FROZEN SALMON AND MANAGING FREEZER BURN

Many sources recommend consuming fish within 6 months of storage in the freezer, but we have found that a properly processed and handled, vacuum sealed, frozen fillet in which the seal has not broken will last one year or longer without sacrifice to the taste. However, sometimes a bag gets punctured and loses its seal; it is common and can happen when a frozen filet is bumped or dropped.

In this case, frost will form on the outside of the fish, the colour will change by turning pale or even slightly brown, and it will adopt a fishier taste when cooked. Most of us have experienced some level of this freezer “burn” on our catch over the years. Before you throw that fish in the garbage, here are some other ideas to try so it doesn’t go to waste:

The first thing you should do is assess the freezer burn. Take it out of the bag once thawed and see how deep the discolouration goes. Have a good sniff! If it was caught less than one year ago, the seal has recently punctured, it doesn’t have an overpowering smell, and the freezer burn is just on the very surface; your fish can still be eaten. You can cut away the surface layer of freezer burn, season it generously and cook through. Serving this one raw is not recommended.

Side note: our fish-processing staff will first place your sealed catch on a plate freezer reaching temps as low as -40 for a short period of time. The holding freezer is maintained at -20 Celsius providing sushi-grade salmon that can be eaten raw. Salmon caught on the first and second fishing days can be eaten raw when you get home, but anything caught after that should be stored at -18C or colder at home for a minimum of 7 days before eating raw.

If your fish is too far gone to eat, recycle it! No, no, not in your blue bin, but if you’re the kind of person who throws a crab trap in the water every once in a while, it makes excellent crab bait and will be recycled as crab food into a different source of nutrients for you.

Our last suggestion, if you have a furry companion in your home, is to turn it into dog food. There are many recipes online for homemade dog food and consulting your vet is recommended to be sure you get all the key nutrients for your pup. Raw salmon should not be fed to dogs and must be fully cooked, ideally with bones removed.

Here is a basic recipe Spruce has enjoyed in the past.

DISCLAIMER: always follow Health Canada guidelines for safe storage of fish. Freezer burnt fish is generally safe to eat, if it isn’t caused by conditions that could grow bacteria such as thawing and refreezing.