Taking care of your meat.....
 

Hi Guys, need a little advice on how to correctly take care of my fish. I know that bleeding it asap is important, gutting it quickly helps things. I know that some say that you need to freeze a fish before serving it. Can someone, or maybe SEVERAL of you help break it all down?

I want to be ready when someday I catch a WADE special.:D

Matt

This is what i usually do.....
 

love aroma guy-hmmmmm:drool5: lets catch some fish so we can eat in six months

Here are some things that I know that will help the fish taste better. 1) Avoid Gaffing a fish in the belly area if you can help it, aim for the head area.
2) Bleed the fish after it is caught.
3) Keep the fish cool if you can(on or in ice, on a Kayak this may not be easy to do. If you have a catch bag maybe put a layer of ice in there to help keep the fish cool.
4) eat what you want with in the next 2 days otherwise freeze the rest until a later day in air sealed bag.

Some of the party boats have it right, in that they store the fish in a Brine Freezer on the boats. Many will give you their ideas and I know that each of us have some great ideas. Most of all don't let your catch sit out in the sun or it will be mushy.

I installed the smell-aroma plug-in for FireFox - wow, that shark is pungent.
Someone recommended using a burlap bag and keeping it wet with the cool seawater. I've done that only once so far with a rock-fish and macks. Haven't eaten the rock-fish yet to know how it turned out.

Just the other night that guy who eats everything on the food channel or ?? was eating fish that sat for 5 years in salt. He said he has eaten some nasty stuff in his adventures and this topped the list.

Any info on having to freeze meat due to possible parasites? If I want to make some sushi, does th emeat have to be frozen first?

I know that there are some experts out there, jump in with some info boys.:)

Matt,

You are correct in that the fish shold be frozen prior to consumption. There is a small percentage of fish that do have parisites and some fish have more parisites than others. I provided a link to the FDA guidance on controlling parisites. I used to be a restaurant inspector for many years the most common call we would get regarding fish illness is the Ciguatera which is similar to a histimine reaction. That was before Sushi was popular. Don't want to scare any one out there just be careful, a ball of worms in your intestine can cause some major problems...Of course it has to pass the stomach acid first...natural defense.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComp.../ucm091704.htm

• Controlling parasites

The process of heating raw fish sufficiently to kill bacterial pathogens is also sufficient to kill parasites. Guidance concerning cooking and pasteurizing to kill pathogens is provided in Chapters 16 and 17. Regulatory requirements for retorting (low acid canned foods) are contained in 21 CFR 113. This Guide does not provide further guidance on retorting.
The effectiveness of freezing to kill parasites depends on several factors, including the temperature of the freezing process, the length of time needed to freeze the fish tissue, the length of time the fish is held frozen, the fat content of the fish, and the type of parasite present. The temperature of the freezing process, the length of time the fish is held frozen, and the type of parasite appear to be the most important factors. For example, tapeworms are more susceptible to freezing than are roundworms. Flukes appear to be more resistant than roundworms.
Freezing and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours is sufficient to kill parasites. FDA's Food Code recommends these freezing conditions to retailers who provide fish intended for raw consumption.
Note: these conditions may not be suitable for freezing particularly large fish (e.g. thicker than six inches).
The effectiveness of hydrostatic pressure in the elimination of parasites from fish flesh is being studied.
Brining and pickling may reduce the parasite hazard in a fish, but they do not eliminate it, nor do they minimize it to an acceptable level. Nematode larvae have been shown to survive 28 days in an 80° salinometer brine (21% salt by weight).
Fish that contain parasites in their flesh may also contain parasites within their egg skeins, but generally not within the eggs themselves. For this reason, eggs that have been removed from the skein and rinsed are not likely to contain parasites.
Trimming away the belly flaps of fish or candling and physically removing parasites are effective methods for reducing the numbers of parasites. However, they do not completely eliminate the hazard, nor do they minimize it to an acceptable level.

if you freeze your fish GET A VACUME SEALER.................this makes all the difference in the world. your meat will last several times longer and taste as fresh as the day you caught if done right. Costco has some, wise investment

Thanks guys.......now the only thing I need .....is to catch some flippin fish!:D

For Yellow Tail
 

Rip the gills and let bleed out. After you boat the fish you have hours to keep fishing if you want. You dont have to rush right in, but if it is hot out, your time is definitely limited.

If you continue to fish it is not a bad idea to bring a burlap sack or t shirt and wet it down and cover the fish with it.

When you get in, remove the gills and ice it down. It is not necessary and some will even advise against removing the head. The less flesh you expose to the ice, water, and/or air, the better.
You can gut the fish or fillet without gutting if you plan on using it up quickly. I usually gut mine immediately.

Make sure the ice covers the fish at all times, and the fish never sits in water. I will last like this for days (sushi quality for 4 days easy).

Many of the old timers here will tell you, as they told me, that the fish needs to sit in ice at least a full 24 hrs to firm up the flesh. The texture will be much improved if you adhere to this.

If you do not eat it all and know that you will have leftovers, a vacuum sealer is a must. Dry the fish first, and leave the skin on if you can.

Investing in a smoker is a great way to ensure you have quality fish for longer. You can brine the leftovers, smoke them, vacuum seal them, and then freeze them for future use. If you take the time to do this, the product you will be thawing will be phenomenal, With very little loss in flavor/texture. Google brining and make sure you follow the advice to let the fillets develop a good pellicle.

Enjoy.

Excellent report, thank you for posting.

I second filleting 24 hours later... this firms up the meat which makes it easier to process, and the blood congeals so its easier to keep the fillets clean.

Another thing: I make sure I don't expose the flesh to fresh water... ever... if you plan on keeping your fish for more than a few days, fresh or frozen, salt water is fine, but tap water exposes the meat to all kinds of bad bacteria.

Patting down and drying your fish is critical. I go through a roll or two of paper towels per fish. If your going to keep it fresh, keep it in a tuperware and drain the blood everday. Pat down with new paper towels everyday. If you want to freeze it, make sure it is completely dry and vacuum seal it.

Enjoy:reel: