How to freeze fish

[fishersofmen]

How do you guys freeze fish?? Last year I put some crappie fillets in the freezer and when I cooked them they were kind of rubbery. I have had some people tell me to fill the bag with water before putting them in the freezer and that eliminates miosture from leaving the fillets. I just rinse off the fillets and put them in a ziplock bag getting as much air out as possible. What is the best way to do this? Thanks.

[jerkbait]

How do you guys freeze fish?? Last year I put some crappie fillets in the freezer and when I cooked them they were kind of rubbery. I have had some people tell me to fill the bag with water before putting them in the freezer and that eliminates miosture from leaving the fillets. I just rinse off the fillets and put them in a ziplock bag getting as much air out as possible. What is the best way to do this? Thanks.

This is what I do and it works well for me.

[tsande00]

Yep...definitely add water to the bag.

[thatoneguy]

Don't freeze it - it ALWAYS tastes much better fresh. Plus, that gives you an excuse to go fishing more often.

"Honey, wouldn't fresh fish be good for supper tonight? I'll go catch some."

Win!

[Outfitter17]

I use water too, when I know they are going to be frozen for a while.

[tsande00]

While you can't beat fresh, I've found that freezing them in water really helps preserve the good/fresh taste. I just had some last night that I caught a couple weeks ago and they tasted like I just caught em' earlier in the day.

[Will]

Vacuum sealer

[AaronM]

Water in the bag. Fill enough to cover all fillets then squeeze the rest of the air out of the bag.

[harvey lee]

I freeze all my fish in water except salmon. Never freezer burns in water in a bag.

[Jmnhunter]

i used to freeze fillets in water and a bag, but its not recommended as the fillets will absorb the water and expand/swell when frozen.

It is recommeneded to vacum seal if possible or wrap fillets in saran wrap tightly then wrap the fillets with freezer paper

check out this site

www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/askext/freezing/4441.htm

[BartmanMN]

I bring the water level above the fillets, squeeze the remaining air out of the bag and freeze. Tastes great, just need to spend time thawing in the sink of water, which can take some time.

[Northlander]

When Im lazy I freeze it in water and when I have more time I use the vacume sealer. Just make sure you roll a paper towel up and put it in on top of the fish. That way when you seal the bag up the liquid will suck into the paper towel not the machine.

[DTro]

I always pat my fillets dry between paper towels, vacuum seal and label with species, qty and date.

[tsande00]

I bring the water level above the fillets, squeeze the remaining air out of the bag and freeze. Tastes great, just need to spend time thawing in the sink of water, which can take some time.

This is exactly what I do and haven't had any problems with the fillets absorbing water. Can't vouch for what they'd be like after a year or so though.

[Dave D]

So this is what I do and if you can tell the difference between a gill that's been in my freezer for a month or 6 months I'd give you my freezer and all of it's contents.

Soak fillets in water over night, lay out on paper towels and then pat dry. Put in vacuum seal back and seal. Throw in the freezer to enjoy for up to a year.

I have never had anyone say my fish are anything but fantastic!

[Riich]

I always pat my fillets dry between paper towels, vacuum seal and label with species, qty and date.

Ditto. It's the only way to go.

[minnducker]

Both methods described here will work well, freezing in zip-loc bags after filling with water, and vacuum sealing. The advantage of vacuum sealing is that each package is flatter and takes less room. Also, I've found that if you put the filets or fish on a cookie sheet, and freeze overnight, and THEN seal in a vacuum sealer, the filets won't deform and you'll save space and be able to see size and species easily in the freezer. I do the same thing with ducks and pheasants, freeze first overnight and then seal and put back in freezer. They retain shape and are easy to identify.

[Jarrod32]

Originally Posted By: dtro

I always pat my fillets dry between paper towels, vacuum seal and label with species, qty and date.

Ditto. It's the only way to go.

Me three.

[wplatehunter]

I fill the bag with water. Never had a problem.

[BobT]

Vacuum pack

[gregg52]

I read that link to nd u and agree with it i freeze my fish in

water and have always notice they are kinda waterie eating them

i'm going to try their way

[walleyeRyummy]

i freeze in water ....but i do add some salt to the water before adding fillets

[Neighbor_guy]

Count my vote as one for the Vac. Sealer.

If you are going to freeze them, this is the best way to do it.

[lovebigbluegills]

I'm a ziploc and water guy. Put the desired amount of fillets in the bag, cover with water and squish the bag until you get all the air out. Then I leave a spot in the freezer where I can lay the bag flat and let it freeze solid, then they stack nicely.

I'll have to give the vacuum-sealing a shot. Freeze some the water way, and some vacuumed, then do a taste test a little while down the road.

[kudu63]

I use both the water method and vacuum sealing. One twist to the vacuum sealing instead of drying the fillets with a paper towel is to lay them out on wax paper and place on a cookie sheet in the freezer for about a hour. This will also prevent any moisture being sucked up by the vacuum sealer.