How to Store Fresh Fish Properly? 3 Methods That Work!

Do you have fresh fish, but you can’t eat it right away? Don’t want to throw away more food than usual, but want to be able to keep it fresh until you can finally cook it? Here’s how to store fresh fish!

How to Store Fresh Fish?

Fish can be cooked in many delicious ways and is an essential part of many of our meals. However, it must be stored well! If not stored properly, fish deteriorates and can cause many illnesses such as nausea and food poisoning. So, let’s stay healthy and talk about how to store fresh fish properly. If you’re camping, for example, and you’ve gone fishing, but you don’t have a fridge nearby, you can preserve the fish in salt. But it will change its taste in time. However, it’s a great way to keep it edible until you get home. The other two methods make perfect sense: in the fridge and in the freezer. But there is a catch! Let’s find out!

How to Store Fresh Fish without a Fridge?

The basic rule is never to leave food in the refrigerator for more than 4 hours. In the case of fish, this delay is actually 2 hours. So when you receive fresh fish, you need to act quickly. But what if you don’t have a refrigerator nearby? First of all, you will need lots of salt! Yes, we use a Scandinavian method of preserving fish with salt which allows it to be preserved for 9 whole months! All you need is a container (preferably glass) and plenty of salt. Clean the fish and immerse it in the salt! Don’t leave a clean spot! When you’re done, seal the container. It’s that simple, yes!

Also read: How to Preserve Cherry Tomatoes?

Store Fresh Fish in the Freezer

To store fresh fish in the freezer is a no-brainer. However, if you’ve already done so, perhaps you’ve noticed a loss of taste? This sometimes happens when fish is stored in the freezer as it is. To do it properly, you must first clean it. Wash the fish thoroughly and remove the scales. Then immerse it in a large bowl of cold, salted water for about 30 seconds and remove it. This will allow it to retain its natural flavors. Some people also immerse it in ascorbic acid mixed with cold water. You can also try this method, which gives good results. And don’t forget to dry the fish to remove excess water before putting it in the freezer! Then place in freezer bags and store for up to three or four months.

Store Fresh Fish in the Fridge

Want to eat the fish the next day, but don’t want to freeze and thaw it? No problem! You can store it in the fridge without any problem and keep it fresh for up to three days. What you need to do before putting the fish in the fridge is wash it thoroughly. Wash it with cold water and pat it dry with a clean, dry paper towel or cloth. Next, to preserve its freshness, the fish should be wrapped in aluminum foil. You can use aluminum or plastic, depending on what you have at home. You can even use wax paper, which is becoming more and more popular lately.

What Is the Shelf Life of Fish?

Now you know the three methods to store fresh fish! In salt, you can keep it for up to nine months. In the freezer, up to three or even four months. Lean fish can be kept for up to three months and fatty fish can be kept even longer (up to 5 months). In the refrigerator, you can store it for up to three days, no more.

It is important to store fish properly. If we don’t store our food properly, we risk getting sick, suffering from food poisoning, nausea and many other complications. So follow the steps carefully, never leave food out of the fridge for more than 4 hours, and never put a dish in the fridge that you’ve already reheated once! Be careful!

Also read: How to Store Zucchini for the Winter?