About freezing fillets....

Had a great day crappie fishing yesterday and managed to land several keepers from shore, gotta love Spring! Of course when I got home I filleted them up but already had some fillets in my fridge that needed to be eaten so I put the newly catched fillets in a zip-lock freezer bag, got all the air out and stored them in the freezer. However, I was reading some old post regarding freezing fillets and saw majority put water in their bag to cover the fillets then froze. I didn't do this. Why do the crappie need to be submerged in water when stored in the freezer? Did I ruin my fillets? Thanks ya'll....GEO

I've heard this before. What's causes freezer burn in meat is air. If the meat is submerged in water then frozen, you essentially have a giant ice cube. No air can get into the ice cube, thus saving your meat from freezer burn. I've never tried it, but then again I've also never caught enough fish at one time to freeze any for later. lol I believe I read about this theory in field and stream. I may be mistaken tho. Hope this helps!

Jesse


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Originally Posted by GreenEYESfromOHIO

Had a great day crappie fishing yesterday and managed to land several keepers from shore, gotta love Spring! Of course when I got home I filleted them up but already had some fillets in my fridge that needed to be eaten so I put the newly catched fillets in a zip-lock freezer bag, got all the air out and stored them in the freezer. However, I was reading some old post regarding freezing fillets and saw majority put water in their bag to cover the fillets then froze. I didn't do this. Why do the crappie need to be submerged in water when stored in the freezer? Did I ruin my fillets? Thanks ya'll....GEO

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I freeze mine in water and have never had freezer burn. I have eaten fillets that are 5 years old and you could not tell they were that old at all. When you thaw yours and the real white parts feel spongy then I would pass on eating them but that's just me.

Jman is right. I've done it for years and works great. No way I would throw my fillets in the freezer naked unless they were vacuum sealed. The only drawback is thawing that sucker out. It takes a while.

+1 on water in bag

The experts say freezing in water will rupture cell walls resulting in mushy fillets..
I vacumn pack

Chefs will also say never put water on a fillet period.
If they are too bloody blot with paper towels
I have tried it with striper fillet and noticed a big difference in flavor

Same as above - that's the only way I do it. I put ~2lbs worth of fillets in each bag, before the water is added, just for some portion control.

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Water in bag for all fish and game that I freeze, yes even deer. It can't get freezer burned that way.

Ok so consensus is water in bag to avoid freezer burn.....I doubt I'll have to worry about freezer burn on my fillets without water added because they won't be in their longer then 3-4 weeks, I love em and eat em quick lol....what's your all's thoughts on how long it would take to develop freezer burn without water in bag? Thanks.

That differs with the type bag(Zip lock etc) and how much air is left in the bag.

Yes water or another beverage of your choice. I've always used water but I got a buddy that swears by Mountain Dew. Lol I hadn't noticed any difference but to each their own.

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I use water too.

True story: My mom and dad divorced in 1984. Mom was a big springtime crappie angler and she brought a bunch home from Pintlala Creek. Mom got a lot of stuff from the divorce but dad got the big chest freezer in the deal. Years later, in 1988 if memory serves, we were cleaning out that big freezer to sell - dad was moving into one of those economy apartments close to his office and there wasn't room for that freezer. In the process of cleaning out that freezer we found a bag of crappie filets with the date March 1979 written in permament marker on the bag. We thawed those and fried them up a few days later and they tasted like another one. That made a believer out of me.

I always freeze fillets in water. Have eaten them several years old and tasted just as fresh
I vacuum seal game though

Don't forget that freezers defrost on there own now days and if you understand how that works then the water in the bags keep the fish from getting freezer burnt. Never have done game like that but mite have to try...

I hardly ever freeze fish. I like fresh fish When I freeze fish this is how I do it I bred my filets with seasoned corn meal and lay them out on a wax paper lined baking sheet . I then put them in the freezer till they freeze solid . Then I remove them and vacuum pack. I fry them while they are still frozen

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Originally Posted by yikess

I freeze mine in water and have never had freezer burn. I have eaten fillets that are 5 years old and you could not tell they were that old at all. When you thaw yours and the real white parts feel spongy then I would pass on eating them but that's just me.

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Leave them thawed out in water in a bowl in the fridge for a hour and let them get real cold. Firm as all get out. Just try it. I freeze mine in water even the egg sacks and as long as the egg sacks aren't busted when first freezing, when thawed they are good to deep fry also. Just my 2 cents.

I add water, squeeze all air out, zip 'em shut, lay bag flat in freezer, tuck the flap under (just in case of leaks). Once frozen, flat bags pack pretty well.

I don't freeze them - gives me a good reason to go fishing

Ima have to disagree with those experts....Always use water and never any mushy fish.

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Originally Posted by algenco

The experts say freezing in water will rupture cell walls resulting in mushy fillets..
I vacumn pack

Chefs will also say never put water on a fillet period.
If they are too bloody blot with paper towels
I have tried it with striper fillet and noticed a big difference in flavor

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Here's a slightly different take, that yields great results for me, although it is more work. I put mine in a quart ziploc and fill with water, making sure that all of the air is out as I seal the bag. Then, if I intend to keep them for an extended period (over six months), I slip that bag into a gallon bag, and go through the same process. I promise you will never lose fish doing this!
It's bulky, but I sometimes find bags that got "lost", and the fish are great when thawed.
I prefer to eat them fresh, but when they are biting good I also put up some for other times.

I put my fillets on a cookie sheet and freeze them. Then when they come out I spray them with water from a spray bottle on both sides. The water quickly freezer to the fillets and forms a nice sheet of ice. Then I pop them in a bag and don't worry about it ,works pretty well


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Put them in bowl salted water overnight at least, sometimes couple days later and change the water out, really gets all blood out and they are firm and cold. then put them in quart bags, freezer or not doesn't really matter as you then add water to cover, let air out till water comes out, seal. Good for several years if you need but we eat a lot of crappie. luckily I am catching lots of crappie and taking care of family and friends who love it too.

will look for vacuum sealer tho as freezer is filling up

I fill and freeze . When you thaw just like the day you caught them .


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Put them in a bag with water and slide down the side of the sink (filled with water )Till all air is removed , zip shut . 62 ,it's all I have ever done . No problems but I can get about a year's supply of fillets in 30 quart bags . I have never seen crappie eggs laid in a freezer and I do plan to fish next year . :ThumbsUp no need for carry over .

I use salted after as well to clean blood out and kill any parasites, bacteria ect ect and then freeze with clean water....works for me....

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Originally Posted by Jman5626

I've heard this before. What's causes freezer burn in meat is air. If the meat is submerged in water then frozen, you essentially have a giant ice cube. No air can get into the ice cube, thus saving your meat from freezer burn. I've never tried it, but then again I've also never caught enough fish at one time to freeze any for later. lol I believe I read about this theory in field and stream. I may be mistaken tho. Hope this helps!

Jesse


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This is the reason i always freeze my fish in water. Can eat months later and still have delicious fillets. I also have a good vacuum sealer for short term freezing that i dont fill with water and cant. That also works. Key is protecting fillets from air.

I typically freeze in water and a couple cups of 7 up. Do this for most of the fish freeze, cats, crappie and whites.


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All fish, deer, ducks, squirrels, doves and any other game I put in the freezer is frozen in water. If something gets shuffled to the back or covered and stays in the freezer for 3 or 4 years (which is near impossible), it is still good. I'd like to feed those "experts" some of my crappie. I think they would change their mind.

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Originally Posted by callmecamo

Jman is right. I've done it for years and works great. No way I would throw my fillets in the freezer naked unless they were vacuum sealed. The only drawback is thawing that sucker out. It takes a while.

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What's the best way to thaw them out? Mine were frozen in ziploc bags with water.

I thaw it in the sink. If I need to thaw it faster I drop the bag in water. Keep the melted water drained from the back and keep the water bath at room temp

I’ve had filets frozen in water that were 5 yrs old and you wouldn’t know it..

I thaw mine in cold water .


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Originally Posted by Cubeice

I thaw mine in cold water .


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X2!


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Food saver is miraculous. Eliminating the air prior to freezing is the key. I usually put bags of frozen vacuumed sealed filets in water for up to 2 hours to get the thaw going then put them in refrigerator until ready to fry.


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Originally Posted by Redge

X2!


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X3, we have been freezing them like that for a half a century with no issues

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Ötzi the Iceman:
preserved in the ice
for 5300 years

Good enough to keep a caveman that long. Should easily keep my fillets fresh for 5 years

Fillet, dry breading, snap freeze on a cookie sheet vaccum pack...frozen fillets in a pan with butter med heat done 10-15 minutes. Fast easy meal.

Use Powerade or Gatorade bottles..last for a long time. Fill the water almost to the top. Write the date on the the lid in sharpie..
Cut the bottle 2/3 way up to the top when thawing.

For best flavor retention, freeze fast and thaw slow.
"gene"

I kinda like the crispy crunch of freezer burnt filets.

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