "country pâté" or "farmhouse pâté" on the label. The smooth pâté will often say "Brussels pâté" on the packaging. The choice, in this case, boils down to personal preference.
Because of their silky texture, smooth pâtés tend to be easier to spread on your favourite type of soft bread. However, coarse pâtés because of their chunky texture are less easy to spread and generally need to be sliced instead. For the best experience, we suggest eating coarse pâtés on top of a cracker or a slice of toasted sourdough bread.
Just like with any food, it is important to not overindulge and look at the nutritional values provided on the pâté packaging. Aspects such as fat and salt content, as well as potential allergens, are all important to consider.
Liver pâtés are famously considered to be pretty healthy because the liver is believed to be one of the most nutritious parts of an animal to consume due to the high vitamin content. However, it is hard to deny that pâtés tend to contain a lot of fat, depending on the type of meat being used. Seafood and chicken pâtés are likely to be the least taxing on your cholesterol levels.
If you need to watch your fat intake for health reasons, make sure to double-check the nutrition label. On the other hand, if you're just intending to order pâté as a special treat or to spread on crackers on Christmas day, just remember to enjoy it in moderation!
In order to create that rich flavour, pâté recipes use a variety of ingredients such as various spices and, of course, salt. Salt is not necessarily bad for you but consumed regularly in large quantities, it can contribute to higher blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease.
But unless you are in the risk group, consuming a bit of salt every now and then as part of your varied diet probably will not do you much harm. Still, if you would rather keep an eye on your salt intake, make sure you check out the nutritional values on the pâté label.
Many pâté recipes also include ingredients such as cream to give the spread a luxurious, smooth texture. Not all pâtés include dairy in its recipes, but many such as mackerel and salmon do. So make sure you check the label carefully in case you have any allergies.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Waitrose Heston Chicken Liver Parfait | ![]() | A Melt in Your Mouth Delight | |
2 | Tesco Chicken Liver Parfait With Thyme Butter 125G | ![]() | Sinfully Scrumptious and Extra Smooth | |
3 | Tesco Finest Duck & Seville Orange Pate | ![]() | A Classic, Indulgent French Treat | |
4 | Findlater's Smoked Mackerel Paté | ![]() | Crazily Moreish Salmon Alternative | |
5 | Findlater's Roast Salmon Paté | ![]() | Luxurious, Affordable and Zesty | |
6 | Tesco Smooth Smoked Scottish Salmon Pâté | ![]() | A Real Treat for Salmon Lovers | |
7 | Waitrose Essential Brussels Pâté | ![]() | Airy, Affordable and Authentic | |
8 | ASDA Smooth Brussels Pâté | ![]() | Silky Smooth, Low-Cost and Dairy-Free | |
9 | ASDA Coarse Ardennes Pâté | ![]() | Rich, Belgian Delight | |
10 | Tesco Ardennes & Smoked Coarse Bacon Pâté | ![]() | Perfect for Bacon Enthusiasts |
Despite being a bit expensive for the small portion, this product’s delicious taste and marvellous texture make up for the price tag. This chicken liver pâté is generously seasoned with cognac, giving it a complex, well-rounded taste. Its silky texture and its sophisticated, festive flavour enhanced with a touch of orange zest, cinnamon and ginger are guaranteed to make it your new favourite snack.
The additional butter layer on top which is used for sealing in the product’s flavour can be used for melting on your toast or frying up decadent scrambled eggs. As an extra bonus: you get to keep the adorable mason jar at the end which you can reuse for your favourite spices.
Don't let the name "parfait" confuse you! This slowly cooked chicken pâté with an extra silky smooth texture is seasoned with a touch of Cognac, aromatic thyme and is sealed with some clarified butter to preserve the freshness for longer.
Ideally served on your favourite toasted bread or crackers as an aperitif. Although it is made predominantly with chicken liver, it does contain some pork fat. Due to also being very high in fat (due to the butter content), this is pâté should be enjoyed in moderation. Though once you start, we guarantee it will be quite hard to stop!
Orange Duck Liver Pâté is a mouthwatering, zesty spread that perfectly combines in itself the richness of duck liver and the sweetness of Seville oranges. Topped with some delectable orange jelly, this pâté is guaranteed to add some excitement to any party or tea time.
Although this product is made predominantly using duck liver, it does also contain some pork fat, so make sure you are okay with that before buying. This luxurious spread comes in handy resealable packaging which will help you to keep the product fresher for longer meaning you can enjoy it over the course of several days.
If you love salmon, you will also enjoy this. Similar in texture to the Findlater's Salmon Pâté, this delightful Mackerel Pâté has a similar texture and taste but is a little less salty and has a slightly different seasoning. This spread is made of smoked mackerel blitzed with cream cheese and créme fraîche finished with an uplifting dash of coriander and lemon.
Once again, it is perfect for pescatarians and those who prefer to avoid pork. Similar to the previous two fish pâtés, this product cannot stay open for more than two days. Although once discovered, this little pot of joy is unlikely to last long in your household.
This delightful Scottish salmon pâté has been whipped together with créme fraîche and cream cheese which gives it a light, fluffy texture. The flavour is satisfyingly smokey, perfectly balanced with cracked black pepper and slight citrus bite.
No wonder this pâté won a Great Taste Gold Award in 2010!
This pâté, however, may not be suitable for you if you are not a fan of the smoky fish flavour and would instead prefer the taste of pure salmon.
Deliciously light and creamy, this poached salmon mousse works perfectly as a light appetizer on crackers, blinis and your favourite bread. Made with créme fraîche and balanced with lemon juice, this pâté is particularly great for those who do not eat pork or want to moderate their fat intake.
The product comes in a handy, recycled plastic pot and should be stored in the fridge, although, unfortunately, the pâté cannot be kept for more than two days after opening since it doesn't have many preservatives. This is however unlikely to be a problem since this light, delightful pâté is unlikely to last longer than one lunch-time!
Waitrose Essentials range never disappoints with its superb price-quality match. Created with ethically sourced pork selected from German and Belgian farms that adhere to animal welfare standards, this airy pâté has the texture of a mousse and the flavour that is guaranteed to make it your new favourite lunch staple.
We recommend this product since we believe that luxury does not necessarily need to cost a fortune. The product's main downside is that it also contains quite a lot of pork fat (to give it that smooth texture), hence you may want to be mindful of saturated fat content.
For those of you who are not fans of the chunky pâté texture, this silky smooth spread is the perfect introduction to the scene. With its gentle and balanced flavour, ASDA's Brussels Pâté is perfectly suited for being combined with all sorts of exciting toppings like cornichons and redcurrant jelly. As an additional bonus, unlike its coarse ASDA counterpart, this pâté is dairy-free!
The only real downside to this product is that the container is not easily resealable which might make storing the pâté once its been opened a little bit trickier.
This classic Ardennes pâté is one of the most famous Belgian delicacies. Hearty yet easily spreadable, this pork-based spread is perfect when served with some toasted rustic bread with a side of peppery watercress. Produced and packed in Belgium, this pâté allows you to experience the taste of Belgian cuisine at an accessible price.
Since this is a pork-based pâté, you may want to be mindful of the fat content and enjoy it in moderation.
This coarse spread from Tesco is here to satisfy your bacon cravings and add some pizzaz to your lunch sandwiches with a dash of smoky magic. Although this may not be the most authentic take on the French delicacy, it is a good introduction to this type of spread at a very accessible price.
With its lovely chunky texture and resealable container, this product's only downside is that it contains sage in its list of ingredients which some people may find too overpowering depending on their personal sensitivity.
The word "pâté" is translated literally as "paste" from French. It is generally made out of ground seafood, meat or animal parts that are not often used in cooking - most commonly, the liver. Many chefs argue that eating pâtés is a great way to consume an animal "nose-to-tail" therefore appreciating and honouring the animal. The texture can be smooth or coarse - this is down to personal preference.
The mixture is then slow-cooked with the addition of various spices, sometimes alcohol and often dairy products such as cream. Traditionally in France, pâtés can be eaten hot or cold, on bread or as part of a pastry. In the UK, however, the most common way to eat pâté is as part of a charcuterie platter on top of crackers or spread over your favourite bread.
Whatever the occasion, whether Christmas Day, Easter, a birthday or graduation celebration, it's always fun to take the chance to prepare finger food and other nibbles for your friends, family and guests to enjoy. You don't have to stop at cured meats and cheese; here are other essentials to consider adding to the shopping basket!
We hope you enjoyed reading our guide to the UK's favourite pâtés and now have a better understanding of what to expect when selecting the product that suits your needs best. Whether you are planning a party, a brunch or simply wanted to add some excitement to your office lunches, we hope you have found your new favourite spread!
Author: Maria C
No. 1: Waitrose|Heston Chicken Liver Parfait
No. 2: Tesco|Chicken Liver Parfait With Thyme Butter 125G
No. 3: Tesco|Finest Duck & Seville Orange Pate
No. 4: Findlater's |Smoked Mackerel Paté
No. 5: Findlater's |Roast Salmon Paté
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