Freezing Fish

**magnum500** · 02-22-2014, 10:35 PM

I soak my filets in salt water for about an hour before putting in ziplock freezer bags. I put them in the bags without water, just whatever amount is on the fillet. I get out as much air as possible and put them in the freezer. Even up to a year later they are firm and taste great. My father taught me this method and I have been using it for years. There is no over salty taste either.

**have-a-crappie-day** · 02-23-2014, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by SeaRay

The Tila Food Saver Vac is the only one I am familar with. You can get bags for it most anywhere, including the Walmarts here,
Here is a Link to Cabela's but you can find them locally. This is the modlel I have, but they make several different kinds on up to $400 or more.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-...3Bcat104668380

Thanks!!!

**Inkdabber** · 02-23-2014, 10:35 PM

ditto!

Originally Posted by rees guide

always freeze mine in water never had a prob, red meat may have been your prob this time. Nothing but crappie in my freezer tho.

**Mamba334** · 02-07-2016, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by have-a-crappie-day

Ditto.

Heck, you can even freeze them whole in water and thaw for filleting later if you don't have time when you get home, or if you need to wait till the wife is gone so that she wan't know you clean them in the kitchen and grind up the heads in the disposal!!

Well, crappie! Lol. I didn't know about putting them into water .....
I just took them out of the bucket and they still had a little life left in them, I put them whole in the freezer, sealed up in a zip lock bag. I was going to clean them today....guess now I have to throw em in the dumpster outside? I hate that because they are nice sizes! They are in my photo album. Me and my kids caught them yesterday off the local Peir. Do you guys think it's ok to clean them and fry them up??

**gabowman** · 02-07-2016, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by brush pile

Definitely need to get the red out and love my vacuum seal

**Fisholishous** · 02-07-2016, 07:47 PM

I freeze fillets in water also. Prevents freezer burn if you don't vacuum seal. How you thaw them out can also affect taste and texture. They taste fresher if allowed to slowly thaw all the way out IMO. Also make sure grease is hot enough if cooking thicker pieces such as Striper. Grease that cools off too much during cooking can make for a bad batch of fish.

**Crappie Buster** · 02-07-2016, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Mamba334

Well, crappie! Lol. I didn't know about putting them into water .....
I just took them out of the bucket and they still had a little life left in them, I put them whole in the freezer, sealed up in a zip lock bag. I was going to clean them today....guess now I have to throw em in the dumpster outside? I hate that because they are nice sizes! They are in my photo album. Me and my kids caught them yesterday off the local Peir. Do you guys think it's ok to clean them and fry them up??

They should be fine. You caught them yesterday and froze them overnight? They would have been fine in the fridge or on ice too.

**REELDAWG** · 02-07-2016, 10:16 PM

Free alternative to vacuum seal. Five gallon bucket filled with water. Put fillets in ziplock bag and zip almost all the way closed. Submerge bag into water letting air out through the part left zipped open. Push bag down until only the open corner is out of the water and zip bag closed. Bingo, free vacuum seal. Learned this in the keys about 20 years ago. Kept me from buying a vacuum sealer.

**Mamba334** · 02-07-2016, 10:27 PM

Thanks for the lesson! I'll give that a go next weekend. I'm sure they'll be biting.

Yes, caught these Saturday and drove about 20 mins to home and then put them in a ziplock back whole with no water. They were still half alive. I got them in the fridge right now. They were in the freezer.

**RetiredRR** · 02-07-2016, 11:28 PM

Thaw just enough to fillet and fry 'em up. Lots of my friends do the same thing.

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