We all know salmon as marine seafood. It is one of the most commercially valuable fish and forms a healthy diet for millions of people worldwide. Salmon is delicious when cooked, so when you visit your fishmonger or your fish store, you may end up buying more salmon for future use. However, salmon has poor keeping quality and goes bad within a short span. Therefore, salmon need to be stored safely to prevent wastage and improve their self-life.
The article is about to write will give you detailed information on various ways to freeze raw or cooked salmon that you may keep for future consumption. Welcome, for I shall share unique means of preserving your mouth-watering delicacy.
How Long Can You Preserve Salmon?
Freezing is one of the significant ways of preserving salmon. It extends the shelf life of salmon to many months without the taste and texture suffering. The shelf life of salmon depends on the type of salmon in question, but they can remain frozen for a maximum of 1 year.
Other aspects that the shelf life of salmon depends on before freezing includes: sell-by date, method of preparation, and how they were stored before buying them.
Freezing salmon is important since:
- It extends the shelf life of the salmon
- It prevents foodborne contamination brought about by bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens that may cost your health.
After returning home from the market store or your fishmonger, never leave your salmon at room temperature for more than an hour. The reason is bacteria, and other microorganisms proliferate to unacceptable amounts.
How Long Can You Keep Salmon Frozen?
There are different types of salmon that can be frozen. They include:
- Smoked salmon
- Canned salmon
- Cooked salmon
- Fresh\raw salmon
Smoked salmon
Smoked salmon is salmon that has already been preserved with smoke. Smoking was an ancient method of keeping perishable foods in many traditional societies. However, is old method is still used today to protect fish. To maximize the shelf life of smoked salmon, kindly follow the steps below;
- Wrap the unopened smoked salmon with aluminum foil.
- Fold the edges with the content inside.
- After wrapping the salmon, please place it in the freezer.
- The meat should last for 2 months for unopened salmon and 1 month for opened salmon.
Canned salmon
One of the most canned marine fish is salmon. Canned salmon is rich in proteins and minerals like omega 3 fatty acids, which play a vital role in our good health. It’s therefore essential to check the quality of the cans before storage. Some defects to check includes:
- A can with a dent
- Any opening in the can
Once you observe the above defects, it means your canned salmon is spoilt and, therefore, not suitable for consumption. So please don’t purchase them However, you can maximize their shelf life by 3 months for quality cans once frozen in the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cooked salmon
Properly cooked salmon will maintain the best quality for 2 months when frozen. However, they can remain safe beyond this time if kept constantly at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long Does Raw Salmon Last?
Raw salmon needs to be appropriately stored to prevent spoilage and keep it in the best conditions before you can cook it.
Raw salmon, when frozen, its shelf life is 3 months. However, you can still freeze to a maximum of 6 months, but the taste, flavor, and texture will be affected. The following guideline is important before storing your raw salmon in the freezer.
- First, clean the salmon with cold running water.
- Pat it dry with a clean, dry towel.
- Wrap the salmon tightly with aluminum foil.
- Tightly fold the edges of the foil so that the fresh is not exposed to oxygen. Oxygen in the air will make the taste, flavor, and texture suffer.
- Use clean freezer containers to store the wrapped salmon.
- Put some water into the containers until the fish is wholly submerged.
- Put the lids on the containers and seal them before placing them in the freezer.
After freezing, the water in the container condenses and prevents oxygen from reaching the flesh of the fish.
How to Freeze Cooked Salmon.
The shelf life of cooked salmon is 6 months when frozen. Before you freeze your mouth-watering delicacy, cool it before you store at an environmental temperature. It’s also essential to ensure your cooked salmon is free from moisture since it condenses and attracts the growth and development of harmful bacteria that may result in foodborne illnesses hence compromising your health.
The general outline of storing your cooked salmon is as follows.
- Divide your cooked salmon into parts.
- Wrap the meat tightly with aluminum foil or freezer bags.
- Foiled edges of the foil so that the cooked salmon is kept off the oxygen and absorbing any liquid from the surroundings.
- In case you have used freezer bags, squeeze out the air before you freeze your salmon.
- Write the date on the bags before you store them. The date acts as your remembrance so that you may know when to consume the salmon before expiry.
- Finally, place your bags in the lower compartment of your freezer, where temperatures are cool. Also, ensure you don’t stack any heavy items on top of the bags to avoid squishing the salmon.
Best Ways to Freeze Salmon
Freezing fresh salmon stretches its shelf life. Doing it the wrong way leaves your freezer with a fishy smell and foul odor. The fish loses its taste, flavor, and texture also.
Here is what I find as the best method to freeze salmon. I am sure this method will work for you.
- Always buy fresh salmon from your fishmonger or your market store. Afresh salmon is firm and has a shiny new.
- It should not have a strong fishy smell, and it should be smooth in texture.
- After buying the salmon, always rinse with cool running water.
- Pat it dry with a clean towel.
- In the case of salmon fillets, rinse them before you add your favorite seasoning if you like.
- Wrap your salmon with a plastic wrap followed by another wrap of aluminum foil. Fold the edges tightly to ensure air is locked.
- Use freezer bags to store your wrapped salmon. Squeeze out all the air that might be present before sealing the bag.
- Label the bags with the current date to track their freshness.
- Put your salmon in the bottom of your freezer, which happens to be the most incredible part. The shelf life is more than 9 months.
How to Freeze Salmon
To freeze salmon is very easy, and it keeps well for months. Well, frozen salmon have a shelf life of 6 months. Kindly follow the guideline below before you freeze your salmon.
- Rinse your whole salmon or fillets with cold running water.
- Pat them dry with a clean cloth.
- Cover your salmon with plastic wrap.
- Fold the edges carefully, squeezing out all the air that might be present.
- Use a freezer bag to put your salmon before labeling the date’s outside to track their freshness.
- Squeeze out all the air in the bags before the bag shut.
- Store the bags in the coolest part of your freezer and set the temperature at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can you freeze store-bought salmon?
Yes, you can freeze your store-bought salmon. Store-bought salmon are either raw or canned. When at the store, source for raw salmon, which is fresh, moist, and firm. It should be light pink in the case of farmed salmon and dark pink if it is from the natural habitat.
Raw salmon has a shelf life of 6 months while frozen, while canned tuna has a life span of up to 9 months.
Q.How to store leftover salmon
After preparing your favorite salmon dish, you may be left with some leftovers which you wish will not go to waste. If your portions are left unattended, they will suffer from spoilage hence the need to store them properly to be enjoyed later. For you to enjoy your dish at a later date, kindly follow these steps.
- Remove your salmon from your plate or your cooking gadget.
- Wrap it with aluminum foil.
- Fold the foil, carefully squeezing out all the air present.
- Place the fish in a freezer bag or an airtight container. If your dish is hot, you should allow it to cool at room temperature before sealing the container.
- Place your bag in the freezer. Please consume it before 4 days to save taste and flavor.
Can you freeze Poached salmon?
Yes, you can freeze poached salmon. It extends the shelf life and preserves the taste, flavor, and texture of the salmon.
Poaching is a cooking technique that involves submerging the salmon into a liquid and cooking it at a low temperature.
It is a suitable method as it preserves moisture content in the fish and makes the salmon tasty with some good flavors without adding any oil.
Conclusion
At this point, from the above discussion, this article has answered your question on how to freeze salmon. You also know different ways of freezing raw, canned, cooked and smoked salmon.
I hope you have enjoyed it. Please share it with your family and friends.
