Let's ask the chef: can salted fish be stored in the freezer and for how long?

Since fish is a perishable product, it must be stored in the refrigerator. It can last even longer in the freezer.

The storage of salted fish in a freezer is subject to many of the same requirements as for unsalted fish. But there are a number of nuances.

We will tell you in the article whether and how to properly store salted fish in the freezer.

Is it allowed to be kept in the freezer?

Not all fish can be preserved in the freezer. Separate storage nuances are provided for its red and white varieties.

Red

This species can be successfully frozen even in salted form. But it is important to consider the following nuances:

• It is better to first divide the product into large pieces and remove moisture from them with a napkin;
• store only in cling film;
• In addition to the film, keep the fillet in a special bag, from which the air must first be pumped out.

White

Freezing mackerel, herring and other types of white fish is undesirable. It has a special structure that is sensitive to freezing. If you freeze it and then let it thaw, it will immediately cease to be dense.

In addition to severe softening, the fillet will lose its taste. It will become more bland, watery and unpleasant.

Is it possible to freeze lightly salted, lightly salted?

The lightly salted product can also be frozen. But first you need to do the following:

• cut the fillet into portions and dry them with a towel;
• remove with napkins the remaining brine in which the fish fillets were stored while in vacuum packaging;
• rub the pieces with coarse salt;
• moisten slightly with lemon juice or vinegar;
• grease with sunflower oil;
• put in a special storage bag from which the air is pumped out.

If you follow the recommendations, then after defrosting the lightly salted product will still be dense in structure and will not lose its taste due to additional impregnation with salt.

How long?

Salmon and trout can be kept in the freezer for a maximum of six months. If you store fish fillet longer, it will finally lose its structure when defrosted and will become tasteless and watery. The optimal storage time in the freezer is three months.

In this case, only fresh salted fish should be frozen. Initially left in the freezer, the fillet will lose its taste even more.

How to freeze correctly?

The product must first be prepared for freezing. Some nuances concern the process of storing it in the freezer. It is also important to defrost the product correctly so that it does not lose its taste.

It is important to defrost the product correctly. You can’t immediately take it out of the refrigerator. This way the fillet pieces will instantly lose their taste and structure. Defrosting should be gradual.

Fish pieces must first be removed from the freezer and placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator., where the temperature should be 2-4 0C. They must be kept there until completely thawed. This takes approximately 2-4 hours. After this, you can remove the product from the refrigerator and start consuming it.

It is important to adhere to the following instructions:

1. The fillet is cleaned of any remaining scales and bones.
2. It is thoroughly dried with paper towels.
3. The fillet is cut into small portions.
4. Each piece is individually wrapped in two or three layers of cling film.
5. All portions are transferred to a vacuum bag for storage. It is necessary to pump out the air from it in advance with a tube. Instead of a vacuum bag, you can take containers.
6. The pieces are placed in a bag or container that must be tightly closed.
7. The container with the product is placed in the freezer. The optimal temperature in it should be set to -15 0C.

An alternative option would be to freeze salted salmon or trout in ice. You need to take a container of cold water and dip all the fish fillets cut into pieces into it. The product is placed on a tray and placed in the freezer for an hour.

After a layer of ice appears on the fish pieces, they are again dipped in cold water. and placed back in the freezer on a tray. A two-centimeter layer of ice on fish pieces is allowed for such storage.

This video will show you how to freeze salted herring:

Pros and cons of the process

Among the advantages of freezing salted fish fillets the following can be distinguished:

• possibility of extending the shelf life up to six months;
• saving the surplus for future use;
• destruction of food bacteria as a result of freezing.

At the same time, freezing salted salmon or trout is associated with a number of disadvantages. Among them:

• loss of beneficial vitamins and substances as a result of exposure to low temperatures;
• loss of taste;
• violation of the integrity of the fish fillet and loss of its structure.

Conclusion

Freezing salted fish is possible, but not always advisable. Only salted red fish can be stored in the freezer. White wine should not be kept there, since its structure is severely damaged as a result of freezing and its taste properties deteriorate.

It is important to properly prepare the product before freezing. It can stay in the freezer for up to six months, but when defrosted, its taste can be greatly affected. It is recommended to freeze salted red fish not for a long period (1-3 months).