Quality of preserved fish begins when the fish are caught. Handle fish carefully; they bruise easily. Place on ice as soon as they are caught. Clean, dress and wash fish within 2 hours; then pack them in ice, or refrigerate them as soon as possible to prevent deterioration. Use within 1 to 2 days.
All kinds of fish can be frozen. Store fish at 0 degrees F or below. Package fish in small or flat packages. To prevent dehydration and to lock in fresh fish flavor, package fish in airtight, vapor-proof packages. Use the following: aluminum foil, plastic freezer boxes with airtight lids, thick plastic freezer bags and freezer papers.
Spread fish or portions in single layers on flat pans. Cover with protective wrapping and place in freezer. When fish are frozen, remove and package in heavy plastic freezer bags or freezer containers. This method allows you to take out only as many fish as you need for a single meal. Wrap, date, and return to freezer.
Water is the most effective airtight package. There are three good ways to store fish in water.
Freeze whole or portions of whole fish in a protective plastic bag. Remove frozen fish from plastic bag, dip in ice water and return to freezer. Repeat dipping and freezing until the ice glaze is 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Wrap glazed fish in freezer wrap, date, and return to freezer.
Place a single layer of fish in shallow pan. Cover with water and freeze solid. Remove block from pan, wrap in freezer wrap, date package and return to freezer.
Place a single layer of fish in a shallow container. Place pan in freezer overnight to freeze fish solidly. The next morning, cover the frozen fish with water and freeze. Remove frozen block from pan, wrap, date, and return to freezer.
Thawing times vary with the size, shape of the package, and with temperature. Typically, a pound of fish requires 6 to 8 hours to thaw in the refrigerator or 1 to 2 hours to thaw under cold water.
Thaw fish in refrigerator or under cold running water. Never thaw fish at room temperature. Thaw fish only until it is pliable but still has ice crystals. Cook at once.
Remove fish frozen in ice blocks by running cold water over the block. When the fish can be freed of ice, remove it and wipe dry. Cook at once. If totally thawed fish is required, remove from ice, cover with aluminum foil or food wrap and finish thawing in the refrigerator.
Use only half-pint or pint jars for canning fish; do not use quart jars.
The only safe way to process fish is in a pressure canner. Boil home-canned fish for 15 minutes in a covered pan before tasting or using. Boiling will destroy botulism toxin.
Fish that has been frozen may be safely canned. Thaw fish in the refrigerator and process as soon as it has thawed. Processing the fish promptly after thawing is essential for a safe product.
It takes 25 to 35 pounds of fresh fish to fill about a dozen pint jars.
The five basic steps in smoking fish are cleaning, curing, drying, smoking, and storage. Wood smoke has little, if any, preservative action. Smoked fish should be kept at temperatures under 36 degrees F and used within 14 days. If smoked fish is to be kept longer than 14 days, it should be frozen immediately after smoking. Freezing smoked fish will not improve the quality of an already deteriorating product. Canning smoked fish is not recommended.
Cleaning-Clean fish as soon as possible after taking them from the water. Scale fish and remove viscera, including the kidney, which is the dark streak along the backbone. The head may also be removed from larger fish, but the collarbone should remain to provide shape. Fillet or cut large fish into steaks.
Curing-Cure the fish in a brine made of 1 cup of salt to each gallon of cold water. Saltpeter is often added as a margin of safety against botulism.
Use a mixture of spices at the rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon of water.
Place fish in a large nonmetal container so they lie flat. Cover with brine (one gallon/ 4 to 5 pounds of fish). Use a plate or cover to weigh down fish. Submerge fish without packing them together. Allow fish to cure in the coldest part of the refrigerator (34 to 38 degrees F). See chart for brining time (Table 3).
Drying-When fish are cured, remove from brine and rinse thoroughly in clear water. Dry fish in the smokehouse or in a protected area with heat and air circulation. Place fish on smokehouse hangers or racks wiped with vegetable oil and allow fish surface to dry. A shiny, skin-like layer will form on the fish surface. This layer seals the surface and prevents loss of natural juices during smoking.
Fish require approximately 1/2 hour of drying at 70 to 80 degrees F before smoking. Air circulation and humidity will affect the time. A fan will speed the drying process.
Smoking-Place fish in smokehouse. Clear all combustible material from around and under the smoking area. Form a small bed of coals on the hot plate for a small fire. Keep fire from flaring up. Cover the coals with dry hardwood chips. To prevent chips from flaming, lightly dampen chips with water. Add chips as needed to keep the smoke dense throughout the process and regulate draft by the vents or by raising and lowering the lid or side of the chamber. Use only hardwoods, because softwoods, moss and leaves may leave unpleasant tastes in the fish.
Cold smoke (90 to 100 degrees F) for 2 to 3 hours, then gradually add hot coals to the smoker to raise the temperature of the smokehouse to 225 degrees F. Maintain this temperature until the internal temperature of the fish reaches 180 degrees F, which should take 3 or 4 hours. Hold the internal temperature for 30 minutes. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the fish to be sure all the flesh reaches this temperature. The total time required may be as much as 12 hours for whole fish.
When smoking is completed, remove the fish and allow them to cool. Keep fish protected from dust and insects; then wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Use smoked fish within 14 days.
Smoked fish should be kept in the refrigerator below 36 degrees
F and consumed within 14 days after smoking. For longer
storage, the fish may be frozen immediately after smoking. Store
smoked fish in the freezer for no longer than 2 months. Canning
smoked fish is not recommended.
Table 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Storage Times For Frozen Fish | ||
| Storage Times at 0 Degrees Fahrenheit | ||
| Kind of Fish | For Maximum Quality | Maximum Storage Time |
| FAT- salmon, lake trout, rainbow, chubs, whitefish | 3 months | 9 months |
| LEAN- most Great Lakes fish | 6 months | 12 months |
| SMOKED | 2 months | |
Table 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process Times For Fresh Fish | ||||
| Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner | Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner | |||
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0-2000 ft. | 0-1000 ft. | Above 1001 ft. |
| Half Pints or Pints | 100 minutes | 11 lb | 10 lb | 15 lb |
Table 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Table Of Brining Times | |||
| Size | Condition | ||
| Fresh | Refrigerated | Thawed | |
| 1/2- to 1-inch thick, fillets or split fish | 18 to 24 hours | 16 hours | 12 to 14 hours |
| Large whole fish, 10 lb or larger | 48 to 72 hour | 36 to 60 hours | 24 to 48 hours |
NOTE: Glass-like crystals of magnesium ammonium phosphate sometimes form in canned fish. There is no way for the home canner to prevent these crystals from forming, but they usually dissolve when heated and are safe to eat.
"Preserving Food Safely": Version 3.0 Home Economics Library Program, Cooperative Extension Service, Michigan State University
Food Preservation Committee: Sharron Coplin, Columbus, Ruth Ann Foote, Mercer County, Lana Hardy, Lawrence County, Marcia Jess, Ottawa County, Jacqueline LaMuth, Franklin County, Lisa Lemons, Ross County, Sharon Mader, Sandusky County, Joyce McDowell, Adams County
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Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
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