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Q:
This is a question of how to put up fish in the freezer. In my experiance Speckled trout, white trout, weakfish do not freeze well. They seem to be mushy when you thaw them. Any advice to avoid this is appreciated. Im sure Santa has the answer but anyones comments are welcome.
Question by GERG. Uploaded on September 04, 2011
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Answers (7)
I use the half-gallon milk containers and freeze the fish in water. They seem to be quite fresh and solid when thawed out.
Sarge01 beat me to it. Freezing white trout or any fish for that matter, in water helps a whole lot to keep them from being too mushy when thawed. White trout are a very soft meated fish to start with and must be put on ice as soon as they are caught. Even though white trout and specks look simular, the meat on a speck is firmer. Specks can be put on stringers and just left in the water while you are fishing. With specks I like to quick freeze fillets that have been rolled twice in flour and then laid on a cookie sheet. After they are frozen I put them in a freezer bag and back in the freezer. The flour coating is to prevent freezer burn and keep them from sticking too each other. It can be washed off before cooking or left on depending on your cooking preference.
PS, I have an old chest freezer with a quick freeze section at one end. To put a double coating of flour on something such as fish, first dip it in ice water then into the flour, then back into the ice water and back into the flour. This makes a nice flour seal on the item. I do this three times but with seasoning added to the flour to make my fried onion rings which seem to go well with fried fish, hush puppies, and sodie pop with da foam on top. (just please don't tell my cardiologist).
The only three methods of "putting up" fish is:
1. The santa method. I put some crappie up this spring that tasted GREAT yesterday. I put 1lb fish per qt bag, enough water to cover fish, squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze. I freeze them on a plastic cutting board to keep the pkgs flat"ish", i.e., easier to store.
2. The fish I brought back from Alaska last summer was vaccum packed and frozen. Worked very well on halibut, salmon and cod.
3. Eat 'em!!!
GERG, I'd take Beaudreaux and wet a hook somewhere close.
Bubba
I would agree with everyone above, I have frozen specks by placing a handful of fillets in a quart size freezer bag then putting enough water in the bag to cover the fish and forcing all of the air out of the bag when closing it. The fish has always come out well, I did the same with Black Sea Bass with similar results. But I would be with FirstBubba's number three, the fresher the fish the better it is.
I freeze speckled trout all the time. I use a sterlite (shoebox sized) container, fill it with water, and freeze fresh fillets in that. Reading everyone else's post it seems the most important ingredient is the water. I like the sterlites because they stack nice in my freezer.
I think the important thing is making sure no air gets to the fish.
Bubba
Thanks fellas, Thats pretty much what I do. Wanted to see if I could learn a new trick or two. That flour deal sounds interesting Santa. I have to try it.
Post an Answer
I use the half-gallon milk containers and freeze the fish in water. They seem to be quite fresh and solid when thawed out.
The only three methods of "putting up" fish is:
1. The santa method. I put some crappie up this spring that tasted GREAT yesterday. I put 1lb fish per qt bag, enough water to cover fish, squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze. I freeze them on a plastic cutting board to keep the pkgs flat"ish", i.e., easier to store.
2. The fish I brought back from Alaska last summer was vaccum packed and frozen. Worked very well on halibut, salmon and cod.
3. Eat 'em!!!
GERG, I'd take Beaudreaux and wet a hook somewhere close.
Bubba
Sarge01 beat me to it. Freezing white trout or any fish for that matter, in water helps a whole lot to keep them from being too mushy when thawed. White trout are a very soft meated fish to start with and must be put on ice as soon as they are caught. Even though white trout and specks look simular, the meat on a speck is firmer. Specks can be put on stringers and just left in the water while you are fishing. With specks I like to quick freeze fillets that have been rolled twice in flour and then laid on a cookie sheet. After they are frozen I put them in a freezer bag and back in the freezer. The flour coating is to prevent freezer burn and keep them from sticking too each other. It can be washed off before cooking or left on depending on your cooking preference.
PS, I have an old chest freezer with a quick freeze section at one end. To put a double coating of flour on something such as fish, first dip it in ice water then into the flour, then back into the ice water and back into the flour. This makes a nice flour seal on the item. I do this three times but with seasoning added to the flour to make my fried onion rings which seem to go well with fried fish, hush puppies, and sodie pop with da foam on top. (just please don't tell my cardiologist).
I would agree with everyone above, I have frozen specks by placing a handful of fillets in a quart size freezer bag then putting enough water in the bag to cover the fish and forcing all of the air out of the bag when closing it. The fish has always come out well, I did the same with Black Sea Bass with similar results. But I would be with FirstBubba's number three, the fresher the fish the better it is.
I freeze speckled trout all the time. I use a sterlite (shoebox sized) container, fill it with water, and freeze fresh fillets in that. Reading everyone else's post it seems the most important ingredient is the water. I like the sterlites because they stack nice in my freezer.
I think the important thing is making sure no air gets to the fish.
Bubba
Thanks fellas, Thats pretty much what I do. Wanted to see if I could learn a new trick or two. That flour deal sounds interesting Santa. I have to try it.
Post an Answer