What's The Best Way To Freeze Fresh Fish?

While frozen fish can be better than fresh fish in some cases, and technically most fresh fish you find at the store has been previously frozen, there are lots of folks who prefer either buying fresh fillets or even catching their own. Unfortunately, storing fresh fish can be a bit of a hassle if you don't know how to preserve it properly. Now, you can store fresh fish in the refrigerator, but this takes up space, will make everything smell like fish, and the fillets will only stay good for one to two days. So, if you want to keep fresh fish for longer and save your fridge from reeking to high heaven, you'll need to use your freezer. 

There are a few different methods for freezing fish, but the best and easiest is using a vacuum sealer. All you need to do is pre-freeze your fish to lock in moisture by placing it in the freezer for one to two hours. You can also season it at this point or glaze it with a marinade. Once frozen, the fish can be vacuum-sealed and stored for up to two years. It bears mentioning that this method will preserve fresh fish the longest because it removes all oxygen that would otherwise cause the taste and texture of the fish to degrade over time. 

That said, unless you buy and freeze fish often, you don't necessarily need to purchase a vacuum sealer to freeze a couple of fillets. However, if you're looking to introduce more fresh fish into your diet, it's a worthwhile investment, and it can be used to freeze other meats as well.

If you don't have a vacuum sealer, don't worry because you can still freeze fish and keep it fresh for months. One great way to freeze fresh fish without a vacuum sealer is by glazing it. This process involves immersing the fish in cold water and then freezing it to create a layer of ice. These steps are repeated multiple times until a crust that's about 1/4 inch thick develops. Once glazed, the fish can be stored in a freezer bag for up to six months. Alternatively, you can place fish in a freezer bag filled with salted water so that the water completely engulfs the fish. When frozen, the water will protect the fish, similar to glazing, and the fish will stay good for three months. 

Lastly, you can preserve fresh fish in the freezer by wrapping it. The key is to cover the fish as tightly as possible in plastic wrap to protect it from oxygen before storing it in a freezer-safe bag. Unfortunately, this method is the least effective of the bunch and is not the best for preventing things like freezer burn. If you store fish using this method, it's best to use it sooner rather than later to avoid its quality from degrading. 

One thing to note is that fatty fish, such as salmon, trout, and whitefish, tend to lose quality faster due to oxidation, which essentially causes the fat to become rancid. For this reason, removing as much oxygen as possible when freezing fatty fish will help extend its lifespan. Now, just be sure to avoid the most common mistakes people make when cooking fish so you can get the most out of your frozen fillets!