freezing fish

[bulldoggie]

whats the best way to freeze freshly cleaned fish ?????

Joel.

[harvey lee]

I have always used like sour cream plastic containers .You can put the fish in fill to top with water and freeze or do the same thing with a zip lock bag.Make sure with the zip lock bag and container that all the fish is submerged in the water and it will almost elimenate freezer burn.

[hoggs222]

I also do the Ziplock & water combo. It's tough to get em to stand up in the freezer, so you've gotta use the trays on the side. Then it freezes in & you've got to disassemble the freezer to get them out! It's tradition.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I also use the freezer bag weight ziploc bags and water.

Be sure to squeeze out all of the air as you zip the bag closed.

Lay the bags out flat on a piece of waxed cardboard in the freezer until they are frozen. They are then easily stacked in your freezer.

Cliff

[KidWalleye]

food saver. I put the fish on a cookie sheet in the freezer15 minutes to firm the meat alittle then vacuum seal them. Will last about a year. Although I have never tested that.

[Pat K]

I use a zip-loc. I put enough filets for a meal in the bag, then fill it with water. Then I submerge the bag in a few inches of water in the sink. With the opening under water I force out all the air and as much of the water as I can from the bag, then seal it while it is still under water. You're left with a flat package that doesn't take up much room in the freezer and there is no air left in the bag to cause freezer burn.

Pat K

[newfoldener]

Try a milk carton. Just like the others, you fill it with water after you have put the fillets in. The good thing is that the carton will stand up in the freezer without spilling.

[bulldoggie]

thanks for the help everyone! I didnt want to ruin my hard earned fish. I have them in water in ziplocks with no air left.

[Northlander]

The foodsaver deal works great. I usually cant hang onto my fish long enough to make it worth the cost of the foodsaver bags so I just do the ziplock and water deal. I give most of my fish away to family and friends.

[Captain B.R.K]

Another Foodsaver lover here!

The Foodsaver is spendy, but it does prolong not only frozen fish, but meat (chicken, beef,vension), veggies, etc. Pulling out a fresh bag of goods done with a foodsaver beats that frost burnt whatever you pull out with just a bag and zip tie.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Foodsaver! Well worth the investment!

[mltjanderson]

although this doesn't answer your question. I don't freeze fish I just bring it home when I want a meal (hopefully) it does keep for a few days in the fridge. That way I always have a reason to go fishing.Summer or winter c.p.r. mark

[katoguy]

I don't freeze fish, either. However, some of my buddies do. Since they don't always catch enough for a family meal, most will clean the few fish they get, then use the zip lock method. Then after several fishing trips they have enough ziplock bags to defrost for a meal. The food saver method is a little spendy for just a couple fillets.

[dfv87]

I also seldom actually freeze fish but the ziploc works for me. My dad swore by the half milk carton trick. I still believe the best way is to use them up right away and if you do freeze them get them out within a couple of weeks so you can enjoy them and not risk the freezer burn etc.

[dsludge]

I've tried the freezer bag method and the carton method. I recommend freezer bags for short term, one week or less, as described in the previous posts.

If you plan on freezing your fish longer, use a clean carton like a half-gallon milk carton. Rinse the fillets, sprinkle a pinch of salt on each side of fillets and "wipe" it in. Fill carton half with water, drop in fillets, fill carton to top, close tightly (flatten top - water should squirt out), seal tightly with duct tape, label and freeze. Thaw fillets up to one year later in fridge. Rinse fillets with fresh cold water and cook.

dsludge

[marine_man]

I'm with the foodsaver guys... perhaps a little more expensive, but no concerns about freezer burn... plus it works great for doing wild game (deer, ducks, pheasants, etc)...

marine_man

[fisherking01]

Maybe freezing stuff isn't the answer, keep what you can use fresh and let the rest go. makes for a good excuse to go more often. If you gotta freeze fish, please don't do it with the intention of keeping it in the freezer for a long time, I would almost guarantee that it will get tossed out because it is freezer burnt.

[harvey lee]

I have a foodsaver and yes the bags are a little spendy,but why use the bags when you put them in a say sour cream tub and then fill with water ,You never get air to the fish so it should never freezer burn.Key is to make sure water level is higher than the fish.

[Kingfisher55]

When freezing the few fish I keep to enjoy later I never rinse them or allow water to contact the flesh until I thaw them. I use vacuum bags, remove all air and by not exposing the bare flesh to water when I thaw my fish it looks like I just filleted it. In fact on any thin fillets such as those from panfish I do not remove the skin until I thaw the fish. It is much easier then leaving a one-inch square of skin and what better protection for the flesh then the fish’s own skin? When done this why the flesh remains clear and not all white from being broken down by the water. I never rinse my fillets until just before dropping them in the egg or batter before frying. Water is great for the outside of a fish but when left in contact with the bare flesh all it does is rob the flavor and texture we all enjoy in fresh fish. My bet is you will have a hard time telling them from fresh by looks or taste.

Fish is way to good to waste, keep only what you will eat and let the biggest fish with the best genes go to make more large fish for all of us to catch!

[CrewCab]

Hi guys,

I have been reading on and off for years, and recently created a username. Thanks for all the good info.

As far as freezing fish, we have been doing it for years. We used to use the cover the fillets with water method, but with larger fillets it didn't work as well, and took forever to thaw out.

Our method now is to clean the fillet, and wrap it in plastic wrap, making sure to force out as much air as possible. Two fillets can be wrapped together, with the patch of skin on the outside so they can be counted. Next we wrap them in freezer paper. I have eaten fish that have been frozen for up to 9 months, and they may not be as good as fresh, but they are close.

[Tyler Holm]

CrewCab,

I wanted to be the first to welcome you (officially) to FishingMinnesota.com. As you know, the information on this site is incredible. Glad to have you aboard.