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If you've caught too many fish for dinner, you need to figure out a way to preserve those fish, as they won't keep long in the refrigerator. Freezing fish is one of the best ways of preserving it. Additionally, as fish are only in season for a certain amount of time, you'll want to save some for later in the year, which you can do by freezing them whole or as fillets.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Keeping Fish Cold
Keep your fish fresh. Seafood is very susceptible to spoiling. You need to keep it as cold as possible before freezing. When bringing it home from the market, keep it in a cooler or a freezer bag to help maintain it's freshness, along with some ice or frozen food.[1]
Use ice to keep fish fresh while fishing. Ice is the most effective way to cool down fish to take home from fishing. You can even use ice to kill small fish, as it almost immediately immobilizes them. Use crushed ice for this purpose. For every 1 pound of fish you have, you need at least 2 pounds of ice.[2]Advertisement
Set the small fish in ice whole. For smaller fish, just set the fish (alive) into the ice as they would be in the water. That is, place them like they're swimming, not on their sides.[3]
Kill, scale, and gut large fish first before putting them on ice. Slice off the head at the gills.[4]- Scale the fish. Use the back of a knife. Grasp the tail. Run the back of the knife up under the scales as you move towards the front of the fish. Continue running the knife over the fish until the scales are gone, rinsing the scales off the knife as you go. [5]
- Once you've cleaned out the inside of the fish, pack it with ice. Place it in an ice-filled cooler.[6]
Check the ice often. Once it melts down some, pour off the water, and pour in more ice.[7]Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Preparing and Freezing Fish
Freeze fish fillets in bags. Fillet the fish. Holding the tail, cut under the fillet just above the backbone, moving towards the head. Once you cut the fillet off, use your knife to remove the skin, if desired. Use a similar technique: start near the tail, and run the knife under the skin, moving away from you.[8]- Pop each fillet in a freezer storage bag, and push out as much air as possible. The bag should seal around the fish as closely as possible.[9]
Dip whole fish. If you are freezing whole fish (minus the guts and scales), you need to dip the fish in saltwater before freezing. The water helps it build a glaze to protect the fish.[10]- Pre-freeze a baking pan by placing it in the freezer for 5 minutes. Stir a teaspoon of salt into a quart of water until the salt dissolves.[11]
- Dip the fish quickly, and set them on the tray. Place the tray quickly back into the freezer.[12]
- Once the ice has frozen on the outside, repeat the process a couple of times to build up a layer.[13]
- Wrap the frozen fish in freezer paper. Secure with tape. Place them back in the freezer.[14]
Spread out the frozen fish in the freezer. You want to freeze the fish as quickly as possible, and spreading the fish out in the freezer is the easiest way to do that.[15]
Write the date on the package. Fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, can be frozen for about 3 months. Non-fatty fish, such as cod or flounder, can stay in the freezer for about 6 months.[16]
Keep the fish in the bag or paper to thaw. When thawing the fish, make sure it stays in the container it was frozen in to help maintain flavor and texture.[17]- To thaw seafood, place it in cold, running water to keep it cool while thawing out the ice.[18]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Using Alternative Methods to Freeze Fish
Use a lemon-gelatin glaze. Like an ice glaze, a lemon-gelatin glaze protects the fish. Additionally, it adds flavor.[19]- Boil 1 1/2 cups of water. While it's heating, stir 1/4 cup of lemon juice into 1 3/4 cups of water, along with 1/2 cup of gelatin. Once the water boils, add in the lemon-gelatin mixture. Let it cool.[20]
- Dip each fish into the glaze. After dipping, shake off the excess moisture. You don't want too thick a coating on each piece.[21]
- Wrap in packaging. You can either use freezer bags or paper. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze the fish.[22]
Try freezing fish in water. Some fish experts believe that placing fish in water, especially large containers of water, can damage fish fillets. To be on the safe side, use a small container with just enough water to cover the fish, or stick to freezing small, whole fish, as the skin offers some protection.[23]- Use plain, very cold water. You can also use slightly salted water.[24] Pour the water in a shallow pan or freezer bags.[25]
- Add the fillets or small fish. Dump the fish in the water, making sure it covers all parts of the fish.[26]
- Freeze the fish. Cover the pans, or seal the bags. Place the pans or bags in the freezer, and let them freeze. Don't forget to label the fish with a date.[27]
- If using a pan, take the block of ice and fish out of the pan after freezing. Either put the block in a zip-top bag, or wrap it in freezer paper before putting it back in the freezer.[28]
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Community Q&A
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- QuestionCan fish be refrozen?
Community AnswerDefinitely not. Once any type of food has been defrosted, it starts to grow bacteria. Refreezing could increase your risk for things like food poisoning, so it's best to throw out any food that's been defrosted if you don't plan to eat it. - QuestionCan I freeze cooked fish patties?
Community AnswerYou technically can, but it will have a negative effect on the texture and the flavor, so I would personally not recommend it. - QuestionHow long can fish be frozen for?Community AnswerIt is recommended to freeze them for up to six months before they go bad.
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Tips
- Always keep fish cold, even before you freeze it. It is very perishable.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/cook_fish/safe_handling_self_caught_fish_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/cook_fish/safe_handling_self_caught_fish_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/filleting-your-fish.html
- ↑ http://www.foodista.com/technique/GYFCDNFG/how-to-scale-a-fish#
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/cook_fish/safe_handling_self_caught_fish_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/cook_fish/safe_handling_self_caught_fish_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/filleting-your-fish.html
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/preparing_fish_seafood/freezing_defrosting_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/preparing_fish_seafood/freezing_defrosting_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/preparing_fish_seafood/freezing_defrosting_seafood.html
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/filleting-your-fish.html
- ↑ http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/how-long-can-you-refrigerate-freeze-food
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/handling_freezing.htm
- ↑ http://www.saltchef.com/preparing_fish_seafood/freezing_defrosting_seafood.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
- ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/fish.html
About this article
Article SummaryX
To freeze fish, start by cutting it into fillets if it's not already. Then, place each fillet in its own freezer bag, and press out any excess air with your hands before you seal it. Next, write the current date on the bag, and spread out the fillets in the freezer. You can freeze fatty fish, like tuna and salmon, for up to 3 months, and non-fatty fish, like cod and flounder, for up to 6 months. To learn how to freeze whole fish, scroll down!
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