Keeping, Freezing and Thawing our catch

[Bugatti]

Just sharing a few tips that I found work for me with "keeping", "freezing" and "thawing" my catch.



Keeping and Dispatching

Firstly, I always try to (80% of the time for fish BUT 100% of the time with Crabs) try to dispatch my catch in an ice slurry. For those unaware, that's ice and a little sea water, the sea water (salt) makes the slurry a lot colder than if using just normal fresh water. I slurry (80% of the time as mentioned) even when land based.

Some fish I would bleed immediately , , , , Salmon and Gummies
With some fish, I scale and gut them as soon as possible , , , , Snapper & Snook I think are important to do sooner rather than later.
I always scale fish before gutting them, makes scaling the stomach area and around the wings easier rather than a floppy gutted fish.

I always clean squid caught by boat with a Scaling Bag , , , , also see reference in the Freezer Section of this Bugatti Aisle

I try but not always practical, try and clean my catch in sea water. On occasion I may take some sea water home , , , , not for cleaning but for soaking my cleaned catch in , , , , also see reference in the Freezer Section of this Bugatti Aisle

Again I try and take sea water home to cook (boil) any crabs in.



Freezing

I don't have a Vac Sealer but have heard that they are the Bee's Knees.
I simply use freezer bags or zip lock bags and try and squeeze as much air out as possible.

I freeze cleaned Gar (scaled and headed) in an empty 2L milk bottle that I then fill with water, and freeze it so the cleaned gar are frozen in a block of ice. I find they keep better that way. This method is hard to do with other fish, simply due to the size.

Cleaned Blue Swimmer Crabs I would freeze as/in a block of ice too, in a compatible container (ice cream container etc). Frozen Crabs are a bit mushy in the flesh SO I only do this if I then cook the Crabs in a Wok for Chilli Crab , , , , or , , , , in a pasta sauce.

Cleaning in sea water dramatically reduces Freezer Burn (especially with squid), hence I found that even if the fish were cleaned in normal fresh water, by at least soaking them in sea water before freezing, helps. As far as making the catch "taste" better if they were cleaned in sea water, I can't tell as my bad cooking hides that

When on an extended Fishing Trip, I put my catch (Squid, Fish, Fillets) in freezer/zip lock bags, which I then place/stack in Berry Boxes that I have placed in the freezer of the Shack. What this does is keeps all the frozen parcels neatly packed together, then I simply take the box of frozen goodies home to my freezer. If they were loosely, individually stacking in a Shack freezer, then removing and then stacking these individually in my home freezer, they never pack in my freezer nicely and compactly as they have all frozen in awkward shapes and never re-stack neatly together again.

Thawing

I try to thaw things slowly in the fridge and not in a sink of water. But busy lifestyles mean that doesn't always happen.

I thaw prawns (I prefer to buy freshly frozen rather than Fishmonger freshly cooked (they could have been cooked a few days prior) or shop thawed prawns) so thaw prawns in a sealed container with a few lemon wedges thrown in, and thawed in the fridge.


Most important tip: If I have frozen fish/fillets that have been frozen for a while, I thaw and then soak the fish/fillets in a bowl of vinegar-ed water for 15-30 mins. Not enough vinegar to pickle BUT enough to cut through the "oldness" of the fish/fillets.



I hope these Bugatti Tips help out

Always nice to hear what others do, as it may improve what we do

Cheers, Bugatti

[GusG]

Cracking tips, I like the vinegar water idea, I'll give that a go

[SteveoTheTiger]

Great tips.

Its pretty simple.. respect and look after your catch. When freezing try to dry the fish as much as possible with a towel and get rid of all the air, if you freeze a lot of stuff i highly recommend a vac machine. They are not expensive these days and will greatly improve the freezing process. And if possible never defrost in a sink of water or a microwave.

BTW, Bugatti that vinegar trick is sometimes used at dodgy places where the steaks are starting to get a little too old.

[smile0784]

Great tips mate

I do 3/4 of that
Put fish on ice but not a ice slurry
And don't wash in salt water unless I remember

[Lightningx]

Some great tips there bug !
Thanks for sharing mate
Cheers :thumbsup:

[Bugatti]

Great tips.

Its pretty simple.. respect and look after your catch. When freezing try to dry the fish as much as possible with a towel and get rid of all the air, if you freeze a lot of stuff i highly recommend a vac machine. They are not expensive these days and will greatly improve the freezing process. And if possible never defrost in a sink of water or a microwave.

BTW, Bugatti that vinegar trick is sometimes used at dodgy places where the steaks are starting to get a little too old.

Yes, Steveo, it is very very simple. Respect your catch through the whole process from plucking them out of the Briney, right through to serving it up on a plate. That's how we were brought up. And I do remember vaguely you are a Chef

I am a chef and can clean a squid pretty fast, but even i use a scaler bag behind the boat.

Yep, you are. It's all about respecting all foods, which you would know.

It doesn't surprise me about the Dodgy establishments. I knew a couple, absolutely well groomed, their clothes were impeccable. They got their whites the whitest I have ever seen any whites. BUT, they were pigs in the Kitchen. Cooking appliances used on the floor, there were less bugs outside than in their Kitchen, it stunk and the floor was always sticky from the Oil steam settling there. Putrid would be an understatement. He was the head Chef at a top class hotel and she did catering from home. Now their bad food practises must of come out in some way at their respective jobs, they probably hide it well.. So Dodgy places are surprisingly anywhere.

Good point about drying the fish. I have seen that the guys with Vac Seal machines, lay the fillets out on paper towel for a while and then Vac Seal them, they swear by it.

Cheers, Bugz (not those in that Kitchen , , , , a differnt Bugz)

[SteveoTheTiger]

Good point about drying the fish. I have seen that the guys with Vac Seal machines, lay the fillets out on paper towel for a while and then Vac Seal them, they swear by it.

Cheers, Bugz (not those in that Kitchen , , , , a differnt Bugz)

Yeah vac packing is great for lots of stuff. We use them daily at my work.

Another great idea is to fillet your catch and vac pack it with a sauce or herbs and spices. The flavour will soak in to the fish, and then once defrosted you can either cook it normally or you can poach it still in the bag (known as 'sous-vide'). If you like poached fish, this is the way to go.

[Bugatti]

Yeah vac packing is great for lots of stuff. We use them daily at my work.

Yes, I've heard. Don and also my younger Sister both travel around Oz (separately) and they vac seal everything. They say it lasts longer, tastes better and can be in an esky without concern of getting wet.

Another great idea is to fillet your catch and vac pack it with a sauce or herbs and spices. The flavour will soak in to the fish, and then once defrosted you can either cook it normally or you can poach it still in the bag (known as 'sous-vide'). If you like poached fish, this is the way to go.

Yes, I found this out by mistake, but with Chicken. We have chicken yiros when we are away. Some years back at home I was cutting the chicken thighs into yiros-y strips to freeze and take with us to save prep time when coming off the boat. I instinctively just put the seasoning that I use on the chicken. Ah well I thought , , , , well it was nicer than nice. Now, not always but depending on what it is, I do season before freezing. It works a treat on Salmon Fillets, which are a borderline fish for me, but that way it does make them nice.

That "sous-vide" I haven't tried but I shall, getting a bit over the oils and grilling (well my grilling) dries it out too much.

Next you'll be getting me to "en-papillote"


I love the way you think tiger , , , , oups, did I just make it weird , , , , again

Cheers, Bug

[purple5ive]

Man if I was to do all that there would be no time for fishing

I hate cleaning fish. So generally this is what happens.
Catch fish, take pic, put fish back in the drink...
If dads with me they go in the esky with some ice. He takes them home and cleans it. I get some fish if I want any. I generally dont eat fish..

[purple5ive]

Good point about drying the fish. I have seen that the guys with Vac Seal machines, lay the fillets out on paper towel for a while and then Vac Seal them, they swear by it.

Cheers, Bugz (not those in that Kitchen , , , , a differnt Bugz)

Yeah vac packing is great for lots of stuff. We use them daily at my work.

Another great idea is to fillet your catch and vac pack it with a sauce or herbs and spices. The flavour will soak in to the fish, and then once defrosted you can either cook it normally or you can poach it still in the bag (known as 'sous-vide'). If you like poached fish, this is the way to go.

Is it just me. Or does the idea of cooking food /microwaving food / or in this case poaching food in plastic bag or utensil a bad idea??
The amount of chemicals used in plastics is enough to make people sick. Let alone heat up or cook food in them..