Nuances and temperature conditions for storing smoked fish
Enterprises that produce smoked meats transport them to special refrigeration units. But in everyday life the situation is different. You must adhere to a number of requirements:
- The product must be ventilated. Often smoked fish dishes are placed in insulated containers with lids. The lids must have ventilation. Even holes you make yourself will do. If the product is placed without a container on the shelves of the refrigeration chamber, you need to take care of artificial ventilation. It is enough to open the door of the refrigerator compartment 1-2 times a day. This condition is necessary to maintain fresh air.
- The storage temperature for cold smoked fish is different from the storage temperature for hot smoked fish. Fish smoked using the cold method should be stored at a temperature range from 0 to -5 degrees. At this temperature, its taste will be preserved for a longer period. For hot smoked fish, the temperature should be maintained in the range from -2 to +2 degrees.
- Humidity in the room should be maintained at 70-90%. Exceeding this value, the fish will become moldy; lowering it, the fish will dry out.
By following these recommendations, cold and hot smoked fish will remain fresh for as long as possible.
Storing cold smoked fish
Low-temperature processing allows you to give the fish a more smoked and rich taste. Due to the cold smoking method, it not only has a unique taste, but also has a longer shelf life.
It is worth noting that there are no particular differences between the methods of storing hot and cold smoked fish. The main rule that must be followed is maintaining the optimal temperature in the freezer. By complying with this requirement, you will create favorable conditions for a product that will last from 15 days to a month.
But this period only applies to the main space inside the refrigerator. By placing cold smoked fish in the freezer, you will increase the maximum period from 30 to 60-90 days.
Recommendation! Use freezer bags for each individual fish. This way it will be stored better.
Product shelf life
Store-bought fish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. If it is horse mackerel and mackerel, then the product must be consumed within 3 days. Otherwise, you will have to throw away the fish to protect yourself from poisoning. A hot smoked product deteriorates even faster because it contains less salt and more moisture, which causes pathogenic bacteria to multiply at an increased rate.
It is necessary to know not only information about how long smoked fish can be stored, but also other rules for storing products. It is advisable to place smoked products on a separate shelf in the refrigerator so that the smell does not permeate other products. It is better to first place them in foil or cling film to preserve all the taste and aroma.
How to properly store hot smoked fish?
Hot smoked fish is a tastier product than cold smoked fish. The carcasses are juicy, soft, and have a more pleasant smell. But this method of preparation entails a huge disadvantage - a reduction in shelf life.
People have found an explanation for this: not all bacteria die in fish. Over time, they lead to product spoilage.
The most important factor if you want to preserve the taste and nutritional properties of hot smoked fish is maintaining the temperature in the refrigerator, which we talked about at the beginning of the article:
- the refrigerator allows you to keep fish fresh for 10 days;
- the freezer increases this period to 20-30 days.
Important! After taking the fish out of the freezer, you need to defrost it. But the defrosting temperature should not be more than +6...+8 degrees Celsius.
The humidity of the room should be optimal. The average is 70-90%. If it is higher, the fish will become moldy. If it is lower, the product will dry out. To avoid this, it is recommended to ventilate the refrigerator and the room in which it is installed.
Storing fish outdoors
To preserve its taste and nutritional properties, any meat needs a cool environment around it. In nature, you can build a small improvised cellar for this purpose. Any cellar is a pit, the top of which is well covered. It is not necessary to dig a deep and large hole.
A small depression in the ground will suffice to place the carefully wrapped fish. You can also place the product in a sealed, durable bag and leave it submerged in water. To prevent the package from floating away, it should be tied to shore structures. If there are none, you can specially dig a pole into the ground and fasten the cord to it.
When it is not possible to provide the fish with a cool storage temperature, it is better to eat it quickly and throw away the excess. Otherwise, the product will quickly begin to deteriorate, and the risk of poisoning will increase.
Storing smoked fish in the refrigerator
When storing smoked fish in the refrigerator, you must follow a number of mandatory rules:
- The storage temperature of hot smoked fish should not be lower than -2 and higher than +2 degrees Celsius.
- The temperature regime for cold smoked fish is not higher than 0, not lower than -5 degrees Celsius.
It is recommended to leave the first one for a period not exceeding three days. The second has a more flexible period for maintaining freshness - from 8 to 10 days, subject to the rules.
Interesting! The smoke that penetrates cold-smoked fish serves as a protector against the formation of bacteria. This is why fish stays fresh longer.
Remember to ventilate the refrigeration unit to prevent mold from forming on the fish. If the fish has already stood at room temperature for half a day, it has no business in the refrigerator, since it has probably acquired a bunch of bacteria.
How to increase the shelf life of fish?
There are several life hacks to increase the shelf life of smoked fish:
- When smoking, place a couple of juniper sprigs on the bottom of the smoker.
- Freeze fish in vacuum packaging. This allows you to increase the shelf life to 3 months.
- Salt fish properly.
- Make proper preparation for smoking.
- Use proven recipes: pollock, mackerel, bream, etc.
Storing smoked fish in the freezer
The freezer is ideal for storing food. Hot smoked fish is no exception. Before diving, the fish should be placed in a vacuum bag or container.
The temperature of the freezer should not be accompanied by sudden changes. The optimal value is no higher than -1, no lower than -7 degrees Celsius. Under such conditions, it will not turn into a piece of ice, will not become limp and will not lose its beneficial properties.
Mackerel, herring, horse mackerel are the most common types of fish available to everyone. But even in the freezer, subject to storage conditions, they will not last longer than 45-70 days. Rarer and more expensive varieties of fish will last in the freezer for 60 to 80 days without any problems if the storage conditions are met.
Signs that fish has gone bad
It happens that the fish does spoil. This can be seen by its appearance and smell. The fish becomes covered with a slippery gray coating. But if there is no plaque, you need to check the area of the spine where rotting begins. If an unpleasant odor is heard from the puncture in this area, the product is spoiled.
But even if there is no smell, the product can be wiped with sunflower oil and salt. The coating will disappear and the fish will be fit for consumption.
Creating good conditions for storing fish is not at all difficult, because this does not require special equipment. Knowing simple rules will allow you to enjoy the pleasant taste of smoked fish, which has retained all its beneficial properties.
Other ways to store smoked fish
Human life is full of surprises and surprises, so we will look at all the ways to store hot smoked fish.
So, if you do not have a refrigeration unit at hand, and you want to preserve freshly smoked fish in its original form, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the most non-standard ways to preserve the quality of the product.
Fresh air
Fish smoked at a picnic is a delicacy. A fire, crackling wood, the fragrant smell of fish that you would like to preserve, but there is no refrigerator in nature. If you can't eat a portion right away, here are some ways to help:
- Storage in a nearby body of water. This method is unusual and is suitable for those who have a sealed bag or container on hand. Freshly baked fish is placed in it, a rope is tied, after which it is lowered into the water.
If you don't have a rope at hand, you can simply lower the container with the product to the bottom of the nearest bank or stream.
- Storing fish in a pit. Here you act as the builder of a small cellar. The deeper you make the hole, the lower the temperature will be.
Before immersing the product, it is recommended to wrap it in cling paper or film to prevent soil from penetrating into it. Be sure to cover the pit from the sun, leaving mini gaps for air circulation.
Box
If you happen to smoke a batch of fish that doesn't have room in the refrigerator, you might want to think about a drawer.
To preserve the original taste and quality of the fish, we need the following:
- Box.
- Sawdust, shavings.
- Foil.
Choose the amount of auxiliary materials and the size of the box depending on the amount of fish.
The sequence of actions is simple:
- We prepare the box by pouring a small layer of sawdust or shavings onto its bottom.
- We take hot smoked carcasses and wrap each one with foil.
- Place the fish on a layer of sawdust prepared in a box.
- We repeat the procedure until the fish runs out.
- Close the box and place it in a cool place.
Interesting and very important! Do not use sawdust or shavings from softwood trees. They adversely affect the quality of the product, spoiling the smell. Impregnation with resins, which may accidentally seep through the foil, is also possible.
Under such conditions, hot-stored fish will retain its freshness for more than 5-6 months from the day it was placed in the container.
Saline solution
The saline solution is prepared simply:
- Salt is taken.
- Water is taken.
- The container is being prepared.
- The ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 1 to 2.
After preparing the solution, you need to start working on the fish. Here the type of smoking does not matter. The storage method is suitable for both types of smoking. The carcasses of the smoked product are wrapped in pieces of cloth or thick food paper. After that, they are immersed in a salt solution prepared in advance, the container is closed and sent to the refrigerator:
- The shelf life of hot smoked fish is 15-20 days.
- The shelf life of cold smoked fish is 20-40 days.
Attic
The attic is cool, which creates favorable conditions for storing both fish. Fish carcasses can be placed in wooden boxes or hung. Hanging is more suitable for cold smoked fish due to the fact that it is less fluffy. The boxes are suitable for hot smoked fish (method with sawdust and foil).
The main thing is to follow the storage rules:
- the moisture contained in the air must be at an optimal level;
- ultraviolet radiation should not reach it;
- eliminate the appearance of flies and other insects that can harm the fish;
- We recommend using food paper if you want to hang it in the attic.
Choose the method that suits your case. With any of them, the fish will retain its original taste and nutritional properties.
How to identify a spoiled product?
If you neglected the tips listed in this article, or came to your senses when the fish had already been sitting for a day without refrigeration, it will most likely be spoiled.
To determine the condition of the product, the following tips will help you:
- Carefully inspect the fish, run your finger over it to see if there is mucus on its surface.
- Inspect the carcass, make sure that there is no greenish color or white spots of mold on it.
- Evaluate the smell of the product. If it tastes unpleasant or tastes acidic, the fish has probably started to spoil.
If at least one of the listed points is noticed, the fish should be disposed of immediately.
To keep the product fresh longer, you can use a number of tricks:
- If you want to smoke fish yourself, it is recommended to add some juniper berries or branches to the shavings or sawdust. This will help saturate the fish with smoke, which with a 90-98% probability will kill harmful bacteria that contribute to product spoilage.
But don't overdo it with the number of juniper parts. The fish will smell too strong if you add too many of them.
- Juniper sawdust can be added to boxes in which fish are placed. The rule is the same: add in moderation.
- Buy sealed containers and bags. Immerse the fish in them and serve them in freezers.
How to recognize spoiled fish
In stores, spoiled fish are passed off as fresh. To do this, moldy areas are wiped with vegetable oil and the spoiled product is smoked again. This technique muffles the unpleasant smell, but it is better not to eat such a “delicacy”.
When the shelf life of smoked meats comes to an end, their quality should be checked before consumption. To do this, cut the carcass along the ridge and smell it. A sour or putrid odor indicates that the fish should not be eaten.
Fatty fish tastes bitter after long-term storage: this is the taste of oxidized fats. You won't get poisoned by this product, but it is unpleasant to eat.
ATTENTION! A white coating on the surface of the carcass is not a sign of spoilage. This happens if the fish is too salty. Excess salt is removed with a cloth moistened with vegetable oil.
You should not eat smoked fish if there is any doubt about its freshness. Expired product will cause food poisoning.
Fresh fish is much tastier and healthier than fish that is nearing its expiration date. But if smoked products are stored correctly, they remain tasty and aromatic for a long time.
Video: Smoking fish for beer, long-term storage
Does shelf life depend on the type of fish?
The answer to the question is yes. The shelf life directly depends on the type of smoked product. We briefly touched on this topic in the article. For those who have not noticed this, here are clear and simple examples:
- Smoked halibut can stay fresh for 8-12 days.
- Smoked red fish does not lose freshness for 7 days.
- Mackerel and herring are stored for less than 3 days.
Interesting! The fat content in fish indicates a short shelf life.
