Need advice on how to preserve fish

[Molten Furnace]

What is the best way to keep fish for more than a few days? I have been told that if you freeze yellowfin tuna it ruins the texture of the meat. Is that true for other species as well?

Any advice on how to keep the following fish for five or more days?

• Yellowtail;
• Tuna (yellowfin and bluefin);
• Calico;
• Halibut;
• WSB

Thanks

[yemff]

vacuum bag and freeze. Might be stretching it with 5 days, but on ice would be your next best bet; just dont let the fish sit in its juice or let the meat be in direct contact with the ice.

[Molten Furnace]

Originally Posted by yemff

vacuum bag and freeze. Might be stretching it with 5 days, but on ice would be your next best bet; just dont let the fish sit in its juice or let the meat be in direct contact with the ice.

Thanks. I hope I will have a reason soon to buy a vacuum sealer. In the meantime I am wondering -- with the vacuum bag method, how long would it realistically keep in the freezer?

[Kayak_Bernie]

if you get a good vacuum sealer 8 months to a year isn't unreasonable

Originally Posted by Molten Furnace

Thanks. I hope I will have a reason soon to buy a vacuum sealer. In the meantime I am wondering -- with the vacuum bag method, how long would it realistically keep in the freezer?

[Molten Furnace]

Wow! That is much longer than I would have expected. Thanks! Any advice on the proper way to thaw?

[Dave Legacy]

Originally Posted by Molten Furnace

Wow! That is much longer than I would have expected. Thanks! Any advice on the proper way to thaw?

Thaw in the fridge and allow plenty of time. Maybe my fridge is just really cold, but overnight isn't enough time to thaw frozen fish in my experience. I bought a Foodsaver at Costco for like $109 down from $150; So worth it.

[Mahigeer]

Originally Posted by Kayak_Bernie

if you get a good vacuum sealer 8 months to a year isn't unreasonable

I agree.

I even seal bonito caught in summer for lobster bait in October, in case the bait is not around. Seems very fresh, oily and bloody.

[captnblood34]

I have BFT older than Bernies.... I also had 140 pounds to go through and share with friends, and it keeps fine. Your fish will keep with a vac seal. Unless your a dooms day prepper or something... go buy canned tuna

[Kayak_Bernie]

How you preserve your fish has a lot to do with how you intend on eating your fish. If you are going to eat raw in a sushi or sashimi I recommend cooling the meat down ASAP, and bleeding the fish ASAP. For ceviche i recommend the same but as you are chemically cooking the fish, its not AS important as sushi or raw applications like poke.

If you are going to grill/ bake/ or heat the fish to cook I recommend vacuum sealing and freezing if you aren't going to eat it in the 2-3 days following your catch. I have had 8 month old tuna steaks that had been vacuum sealed, that one thawed and seared were as good as tuna steaks I've had the day after I caught it.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!!