Storage period for chilled, salted and frozen fish: 3 important tips

Ice - the main condition for the preservation of chilled delicacy

Pampering homemade fish delicacies, housewives usually buy fish in the supermarket, on the market. One way or another, the terms and conditions of fish storage must be observed without fail to ensure its maximum freshness and preservation of taste. Let's figure it out.

Storage features

Red or pinkish gills - the main sign of freshness of the carcass

Consumer market offers fish products in three types:

• fresh
• chilled;
• frozen

The lower the storage temperature of carcasses, the longer they remain in a usable form, the longer their shelf life. Of course, only fresh produce is allowed for storage, even short-lived, and the cooling or freezing is still alive or only asleep fish.

How to determine the freshness of fish:

• clear covers (without mucus, transparent eyes not clouded);
• unobtrusive smell of fresh fish;
• pink or reddish gills;
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• whole carcass, without damage;
• density elastic, with pressure the trace disappears, the form is restored;
• scales shiny, tight to each other (allowed some knitness).

Fresh fish should have bright, slightly bulging eyes.

Pay attention to the storage conditions of chilled fish in supermarkets: it should be in pallets with crushed ice, while not thawing. According to the norms, the terms of sale of such products should not exceed one day, if the price of carcasses is lowered or there are several pieces left, then they will probably soon be removed from the sale as a “delay”.

Chilled fish

Fish products are called chilled; their body temperature varies in the range of -1–5 ° С. The external storage temperature should also not exceed these values.

Small fish are kept smaller than large ones, even under all conditions

Different types of fish can be stored at different times even under identical conditions. It affects:

• carcass size;
• the amount of adipose tissue;
• ambient temperature;
• cooling material (ice, liquid, dry drying);
• the presence of preservatives.

The instructions in the table will tell you how to keep chilled river and sea fish:

A photo	Description
	Tip 1. Storage preparation The carcass of the fish must be washed from pollution, special attention should be paid to the gills. Wipe dry. To cut.
	Tip 2. Cold storage How much is fresh fish stored in the fridge? For the longest possible storage, you must comply with the following conditions: Temperature range 0 ° C. It is advisable to remove the fish in a special box (Fresh Box, Biofresh, etc.) - the compartment in the main compartment of the refrigerator that maintains zero temperature. Fish stored in plastic containers with ice.
	Tip 3. Storage in the cellar If you have a cellar or a room where the air humidity is about 95–98% and the temperature does not fall below -1 ° C and does not rise more than +5 ° C, you can extend its freshness with your own hands. For this: We sort the carcasses by size (if there are many fish, then small ones are stored only with small ones, large ones with large ones). We prepare wooden boxes with a pallet (plastic containers, metal containers, etc.). Fall asleep crushed ice. Spread the carcass evenly. Fall asleep with ice. Fish stored in this way will lie from 7 to 12 days without loss of quality and taste.

In a similar way it is necessary to store and thawed fish in the refrigerator. To do this, a pan must be provided, where excess liquid can flow, then place the carcass in the main compartment and consume within three days.

Salty fish

With salty seafood and river carcasses things are somewhat different. Since salt is a natural preservative, the shelf life of salted products is somewhat longer.

How to store salted fish and how much depends on:

• ambient temperature;
• the amount of salt (the "vigorous" brine, the longer the fish can lie in it).

Salt - natural and affordable preservative

If the temperature in the refrigerator chamber ranges from -2 to 0 ° C, then herring salted or any other fish can be stored for up to 4 days.

How to keep salted herring at home? Enough to follow the above recommendations.

It is important not to leave even salt carcasses at room temperature, since every hour spent in a warm environment reduces the shelf life by exactly one day. In a warm room, the activity of bacteria and putrefactive microorganisms is activated, so the fish can deteriorate in a matter of hours.

Frozen fish

Frozen fish stored for long

How much can you keep fish in the freezer? It is believed that deep freezing can save fish products up to six months. However, here it is important to follow certain rules:

• only fresh, treated fish with no signs of rot should be frozen;
• the shelf life of frozen fish varies from 3 to 6 months, subject to the temperature conditions (-15 ° C);
• it is better to freeze whole carcasses if they are small, since the skin protects the product from fluid loss during defrosting.

Red fish fillets may be frozen.

Is it possible to freeze salted red fish? There is nothing bad in this, however, it should be noted that when a filet is thawed, it may lose its turgor and change its taste.

Do not re-freeze the fish after full defrosting: it will lose both taste and structure.

Conclusion

The shelf life of fish products - fresh and salted carcasses, directly depends on their quality and compliance with storage conditions. What should be a fresh fish, how to store it in a chilled and frozen form, how much herring is stored in the refrigerator - all we found out.

In the video in this article you will find visual instructions on how to properly prepare fish for long-term storage. If you have any questions or comments - wait for them in the comments!