How to store smoked fish in the refrigerator and without it?

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.

Mandatory storage conditions

To extend the shelf life, it is necessary to ensure the basic conditions for storing fish:

• compliance with the permissible temperature regime, it is different for each type of smoking;
• sufficient ventilation; if these products are stored in a food container, then there must be holes in it;
• if you use a household refrigerator for storage, then you need to briefly open the container with the product for ventilation;
• required ambient humidity.

Storage conditions for cold smoked fish

With the cold smoking method, the product undergoes long-term processing, which allows it to be stored for up to 10 days. But some varieties, such as mackerel, are undesirable for storing for more than 2 days. It is recommended to store cold smoked fish in the refrigerator on the bottom or middle shelf, having previously packed the product in foil.

Features of storing hot smoked fish

A refrigerator is used to store hot-smoked products. To prevent them from spoiling, the storage period should not exceed three days. It is necessary to take into account how long hot smoked fish can be stored in the freezer (about two months), and when purchasing a product in a store, you should definitely pay attention to the end date indicated on its packaging.

Storage temperature

Cold smoked products are well preserved at temperatures from 0˚C to 5˚C. For hot-processed fish, a temperature of -2° to +2˚С is required.

Air humidity

Optimal air humidity during storage is recommended in the range from 80 to 90%. If this indicator is lower, the product will dry out, and with a higher indicator, the products often become moldy.



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.

The first signs that smoked fish has gone bad

A spoiled product is determined by three criteria:

1. Appearance. A deformed surface with spots of different colors is a sign of spoiled fish.
2. Smell. A sour, putrid, rancid aroma indicates violations of storage conditions.
3. Consistency. The meat of the missing fish becomes loose and then acquires a porridge-like consistency.

Following simple rules for storing hot smoked fish will allow you to enjoy a tasty and healthy product that is safe for human health for as long as possible.

The described recommendations will not only preserve the benefits of smoked meats, but also the unique taste qualities.

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:

1. the refrigerator allows you to keep fish fresh for 10 days;
2. 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.

Varieties of smoked fish

On the modern market you can find 3 types of smoked fish carcasses:

• hot smoked;
• cold smoked;
• with liquid smoke.

The first two types are considered classic and are known to almost every consumer. Hot smoking involves exposure to high temperatures. The carcass is located above sawdust or special wood chips, which, when burned, emit a special odor that affects the final taste and attractiveness of the product to customers. The main disadvantage is the release of carcinogens hazardous to health during processing. For this reason, it is better not to overuse such fish.

You can also smoke the carcass cold. The technology is somewhat different from the previous one. Before entering the smokehouse, smoke passes through a complex piping system, leaving pathogenic substances on the walls of the apparatus. They do not get on the fish, which means this product is healthier.

Currently, many suppliers prefer to use so-called liquid smoke. This is not smoking in the usual sense of the word. The fish is heated and then treated with a special composition containing flavorings and other synthetic substances. In appearance and taste, the final product does not differ from the natural one, but its quality suffers significantly. Such a product can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator, following the recommendations indicated on the packaging, but the requirements for storing smoked fish do not apply to it.

Storing smoked fish in the refrigerator

When storing smoked fish in the refrigerator, you must follow a number of mandatory rules:

1. The storage temperature of hot smoked fish should not be lower than -2 and higher than +2 degrees Celsius.
2. 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.

Where to store smoked fish

The best storage place is the refrigerator. But if it is busy or there are a lot of smoked meats, they are placed in other places subject to temperature conditions, maintaining humidity, and regular ventilation.

In a refrigerator

Before storing, shelves are cleared of products that absorb odors. Culinary products are placed in containers with tight lids, preferably glass. You cannot store milk, cottage cheese, soups, cereals, bread, or fruits in the same compartment with smoked fish.

The fish is wrapped in foil, parchment, cling film, or paper bags with holes for air circulation. Place in plastic trays or cardboard boxes to prolong storage.

Step-by-step instructions for storing smoked fish in the refrigerator:

• Remove the entrails from the ungutted one;
• dry the abdominal cavity with a towel;
• wrap in foil and paper;

• place in the selected container;
• put in the refrigerator.

Storing smoked fish in boxes and boxes

For short-term storage of fish slices, fillets, pieces, place them in food containers with lids or wrap them in film along with a plate.

Carcasses cannot be stored for a long time without packaging. They imbue neighboring foods with scent and dry out. But the wrapping material must allow air to pass through. Otherwise, the fish will suffocate and spoil within 1-2 days.

On the balcony

The glass balcony is used for storing smoked fish only in the cold season.
The bookmark is protected from sunlight, otherwise the fish will “melt” even in winter. Packed carcasses are placed in trays or boxes of suitable volume, covered with a layer of cardboard. Cold smoked fish can be stored on the balcony in textile bags if you hang them on a rope. This eliminates strong air circulation and adds humidity. Otherwise the product will dry out quickly.

In the freezer

To maintain freshness for 3 months, use the freezer. Packaging in the form of simple plastic bags is acceptable. But it is better to use parchment and airtight containers. The subzero temperature is maintained around -30°.

In saline solution

In the absence of a refrigerator, cold smoked carcasses can be preserved in a solution of table salt due to its antiseptic effect. The duration of this method is 1 week.

Step-by-step instruction:

• dissolve 1 part salt without additives in 2 parts water;
• dampen a clean cotton cloth;

• wrap each carcass tightly in it separately;
• wrap with food paper in several layers;
• put in a dark, cool place.

A salt solution is not capable of saving hot smoked products.

In boxes

To store large quantities of cold smoked meats in the basement, balcony, attic or outdoors, they are placed in corrugated cardboard boxes or wooden boxes. Each one is individually wrapped in food paper and laid out in layers. Sprinkle with dry wood shavings and cereals to collect excess condensation.

The storage room in boxes must be equipped with ventilation. Thermal conditions up to +6°. Be sure to cover the entire batch with breathable material to limit the access of insects, especially flies.

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.

Basic storage rules

Smoking fish can be cold, hot or semi-hot. Each method requires its own individual measures to protect against premature deterioration. But the basic rules for storing fish are universal:

1. High-quality ventilation;
2. Optimal air humidity is 75-80%;
3. Stable temperature - -2-+2 °C.

The shelf life of hot smoked fish is 3 days, and cold smoked fish is 8-10 days in the refrigerator and 1-1.5 months in a well-ventilated cool room.

Of course, the conditions in production are different: there the fish goes along a conveyor belt, and the temperature conditions never change, as do the conditions for storing and transporting raw materials. The biography of the product is known in detail there, so the shelf life increases. We must not forget that in order to increase the gastronomic life time, food is often flavored with preservatives.

By the way, you can familiarize yourself with the benefits and harms of smoked fish.

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:

1. Box.
2. Sawdust, shavings.
3. 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:

1. We prepare the box by pouring a small layer of sawdust or shavings onto its bottom.
2. We take hot smoked carcasses and wrap each one with foil.
3. Place the fish on a layer of sawdust prepared in a box.
4. We repeat the procedure until the fish runs out.
5. 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:

1. Salt is taken.
2. Water is taken.
3. The container is being prepared.
4. 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:

1. The shelf life of hot smoked fish is 15-20 days.
2. 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.

Attic storage

You can store fish, such as smoked carp, in the attic. This method is only suitable for storage during the cold season. In summer, smoked meats will quickly deteriorate. For packaging, you can sew bags of cotton fabric in advance. Finished smoked meats are placed in bags and hung so that the products do not come into contact with each other.

Storing smoked fish in the attic

You can add a clove of peeled garlic to each product as an antimicrobial agent. Storage conditions for smoked fish: temperature not higher than +6 °C, natural ventilation. If there is a window in the attic, keep it open to ventilate food. Smoked meats are stored in the basement or cellar in the same way. Products in the cellar can be cooled using edible ice. It must be prepared from clean drinking water.

When preparing for storage, some housewives wipe carcasses with a 1% vinegar solution to disinfect and prevent spoilage. To prepare such a solution, take 10 ml (1 tsp) of 70% acetic acid and dilute it in 700 ml of water.

Cotton bags for storing fish

For storage in the attic and cellar, you can wrap each product in burlap cloth and place it in a box, generously sprinkled with small wood chips.

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:

1. Carefully inspect the fish, run your finger over it to see if there is mucus on its surface.
2. Inspect the carcass, make sure that there is no greenish color or white spots of mold on it.
3. 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.

Signs of a spoiled product

Even in the cold and without a head, fish can spoil quite quickly. The paravertebral tissues are the first to be included in the decay process, and then everything else.

Even after the carcass begins to deteriorate, it will look virtually no different from fresh. To understand whether it is possible to eat products that have been stored for some time, you need to make an incision on the spine and smell well at the site of the incision. An unpleasant odor can be easily recognized.

You should definitely not eat smoked fish with the following symptoms:

• has a slippery surface;
• there are deposits of grayish or green shades;
• The product has a sour smell.

When a whitish coating forms on top of the carcass, this is not necessarily an indication that it is spoiled. These places are treated with sunflower oil, but it is not advisable to continue storing such a product - it must be consumed immediately.

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:

1. Smoked halibut can stay fresh for 8-12 days.
2. Smoked red fish does not lose freshness for 7 days.
3. Mackerel and herring are stored for less than 3 days.

Interesting! The fat content in fish indicates a short shelf life.