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Freezing fish #12406721 08/30/17 05:33 AM
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Sandblaster Offline OP
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How do you package your fish for the freezer? The way I've always done it is put the fish in a ziplock bag and then fill up with water and put them in the freezer.
Just looking for new ways to package my fish, I know some people use vacuum seal.
Does anyone have any experience with using a vacuum seal to package fish and how did it work?

Last edited by Sandblaster; 08/30/17 05:34 AM.

"It has been said that the Lord does not count the days spent fishing against your total allotment."
Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406746 08/30/17 10:00 AM
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HOGON Offline
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We use Ziplock Freezer Bags.

We do not fill it up with water.

We have the Fillets in a water filled turkey roaster prior to bagging them.

We grab a handful of fillets about a 1/4 bag full. We do not fill the bags up.

Water will be with them when you pull the fillets out of the water filled turkey roaster.

We force out all of the air in the bag, seal the bag, and put them in the freezer.

You could write the date on the bag, but we don't keep ours long enough to need to do that.

Hope that helps.

Last edited by HOGON; 08/30/17 10:01 AM.
Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406775 08/30/17 11:27 AM
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We went from water block freezing to vacuum packing and did not look back. Freeze them individually and vacuum pack. Fillets taste fresh years later.


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Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406787 08/30/17 11:48 AM
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Clean and wash filets.
Place on Teflon baking sheet and semi-freeze
Place semi-frozen filets in vacuum seal bag
Evacuate air and seal bag. Date bag
Place in freezer.

I pre-freeze to eliminate wasting bags or fish from a wet seal.

Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406837 08/30/17 01:22 PM
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RODS454 Offline
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Vacuum seal for me. My machine has a setting to remove moisture. Works great. Best gift my wife has given me.


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Re: Freezing fish [Re: Gamblinman] #12406859 08/30/17 01:51 PM
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BrazosRiverTom Offline
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Originally Posted By: Gamblinman
Clean and wash filets.
Place on Teflon baking sheet and semi-freeze
Place semi-frozen filets in vacuum seal bag
Evacuate air and seal bag. Date bag
Place in freezer.

I pre-freeze to eliminate wasting bags or fish from a wet seal.


What he said but it you do not have Teflon baking sheets, line them with wax paper, then freeze. The reason for pre freeze is so the machine will not draw water out of the fish and cause the machine to quit working or a poor bag seal. I usually freeze my individual fish fillets spread out in a single layer only till just frozen and peels off the wax paper easily.

Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406874 08/30/17 02:18 PM
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where's my bobber? Offline
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We vacuum seal as well. It makes for more room in the freezer than the ice block freezer bag way.

Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406876 08/30/17 02:20 PM
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I lay my filets flat on Saran wrap four to a layer, two layers, and wrap the ends. Put in quart freezer bags. Have been doing this for years and they keep really well. Found a two year old pack a while back and they were fine when I thawed em.

Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406916 08/30/17 03:04 PM
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Vacuum Sealer! I rinse mine all of...then put as many as I want in the bag. I double seal both ends. Takes air out as it seals. Put date and # of fillets on the bag and into the freezer.

One tip on water when vacuum sealing: I put a rolled up paper towel in the bag...between the fillets and where it will seal the bag. This way, as the air leaves and water heads toward the sealer...it is absorbed by the paper towel. Saves all the water from collecting in the tray of the sealer:

This is the one I have, but I don't think they make it any more.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/828030/foodsaver-gamesaver-sport-plus-vacuum-packaging-kit


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Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406937 08/30/17 03:22 PM
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My sealer was only about $35 and worth way more. Have to make sure most of the water from rinsing the fillets is gone by laying on paper towels since the water gets sucked out by the vacuum and it won't seal properly. Put month caught and # of what kind of fish with marker. Keeps the meat good for 9-12 months as compared to 2-3 months when I used ziplocks.

Eric

Re: Freezing fish [Re: Duck_Jerky] #12406968 08/30/17 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: Duck_Jerky
Vacuum Sealer! I rinse mine all of...then put as many as I want in the bag. I double seal both ends. Takes air out as it seals. Put date and # of fillets on the bag and into the freezer.

One tip on water when vacuum sealing: I put a rolled up paper towel in the bag...between the fillets and where it will seal the bag. This way, as the air leaves and water heads toward the sealer...it is absorbed by the paper towel. Saves all the water from collecting in the tray of the sealer.


THIS. Exactly how I do it. Got tired of having fish with freezer burn and bought the Food Saver years ago. It has paid for itself many times over. Your paper towel method is what I use and that's because the instructions included with the Food Saver suggested that method.

I write on the bags with a sharpie BEFORE I fill and seal them. Writing on a flat surface is oh so much easier.


Fishin' to stock Lake Crisco.
Re: Freezing fish [Re: RODS454] #12406971 08/30/17 03:53 PM
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Originally Posted By: RODS454
My machine has a setting to remove moisture. Works great.


Can you tell me which model you have? I'd love to have that feature.

Thanks,

Greg


Fishin' to stock Lake Crisco.
Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12406985 08/30/17 04:04 PM
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FoodSaver bag sealer. Model FM5480. I believe she bought it at Costco. It has a button for dry or moist food. The catch try has metal rods on the bottom so if it gets to much water it shuts it off to let you know it's time to empty it.


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Re: Freezing fish [Re: erittmueller] #12406987 08/30/17 04:06 PM
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PKfishin Offline
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I think I'm going to get a vacuum sealer. There are times when I am just laying crappie and right now I freeze those but they start to degrade after 4-6 months.


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Re: Freezing fish [Re: Sandblaster] #12407007 08/30/17 04:21 PM
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BrazosRiverTom Offline
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I quit buying the high dollar Food Saver Vacuum Sealers as I have had 4 and all four have quit working within a month. I bought the Seal A Meal and it has been working for 2 years. I still use the Food Saver bags though. Unfortunately Seal A Meal quit making the sealer that will let you vacuum containers, etc. So if the one I am using quits I will have to buy another brand. If you only want to seal bags, the Seal A Meal unit is a cheap way to go, so you can afford to order bags on line. I make my gallon bags, but for the quart size I buy the Food Saver 44 to a box on Amazon, good value.

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