Can i freeze mackerel

But smoked is completely different to fresh I'm afraid. Not in bad way, smoked mackerel is lovely, but it's a different 'kettle of fish' when it comes to preserving it. Hence, I think, Jonnyboy's question Found this Quote:.

Mackerel are fatty fish and are not normally gutted at sea; they therefore spoil quickly unless they are chilled immediately after catching and kept chilled. Mackerel of medium fat content stowed in ice or in refrigerated sea water immediately after capture will keep in good condition for days.

Stale or noticeably spoiled mackerel should not be used for processing. The signs of stale fish are as follows: Eyes are sunken, cloudy and discoloured red or brown.

The skin has lost bloom, and its colours have lost intensity and brilliance, giving a washed out appearance. Gills are dark red or brown, and a dark blood red mucus oozes from the gill covers. The odour of the gills and body is sour, sweaty or strongly oily; sometimes a smell of ammonia is also present. Mackerel for freezing should be chilled immediately after capture and frozen within 24 hours; mackerel with a high fat content should preferably be frozen within 12 hours. Cold storage life can be extended up to 1 year when mackerel are packed in polyethylene bags that are topped up with water and frozen in vertical plate freezers.

The block is doubly protected against deterioration in store by the encasing ice and by the packaging. Gutting before freezing is not necessary, and may be a disadvantage. I've never had fish go off on me because of freezing. It certainly effects the quality due to the ice particules ripping the flesh but I find Mackeral quite a forgiving freeze fish, due to it being quite dense.

I suggest you get the fish as dry as you can Jonnyboy. How long does raw mackerel last in the freezer? Properly stored, it will maintain best quality for about 2 to 3 months, but will remain safe beyond that time. How long does raw mackerel last after being frozen and thawed? Mackerel that has been defrosted in the fridge can be kept for an additional 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator before cooking; mackerel that was thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be cooked immediately.

How long does mackerel last in the fridge once it is cooked? Cooked mackerel will usually stay good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer. How to tell if raw mackerel is bad?

Label the container with the storage date. Elizabeth Arnold has written for a wide variety of publications and websites. Her experience includes writing travel features for "Recommend" magazine and packaging marketing copy for both Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. Recently, Arnold was a staff writer for "Special Events" magazine. Arnold studied English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Transfer the mackerel into a rigid plastic storage container.