Meat

How long does meat pâté last in the fridge?

7 days
Fridge — USDA FoodKeeper guidance for pate (meat)

Meat pâté keeps 7 days in the fridge — wrap the cut face in plastic film and finish it well inside that week.

How long does it keep?

Fridge 7 days
  • Fridge: Left over pâtés should be wrapped in plastic film.

Can it sit out?

Meat pâté is perishable — the FSIS 2-hour rule applies.

Perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown out — 1 hour if it’s 90°F or hotter (a picnic, a hot car, a summer kitchen).

The 2-hour rule, in full →

How to tell if meat pâté has gone bad

  • A sour or fermented smell in place of the rich, livery one
  • A wet, weeping surface on the cut face
  • A gray-green bloom anywhere on the outside
  • Mold of any color — pâté is soft, so the whole block goes

When in doubt, throw it out.

Press the plastic film right onto the cut face — air is what turns that surface gray and dry.

Quick answers

How long does meat pâté last in the fridge?

Meat pâté keeps 7 days in the fridge — wrap the cut face in plastic film and finish it well inside that week.

How long can meat pâté sit out?

The FSIS 2-hour rule applies to meat pâté. Perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown out — 1 hour if it’s 90°F or hotter (a picnic, a hot car, a summer kitchen).