Fish is one of the most nutritious proteins you can add to your diet with tons of proven health benefits. And as Kiwis, we’re lucky to have easy access to all kinds of super-fresh species that we can cook into delicious dinners.
There is, however, a small catch: it’s one of the most perishable foods we eat. Fresh fish is best eaten within a few days of purchase and has some very strict rules for storage.
Depending on the type of fish, there are slightly varied rules for storing seafood – some species can last a wee bit longer, and some are far less forgiving. When you buy fresh fish, proper handling, storage and preparation are needed to maintain the quality and ensure food safety.
Let’s look at some of the best practices for storing fish.
How long does fresh fish last
If you’re buying fresh fish fillets, the packaging it comes in should give you an indication of how long it will last. It should state the day it was packed in the grocery store as well as a best-before date. But if you’re ever unsure, you can also check with the fishmonger at the seafood counter.
Up to two days is the recommended rule for fish, shrimp, and scallops in terms of storage times. However, this depends on the journey it has taken to get to the store, how long it’s been there and its variety.
· If it’s lean fish (like bass, cod, or snapper), it may be able to last an extra day
· If it’s oily fish (like trout, tuna, salmon or mullet), it will likely last a day less
· If it's a very oily fish (like a sardine or bluefish), it needs to be eaten ASAP as it won’t be any better the next day.
Once you’ve brought it home from the grocery store or fish market, make sure you store fresh fish properly in the refrigerator until it’s time to eat.
If you aren’t planning to eat your fish fillets within a few days, make sure you freeze them instead.
Oh, and one more thing to mention: to maintain the quality of the fish, make sure you take it straight home from the grocery store. If necessary, keep it in a chilly bin on ice until you get home. Never allow it to sit in a hot vehicle for any time unless appropriately stored.
How to store fish in the fridge
So, you’re unpacking the groceries at home. What’s the best method to go about storing fresh fish in the refrigerator so it will last as long as possible? Here’s how to keep fish fresh:
- Before handling your fish, make sure your hands are clean.
- Remove the packaging. The packaging that it’s wrapped in at your seafood counter is just for you to get it from the store to your home, but if left on too long, it can adhere to the flesh and become difficult to remove.
- Rinse the fish in cold water and use paper towels to pat dry. The bacteria responsible for spoilage thrives in moisture, so make sure you get the flesh as dry as possible.
- Your fish should be stored on ice, even in the fridge. Just like it’s displayed on crushed ice at the seafood counter, icing fish is the best practice for storing it at home too. Otherwise, it can rot quickly.
- We recommend placing the fish in a single layer in a sealed zip-top plastic bag. Fillets should not be touching. Ensure you press out any excess air, then lay the bag on top of a plate or aluminium foil-lined tray covered with ice cubes or ice packs. Put more crushed ice or ice packs on top of the zip-top bag.
- Refill the ice as needed until it’s time to cook and eat your fish. Keep the fish as dry as possible. Do not allow ice melt on the flesh as this will create a moisture-filled ice water environment that could encourage the growth of harmful organisms.
- If you’re not a fan of plastic bags, you could also choose to place the fish on an aluminium sheet tray and set the pan within an ice layer in a pierced pan. The whole pan can then be placed in a large container and covered. This has some limitations, though, as it doesn’t allow you to put ice on top.
- Store in the coldest part of your refrigerator and ensure it isn’t touching any other food.
How to store fish in the freezer
If you know you don’t want to prepare your fish within a few days of purchase, freezing it is a much better option than having it go to waste.
When freezing fresh fish, you need to make sure you speed along the process as quickly as possible. If you happen to have a blast chiller at home, use it! But since most of us don’t have that luxury, here’s to get as close to the flash-freezing process as possible.
To safely store frozen seafood, follow the same first three steps you would for storing fish in the refrigerator:
- Before handling, make sure your hands are clean.
- Remove the packaging.
- Rinse in cold water and use a paper towel to pat dry. Make sure you get the flesh as dry as possible.
- Clean fish if necessary; whole fish must be gutted and scaled before freezing.
- Line a baking tray with aluminium foil or cling wrap.
- Place your fillets in a single layer on the wrap, ensuring they don’t touch.
- Cover the fish with another layer of plastic wrap, then freeze. Leave for a few hours.
- After a few hours, the fillets should be frozen sufficiently, firm and easy to handle.
- Transfer the fish into a sealable freezer bag, making sure as much air is squeezed out as possible. Remember that air is your enemy! Any air that touches your fish will destroy it with freezer burn, so to protect it, you must ensure as little air gets to it as possible. Some other viable options are:
· Vacuum sealing – if you catch plenty of fresh caught fish, purchasing a vacuum sealer can be a worthwhile investment
· Plastic ziplock bags + plastic wrap – wrap it in plastic wrap, then put the wrapped fish into a freezer bag
· Plastic ziplock bags + airtight plastic container – another form of double wrapping - Store within the freezer and consume when ready. Never freeze fish longer than six months. We recommend labelling and dating your bags or containers.
· Just like oily fish don’t last as long in the fridge, they also have a shorter lifespan in the freezer. Experts suggest no longer than three months.
· Fish frozen should be carefully defrosted once you’re ready to cook and eat it.
How to defrost fish
The biggest concern when defrosting frozen fish is food safety. We need to make sure we minimise the possible growth of bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Luckily, the most efficient ways to defrost fish are also the safest.
There are two possible ways to defrost fish. But first, let’s cover a few ways not to go about defrosting seafood:
· Never defrost fish (or any frozen seafood) at room temperature.
· Never thaw frozen fish in the microwave – this will prematurely begin the cooking process!
· Do not try thawing fish in hot water
The warm air processes in all of these methods increase the possibility of bacteria growth which can cause foodborne illnesses. Also, do not leave defrosting fish somewhere where young children can reach.
Now that we’ve covered how not to defrost fish, let’s look at some better methods:
Defrosting in the refrigerator
The safest and easiest way to defrost fish is to leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
Just shift it from the freezer to the fridge before you go to bed and it will be ready to become a cooked fish creation the next day. Your fish should already be in airtight and leak-proof storage, but if not, pop it in an extra resealable bag on top of a plate so it doesn’t leak.
This is the best method because it ensures the fish never gets to a warm enough temperature to give harmful microbes a chance to grow and multiply.
The method’s only limitation is your own good memory – if you forget to pull it out the night before, you might find yourself on the phone to the local takeaway shop the next day!
Defrosting in cold water
Looking for how to thaw fish quickly? There’s no denying that this way is quite a bit faster, and it doesn’t require remembering to defrost it the night before.
- Assuming your fish is wrapped in a leak-proof and airtight seal, simply place it in the sink within a shallow dish and fill it with cold water. Never thaw the fish in warm or hot water – this again increases the chance for bacteria to form, which can cause food poisoning.
- Let the water run over the fish for a little bit so it completely envelops the fish. The cold water will thaw it quicker than the cold air of the fridge. In total, this should take you about 30 minutes.
- Once thawed, follow the process you would with fresh fish: rinse and then pat dry with paper towels before cooking.
How to store cooked fish
Leftovers are fantastic. They’re an easy lunch or dinner the next day that requires no preparation – they really are a home cook’s dream!
But handling fish and other highly perishable foods can be a bit fiddly.
· Remember that fish will always be at its best quality and safest state when eaten straight away.
· Once cooked, fish can give off unpleasant flavours because of the oxidation process. Oxygen in the air reacts with fats, proteins and flavour molecules in the fish, and over time it’ll allow nasty smelling compounds to form. If it starts to smell pungent, dispose of it immediately.
· Fish that has been cured before cooking (salted or smoked) may last a little longer in the fridge than cooked fresh fish. A great example is smoked salmon.
· Once cooked, make sure it is refrigerated as quickly as possible. This will extend its usable life. It needs to go in within two hours as soon as it’s cooled enough to handle and package. The internal temperature should never be allowed to stay at a warm or high degree for too long.
· Store in a tight seal and away from any other foods in your refrigerator – including other fish – to avoid any contamination.
Storing raw fish
Freezing fish is by far the best method to preserve it, requiring the least amount of work. But by no means is it the only way.
Most alternative methods use salt to draw out the moisture; this makes it easier to store fish as it creates an environment where harmful microorganisms don’t have the opportunity to form.
Other methods of preserving fish include:
· Smoking
· Brining
· Canning
· Pickling
· Drying