How to Store Fish

Keep fish fresh in ice

Freshly caught fish lasts longer than store-bought fish, but both will spoil quickly without proper storage. Placing the fish on ice will keep it fresh until you are ready to cook it. It is best to drain off the water from melted ice quickly because water, even when ice cold, will spoil the flavor of the fish.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Small Styrofoam container
• Larger Styrofoam container
• Small blocks (4)
• Bag of crushed ice (1)
• Paper towel
• Waxed paper
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic wrap
• Large colander
• Large bowl
• Freezer paper

Instructions

1. Clean the fish. It is best to do this as soon as possible to preserve the flavor. Use a knife to scale the fish, remove the innards and cut off the parts of the fish that you do not want, such as the tail, fins and head.

2. Prepare the Styrofoam containers to transport the fish. Make a few small holes at the bottom of the small Styrofoam container and pour ice into it. Place the blocks at the bottom of the large Styrofoam container then place the small Styrofoam container on top. The blocks will elevate the smaller container so the water from the melting ice can drain out completely. Place the fish into the smaller Styrofoam box and cover both containers.

3. Wash the fish in cold water once you get home. Dry it with a paper towel and then wrap it in waxed paper, aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

4. Pour crushed ice into a colander and place the colander in a bowl deep enough to catch water from the melting ice.

5. Place the wrapped fish on top of the ice and cover the fish with more crushed ice. Place the colander in the coldest part of the fridge. The fish will stay fresh for up to two days.

6. Freeze the fish if you want it to last longer. Wrap the fish in aluminum foil and then wrap it in freezer paper. Place it in the freezer. Frozen fish will last up to 12 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Some types of fish last longer than others. For instance, large pieces of fish will last longer than smaller pieces and thinner fish stay fresh longer than fatty fish. In "Go Fish: Fresh Ideas for American Seafood," the authors say that mackerel and salmon, which contain a lot of fat, spoil faster than other fish.

References

• "Go Fish: Fresh Ideas for American Seafood"; Laurent Tourondel, Andrew Friedman; Wiley, 2004