Need advice on how to preserve fish

[Molten Furnace]

What is the best way to keep fish for more than a few days? I have been told that if you freeze yellowfin tuna it ruins the texture of the meat. Is that true for other species as well?

Any advice on how to keep the following fish for five or more days?

• Yellowtail;
• Tuna (yellowfin and bluefin);
• Calico;
• Halibut;
• WSB

Thanks

[yemff]

vacuum bag and freeze. Might be stretching it with 5 days, but on ice would be your next best bet; just dont let the fish sit in its juice or let the meat be in direct contact with the ice.

[Molten Furnace]

Originally Posted by yemff

vacuum bag and freeze. Might be stretching it with 5 days, but on ice would be your next best bet; just dont let the fish sit in its juice or let the meat be in direct contact with the ice.

Thanks. I hope I will have a reason soon to buy a vacuum sealer. In the meantime I am wondering -- with the vacuum bag method, how long would it realistically keep in the freezer?

[Kayak_Bernie]

How you preserve your fish has a lot to do with how you intend on eating your fish. If you are going to eat raw in a sushi or sashimi I recommend cooling the meat down ASAP, and bleeding the fish ASAP. For ceviche i recommend the same but as you are chemically cooking the fish, its not AS important as sushi or raw applications like poke.

If you are going to grill/ bake/ or heat the fish to cook I recommend vacuum sealing and freezing if you aren't going to eat it in the 2-3 days following your catch. I have had 8 month old tuna steaks that had been vacuum sealed, that one thawed and seared were as good as tuna steaks I've had the day after I caught it.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!!

[Kayak_Bernie]

if you get a good vacuum sealer 8 months to a year isn't unreasonable

Originally Posted by Molten Furnace

Thanks. I hope I will have a reason soon to buy a vacuum sealer. In the meantime I am wondering -- with the vacuum bag method, how long would it realistically keep in the freezer?

[Molten Furnace]

Wow! That is much longer than I would have expected. Thanks! Any advice on the proper way to thaw?

[Mahigeer]

Originally Posted by Kayak_Bernie

if you get a good vacuum sealer 8 months to a year isn't unreasonable

I agree.

I even seal bonito caught in summer for lobster bait in October, in case the bait is not around. Seems very fresh, oily and bloody.

[captnblood34]

I have BFT older than Bernies.... I also had 140 pounds to go through and share with friends, and it keeps fine. Your fish will keep with a vac seal. Unless your a dooms day prepper or something... go buy canned tuna

[Dave Legacy]

Originally Posted by Molten Furnace

Wow! That is much longer than I would have expected. Thanks! Any advice on the proper way to thaw?

Thaw in the fridge and allow plenty of time. Maybe my fridge is just really cold, but overnight isn't enough time to thaw frozen fish in my experience. I bought a Foodsaver at Costco for like $109 down from $150; So worth it.

[Batmann]

I don't have a vacuum sealer but have had pretty good luck with this low cost process.

- Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel. Try and get them as dry as possible.

- Wrap each fillet portion tightly in Saran wrap, don't squish the meat but avoid as much air a possible in the wrap. I make sure it's completely wrapped with some excess on each end to seal it as best as possible.

- Place the individually wrapped fillets into a Ziplock bag and push out as much air as possible before placing in the freezer.

I have had good luck with storing in the freezer for at least 2 months without any freezer burn or ice crystals developing on the fillets.

[T-Rex]

Until you get a vacuum sealer you can use zip lock bags and a bucket or sink full of water. Pat the fillets dry, place fillets in a bag, seal the bag leaving a corner open for air to escape and carefully submerg in water to force all the air out then complete the seal. Slider seals are the easiest to use. Just be careful to not get any water in with the fillets. Works pretty good.

[taggermike]

I never freeze fish. My thought is that if I fish hard I'll have fresh fish again soon. I have extended family that lives close by so I give plenty away. Definately storing fish in a bloody plastic bag sucks. I've had success rinsing and drying the fish. Then placing it on a cookie sheet with butcher paper between the layers. Then wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap. For best results change the paper daily. Also when i have fresh fish I'll eat fish twice a day till its gone. Mike

[summers in kuwait]

This is a helpful thread considering a lot of time and effort can go into catching fish and the last thing you want is to waste any usable resource.

What are some thoughts about cleaning the fish and prepping before freezing, etc.

For example I usually bleed and gut on the water, but Ive heard some say not to rinse with fresh water. Does this have an ill effect on the taste of the fish or preserving the fish?

What are others doing once they catch the fish, till storing their catch in the freezer and is there different approaches for different species. For example - Sashimi Grade Tuna

Thanks for the info!

[Aznronin]

Icemule coolers makes a great catchbag.