Here's How Long You Can Eat Smoked Salmon After Opening It

So, you've read the ultimate salmon guide and have gotten up to speed on the difference between lox and smoked salmon, and now you're itching to go grab some smoky, decadent cured fish for yourself. But what if you don't finish all of it at once? It would be an utter shame to have to throw away this premium product. So, how much time do you have to eat smoked salmon once you crack open the pack?

A closed package of smoked salmon tends to last between three and eight weeks in the refrigerator, according to the USDA, or up to a six months in the freezer before it becomes adversely affected. But once you unseal your salmon, you'll have a week or so to finish it and enjoy it at the peak of its flavor. Luckily for you, since smoked salmon works as essentially a preserved and/or cooked fish (depending on whether it's cold or hot smoked), the shelf life of this fish runs several days longer than a completely fresh piece of salmon. So, you do have a little bit of wiggle room when it comes to opened smoked salmon, but don't leave it lingering for too long.

You may be able to leave your smoked salmon in the fridge for up to a week, but that doesn't mean you can just toss it in your fridge uncovered and call it a day. As is the case with pretty much any food item that needs to be refrigerated, there are certain measures you can take to ensure that it's not only safe to eat, but also retains as much freshness and flavor as possible.

Just like keeping bacon in the fridge, you'll want to make sure that you're not storing your smoked salmon next to any uncooked meat. Since you might not cook or even heat up your salmon before eating it, you'll want to make sure that you're storing it in a safe location free from contaminants. You'll also want to prevent your salmon from drying out while it's in the fridge by keeping it in the original package if you can tightly wrap it, or placing it in a resealable bag. If you find that your salmon has been exposed to air, you might notice that the edges have dried a bit. You can save the rest of the salmon by simply cutting off these dried bits, and then store it in a more secure way. Somewhat ironically, smoked salmon has degrees of "freshness," but if you store it properly and eat it within a week, you don't need to worry.