Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Freeze Smoked Fish

You can freeze smoked fish to keep it good for months.


Despite the fact that you can eat it without further cooking, smoked fish does not actually stay fresh much longer than raw fish. You cannot store it in the refrigerator for more than two to three weeks without running the risk of the fish going bad. If you wish to safely keep your smoked fish for longer than that, you will need to freeze it instead. Freezing your smoked fish extends the time in which it stays good to up to three months. Try, however, to consume it within one to two months, when its quality will be even higher.


Instructions


1. Dip a food brush into salad oil and lightly brush the oil over all exposed surfaces of the smoked fish. This will help keep it looking and tasting fresh by delaying the dehydration process.


2. Wrap individual portions of the smoked fish in plastic freezer wrap. Wrap the fish tightly, eliminating any air bubbles between the plastic and the fish. Do not leave any gaps in the plastic. Wrap each piece of fish in a second layer of plastic freezer wrap after you are sure the first is snug and complete.


3. Place the plastic-wrapped fish pieces into a resealable plastic freezer bag. If freezing more than 1 lb. of smoked fish, put only a total of 1 lb. in each freezer bag, using as many bags as necessary to ensure you stick to this limit.


4. Store the bags of wrapped fish in the freezer. You can keep the fish frozen for up to three months before the quality declines too significantly, but you should use it sooner if possible.


5. Thaw the frozen smoked fish by transferring it into the refrigerator or placing it under a stream of cool running water. Thaw only as much as you will be able to use within a few days; this should be one of the plastic-wrapped packets within the freezer bag rather than the entire freezer bag, in most cases.







Tags: smoked fish, plastic freezer, your smoked fish, freezer wrap, longer than, more than, plastic freezer wrap