Fish Shelf Life

[MarbleEyez]

Was cleaning up some fish the other night that I had in the fridge for a few days. Got me thinking, what's the longest amount of days you guys have gone from fish to freezer? I know anything past a week you're chancing it a little. But as long as it doesn't smell rancid you should be ok.

 

[deleted_account]

if it passes the eye test, and the smell test, i eat it.

 

[KDM]

Fish is kept on ice in the grocery stores and fish markets for quite a while before being discarded. It depends on the type of fish really. Walleye, Perch, Panfish, and other firm white fleshed freshwater fish for me is about 3 days, then I scrutinize the flesh pretty well before consuming or freezing. For Salmon and Trout it's a day tops. The increased oil content of the flesh really shortens the lifespan for my pallet. Saltwater fish seem to last about a day less than freshwater fish, then they start to go. The mackerels are the fastest to go as they have lots of oils with the snappers/groupers lasting the longest at about 2 days IMO.

 

[Walleye_Chaser]

Agree with Wags on the smell test, but I start to get uncomfortable at about 3-4 days. I think it really effect the texture of it.

 

[SDMF]

I keep fish in water in the fridge and so long as the water is changed out every day or two it'll last a week. Then, like wags says, sniff test, maybe press the flesh a little and make sure it's still firm as well.

 

[guywhofishes]

If it smells like fish it's not a dish.

 

[Jigaman]

if it passes the eye test, and the smell test, i eat it.

This is my theory on many things in life...

 

[DirtyMike]

I've gone a week before but don't recommend it. I soak mine in half water/milk. I only let it get to three days and that's if I forget about it. Normally, it's a night soak then packaged the next day. I don't have a package of walleye in my freezer at the moment. Usually goes to the neighbors or a couple of older patients that can't get out to fish anymore.

 

[Walleye_Chaser]

this is my theory on many things in life...

hahahahahha!

 

[johnr]

mrs johnr took a bag of frozen fillets out last Friday to thaw, then we ended up leaving for the weekend a day sooner than we anticipated. She baked the fish with some butter and onions last night in a tinfoil pack at 425* for about 35 minutes.

The taste was very fishy, and I had to season extensively. I am not sure if the fish was left thawed to long, or cooked to long, or might have been in the freezer for a couple years. Either way I would not be a fish fan if that was the usual taste.

 

[Jigaman]

I've gone a week before but don't recommend it. I soak mine in half water/milk. I only let it get to three days and that's if I forget about it. Normally, it's a night soak then packaged the next day. I don't have a package of walleye in my freezer at the moment. Usually goes to the neighbors or a couple of older patients that can't get out to fish anymore.

Same for me. If I have fish left over I give it away. I used to work with an older guy and I would always bring fish to him and his wife. After he lost his battle to cancer, I continued to keep his widow supplied with fresh fish and it seemed to mean the world to her. Sadly, she is gone now too so if I have left overs I bring them into the office and people fight over them. If I put them in my freezer they seem to get forgotten.

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why soak in milk?

 

[sierra1995]

I usually let soak for 1-2 days in salt water then freeze.

 

[guywhofishes]

anybody here soak their steaks? pork chops?

didn't think so - what the hell you soaking your fish steaks for?

my filets get rinsed well after fileting and then never soak in anything again

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with the exception of the milk/egg wash just prior to dry coating!

 

[DirtyMike]

Milk seems to take that last bit of fishy-ness taste away for me. I believe it works, therefore I will continue to do it regardless of what some east side curmudgeon thinks.

 

[guywhofishes]

Milk seems to take that last bit of fishy-ness taste away for me. I believe it works, therefore I will continue to do it regardless of what some east side curmudgeon thinks.

I would soak too if I was eating fish that taste fishy

what kind of fish you soaking? smallmouth? largemouth? rock bass?

 

[deleted_account]

curmudgeon - lol

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persnickety curmudgeon

 

[DirtyMike]

I would soak too if I was eating fish that taste fishy

what kind of fish you soaking? smallmouth? largemouth? rock bass?

gar and carp.

 

[WormWiggler]

Apparently I am a bit of a wackadoodle... many years ago I was always pissed off cause I would freeze fish in a milk cartoon and thought the end result was sheet... Then I read an article that basically said fish should not be in water, basically in the lake, the water is on the outside. So the method I adopted was to filet, quickly rinse any gut type shit off with cold water. Do the zipper thing and carve out the rib bones. At this point one fish is in 4 or 8 pieces depending if it is big enough... Then I have a tupperware that has a tray inside, ice on the bottom and fish above. Into fridge for cool down, eat or freeze. The article recommended vacuum sealing but my cheap ass uses saran wrap for each piece then into a freezer bag. It is real easy to pick out the exact amount of fish. I don't remember how I thawed them as fish down usually make it overnight when they do get to our house. But I suspect freezer bag in cool water in the sink or just in fridge depending on time frame. I was very happy with how the fish came out, now if I could just catch some.

 

[guywhofishes]

Milk seems to take that last bit of fishy-ness taste away for me. I believe it works, therefore I will continue to do it regardless of what some east side curmudgeon thinks.

just jerkin your chain as you know - I bet 95% of the stubborn Germans from Russia in central ND still soak their fish in milk

my grampa, gramma and mom sure did Thumbs Up

in fact I did for a while too but then my French kicked in and I turned all persnickety

 

[Tommyboy]

Milk seems to take that last bit of fishy-ness taste away for me. I believe it works, therefore I will continue to do it regardless of what some east side curmudgeon thinks.

I had to look up curmudgeon. It is now going to be added to my verbiage as I deal with lots of curmudgeons on a daily basis. Thanks DM!