Smoked fish, ok to freeze?

I’m not a big smoked fish eater, but hope to get up to Sturgeon Bay Monday and Tuesday, after white fish.

There is a place here in town that smokes fish once a week; drop off on Wed and pickup Friday afternoon.

After smoking, is it ok to have this individually wrapped, and then frozen for eating later? I guess the other option is to freeze it, then take portions there to be freshly smoked in the future. I was going to give all this to a friend’s father as he just loves this stuff, and is too old to get out after it on his own.

OK smoked, then frozen to eat as he wants, or that much better the other way around… if I can figure that one out.

I freeze smoked salmon and eat later.

Have done it both ways but find it has the best flavor if you smoke it first and then freeze it. I like to smoke the fish and then put it in the fridge to dry a bit more for a couple of days then vacuum seal it ,lasts in the freezer with out strong taste for ages.

I do it all the time. Slow thaw by placing in the refrigerator and thaw out over a couple days. I’ll place it on paper towel if any water is in there.

I assuming your going to Houmans. They always did a good job for me

jagermeister wrote:

Have done it both ways but find it has the best flavor if you smoke it first and then freeze it. I like to smoke the fish and then put it in the fridge to dry a bit more for a couple of days then vacuum seal it ,lasts in the freezer with out strong taste for ages.

I think the texture is better when it is smoked fresh and then frozen as well. Not that I mind it frozen, thawed, and then smoked either.

after smoking and shrink wrapping, 1 year tops in freezer. shouldn’t be a problem, unless you forget you have it in there

I smoke a lot of my lake trout and package it in vacuum sealed bags, then freeze it. When I thaw it I do as Randy sais putting it in the fridge leaving the vacuum bag sealed until the meat is thawed and it comes out great.

Any fish will smoke better when the fish is fresh, not previously frozen, but you can still smoke the once frozen meat.

Thanks for all the help guys. Getting it smoked first will be so much easier. With the place only doing it once a week, how long is maximum before getting it smoked, after cleaning? Couple days?

Randy Wieland wrote:

I assuming your going to Houmans. They always did a good job for me

Randy… Houmanns changed ownership a few years back if I remember right. Think they are more of a wholesaler type of business now. They don’t smoke fish any longer. Only place in tow is Danny’s Meets on the north side. I don’t know that they use a full conventional smoker as much as some sort of oven process, but seem to do a good job anyway. Only real option, so it is what it is.

Cycle- I’ve done it both ways with salmon, and IMO it’s fine either way. Just wanted to add one thing though. I’ve never gone and done the whitefish thing, but I’ve got lots of buddies who have and one that lives up there. They all say that whitefish are really weird about freezing. They go as far as to bring coolers with them on the ice. That way, as soon as they catch the fish, they throw em in there and NEVER let them freeze. Not sure if this still applies for smoking, but from everything I’ve heard, they’re a fish that you only want to take as much of as you can eat fresh.

That’s interesting Nathan… seen that in a couple posts over the last few years as well. I pulled a fish out of the freezer last year, and it tasted like mush… I wrote it off as the way I wrapped it or something. I make an effort to never let them fish freeze on the ice, the few times I get out. Thanks.

Follow up ????? How long can you keep smoked fish in the fridge before safely eating? Couple days, or a little longer?

Chuck Melcher wrote:

Follow up ????? How long can you keep smoked fish in the fridge before safely eating? Couple days, or a little longer?

Put some in the fridge and each day make a mark on the bag and eat a piece. The day you puke, count up the marks and subtract 1. The result is the safe number of days.

With salmon I’ve never gotten past a couple days as it gets eaten before that.

Chuck Melcher wrote:

Thanks for all the help guys. Getting it smoked first will be so much easier. With the place only doing it once a week, how long is maximum before getting it smoked, after cleaning? Couple days?

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
I assuming your going to Houmans. They always did a good job for me

Randy… Houmanns changed ownership a few years back if I remember right. Think they are more of a wholesaler type of business now. They don’t smoke fish any longer. Only place in tow is Danny’s Meets on the north side. I don’t know that they use a full conventional smoker as much as some sort of oven process, but seem to do a good job anyway. Only real option, so it is what it is.

You could try The Butcher Block in Oak Creek,they always did good for me.

Chuck Melcher wrote:

I’m not a big smoked fish eater, but hope to get up to Sturgeon Bay Monday and Tuesday, after white fish.

Let us know how you do

will do… that place in Oak Creek will be my new go to. Smoking more often, and a little less. Thanks