Freezing fish tip
- Thread starter Sinker
- Start date
That makes perfect sense. I see vaccuum packed salmon from BC at the supermarket, in a vac pak, and it looks as good as the day it was caught. I was thinking about a Foodsaver Vaccuum unit but they are a bit expensive, just waiting for a sale(and some extra cash). Has anyone used a Foodsaver vaccuum system for fish? Just wondering if it's worth the expense. I think it would be great myelf, and would stack better in the freezer too. And is the hand vaccumm for the ziploc bags strong enough to extract all the air out, or at least most of it? Freezer burnt fish is horrible.
lumpsontheside
New Member
If anybody has difficulty eating their fish before it gets freezer burn, let me know; I can help and you won't have to waste money on ziploc pumps or vacuums. Eat more fish more... Don't forget about Possession limits! That applies to what is in freezer as well.
See ya on the ice
See ya on the ice
fishstalker
Well-Known Member
We've been triple wrapping filets with plastic (saran or similar)..a bit extra work but no freezer burn, store flat.
quote:
Originally posted by big guy
I was thinking about a Foodsaver Vaccuum unit but they are a bit expensive, just waiting for a sale(and some extra cash). Has anyone used a Foodsaver vaccuum system for fish? Just wondering if it's worth the expense.
i bought one of the better foodsaver sealers last month when they were 40% off at canadian tire. it's one of those thing's that is so great it makes you think "why on earth didn't i buy one 10 years ago"?
considering how much stuff i've tossed from freezer burn over the last few years, this thing will pay for itself very quickly. it also allows you to buy bulk meat which saves a ton of money and the meat usually tastes better when compared to precut chops/steaks from the grocery store.
Originally posted by big guy
I was thinking about a Foodsaver Vaccuum unit but they are a bit expensive, just waiting for a sale(and some extra cash). Has anyone used a Foodsaver vaccuum system for fish? Just wondering if it's worth the expense.
i bought one of the better foodsaver sealers last month when they were 40% off at canadian tire. it's one of those thing's that is so great it makes you think "why on earth didn't i buy one 10 years ago"?
considering how much stuff i've tossed from freezer burn over the last few years, this thing will pay for itself very quickly. it also allows you to buy bulk meat which saves a ton of money and the meat usually tastes better when compared to precut chops/steaks from the grocery store.
Dand
Well-Known Member
Yea I’ve used the food saver vacuum sealer for a number of years and it works great.
The one thing about them though is that the vacuum can squish the fillets during the sealing process.
What I’ve been doing to stop this from happening is to partially freeze the fillets before sealing them.
Clean and wash your catch; lay the fillets on a flat tray not touching each other; then put the tray in the freezer for about 10 or 15 minutes.
That firms the meat up enough that it doesn’t get squashed; but still not froze through hard to puncture the sealer bags.
I do the same thing for my home made hamburger patties or any other delicate (soft) foods.
Dan.
The one thing about them though is that the vacuum can squish the fillets during the sealing process.
What I’ve been doing to stop this from happening is to partially freeze the fillets before sealing them.
Clean and wash your catch; lay the fillets on a flat tray not touching each other; then put the tray in the freezer for about 10 or 15 minutes.
That firms the meat up enough that it doesn’t get squashed; but still not froze through hard to puncture the sealer bags.
I do the same thing for my home made hamburger patties or any other delicate (soft) foods.
Dan.
i also use the food saver vacuum for fish and meat.i usually do a whole cow and it lasts great in those sealed bags.i soak my fillets in water for a half hour before i seal them.it swells the fillet up then when i thaw them i absorb the excess moisture out with a couple of paper towels.we use to do the same with our cod fillets
Chromeseeker
Well-Known Member
Foodsavers are great. Just have to prevent moisture from getting to the seal while the vaccum is pulling the air out. The bag won't seal if the edge gets wet. Partial freezing makes sense here.
Just how much room do you need in your freezer for the fillets of 50 perch. Sounds like some of you guys might be in the poacher category, or you have many children, I hope that is not the case. There was a guy from the Aylmer area that got charged by the ministry for selling 15 pounds of perch fillets. So be careful, and lawfull out there.
Dick Saarloos
Dick Saarloos
I love my FoodSaver
Picked it up a few years ago on sale for approx $80 if memory serves me correct. I Googled the model # before buying it only discover it was a $200 unit.
Just within the past day or so I saw them on sale at Walmart or Canadian Tire for $80.
And yes, I'll agree to a little pre-freezing before sealing as often the juice/water can get caught in the seal when sealing not allowing for a 100% seal.
Hope this helps.
Cheers G.
The only thing better than a day of fishing is,,,another day of fishing!
Picked it up a few years ago on sale for approx $80 if memory serves me correct. I Googled the model # before buying it only discover it was a $200 unit.Just within the past day or so I saw them on sale at Walmart or Canadian Tire for $80.
And yes, I'll agree to a little pre-freezing before sealing as often the juice/water can get caught in the seal when sealing not allowing for a 100% seal.
Hope this helps.
Cheers G.
The only thing better than a day of fishing is,,,another day of fishing!
davecattell
Member
more kids more fish hmmmmmmmm[?]
No I'm not saying you are poachers.But if you look at the original thread again, you might see where a person could interpet it that way. I also know for a fact that there are a lot of people who have above their legal limit in the freezer. That is especially true in the summer when some people go out and catch their limit everyday for about 3 weeks when the perch are hot and heavy.
Dick Saarloos
Dick Saarloos
Gentlemen:
Forget the vac lock system it doesn't work that great I have tried this method with ducks, geese and fish and the freezer burn is still evident after a period of time. The air seems to still get in and burn the meat after a couple months
The best solution I have experimented with is putting your cleaned, skinless, boneless fillets in a zip lock bag (the one's made for freezing). Use a size bag appropriate to the size of your fillets. I use medium size for Smallies. After putting the fillets in the bag add 1tsp of salt and fill bag part way with cold clean water. While gently pressing the water out of the bag so there is no air left in it, seal the zip lock bag. No air should be left inside the bag, thus no freezer burn. I have eaten fish a year later with great results.
When thawing out just remove the fillets from the bag and let them thaw out in a colander (strainer) so the water drains away while thawing. After thawing is complete I let the fillets sit in cold milk in the fridge for a few hours. Oh! one other thing I do to remove any fishy taste I remove all the dark flesh off the fillets usually around the lateral lines.
ps I'm new to Stomp and have really enjoyed reading the forums you people put out. There are some great topics to discuss.
Chow for now
Forget the vac lock system it doesn't work that great I have tried this method with ducks, geese and fish and the freezer burn is still evident after a period of time. The air seems to still get in and burn the meat after a couple months
The best solution I have experimented with is putting your cleaned, skinless, boneless fillets in a zip lock bag (the one's made for freezing). Use a size bag appropriate to the size of your fillets. I use medium size for Smallies. After putting the fillets in the bag add 1tsp of salt and fill bag part way with cold clean water. While gently pressing the water out of the bag so there is no air left in it, seal the zip lock bag. No air should be left inside the bag, thus no freezer burn. I have eaten fish a year later with great results.
When thawing out just remove the fillets from the bag and let them thaw out in a colander (strainer) so the water drains away while thawing. After thawing is complete I let the fillets sit in cold milk in the fridge for a few hours. Oh! one other thing I do to remove any fishy taste I remove all the dark flesh off the fillets usually around the lateral lines.
ps I'm new to Stomp and have really enjoyed reading the forums you people put out. There are some great topics to discuss.
Chow for now
First off, thanks for the Foodsaver, and other freezing tips advice, as I'm sure we all appreciate it.
But Mr Dick, it may be time to chill out, wait by the phone, because after calling us all names like that, I'm sure everyone will want to spend the day fishing or hunting with you.
Come on, really? Most, if not all of the good folks here are law abiding,avid outdoorsman. They not only fish, but hunt too, and not unlike my father, enjoy edible wilds from the streams and forests as well, like watercress, fiddleheads and leaks. That being said, it would be safe to assume they probably consume a good portion of their trips afield. Well, lets see now, we have moose, deer, bear, caribou, turkeys, geese, ducks... I hope you're getting the BIG picture. Trying to save a little room for a couple salmon or perch or wallye fillets in an already well stocked freezer isn't a lot to ask for, is it? My family and I prefer wild fish and game over the store bought stuff that's full of who knows what.
Now, if I can only find a place to hunt wild chickens.
We are hunters and gatherers by nature, and it is a heritage that I am damn proud of, one that has been passed from generation to generation.Thanks dad.
nuff said
But Mr Dick, it may be time to chill out, wait by the phone, because after calling us all names like that, I'm sure everyone will want to spend the day fishing or hunting with you.
Come on, really? Most, if not all of the good folks here are law abiding,avid outdoorsman. They not only fish, but hunt too, and not unlike my father, enjoy edible wilds from the streams and forests as well, like watercress, fiddleheads and leaks. That being said, it would be safe to assume they probably consume a good portion of their trips afield. Well, lets see now, we have moose, deer, bear, caribou, turkeys, geese, ducks... I hope you're getting the BIG picture. Trying to save a little room for a couple salmon or perch or wallye fillets in an already well stocked freezer isn't a lot to ask for, is it? My family and I prefer wild fish and game over the store bought stuff that's full of who knows what.
Now, if I can only find a place to hunt wild chickens.
We are hunters and gatherers by nature, and it is a heritage that I am damn proud of, one that has been passed from generation to generation.Thanks dad.
nuff saidYes Big Guy I agree that most folks are law abiding citizens. But if you want some interesting reading, go to the mnr site and see how many violations were committed in 2010. I'm sorry that some of you seemed to think it was a personal attack. It wasn't meant that way. I was just stating a matter of fact that many fishing violations are committed every year, and these are the ones that got caught. Let's leave it at that and everyone enjoy your ice-fishing season
Dick Saarloos
Dick Saarloos
Fisrt off you are all entitled to your opinion and allowed to keep what you want. Personally I don't freeze and keep anything, not beef,pork,chicken or fish (just shrimp), fresh IS always better. When fishing is done for the season I wait for my next earned taste. Untill I catch another my anticipation grows and that first one of the season is so so sweet. Just because it there doesn't mean you have to take it all, take what you need and leave the rest(Neil Young I think) Just my opinion on the matter.
Dave
Dave