Fresh salmon is good for you as well as delicious. It contains essential fats and lots of nutrition so it is no wonder this fish is a staple meal for the health-conscious. But how do you ensure you always have salmon on hand at home?
Can You Freeze Salmon?
Yes, you can freeze salmon for up to 2 months. You can either freeze whole salmon fillets or you can freeze salmon in a mousse or terrine form.
Do Does Salmon freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Salmon? No
How To Freeze Salmon
Freezing salmon is fairly easy but it does need doing properly to ensure the fish doesnāt spoil. Just follow these instructions for beautifully frozen salmon.
- Fillet and Prepare: If your fish isnāt prepared then you should fillet and prep the salmon before freezing.
- Wrap: Wrap the salmon in a double layer of cling film to keep it airtight.
- Prepare Bag: Prepare a freezer bag by labelling it with the name of the contents and the date.
- Bag Up: Pop your wrapped salmon into the bag and seal it tightly. If you can squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing.
- Freeze: Pop it into the freezer. It is as easy as this!
How to Freeze Salmon Mousse
Salmon mousse is a delicacy that can be enjoyed any time of year, although it is often kept for special occasions. If you are preparing for a dinner party or you just have leftovers you can freeze salmon mousse.
To freeze just pop it into an airtight, freezer container, label and then freeze. Just beware that the texture and taste might change a little after it has thawed out. The mousse might even separate out and require re-blending or mixing before eating.
If You donāt mind this change then there is no reason not to try and freeze your leftover salmon mousse!
How to Freeze Salmon Terrine
Salmon terrine is another favourite for dinner parties and you can save yourself time later by prepping salmon terrine and freezing it. Just prep the terrine, wrap well in cling film and then freeze in a suitable container or freezer bag.
You will need to allow yourself plenty of time for the terrine to defrost slowly to avoid too much texture change.
Add any garnish after defrosting and you should have a beautiful terrine that is ready to serve.
3 Tips for Freezing Salmon
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing salmon to have the best results:
Write Clear Labels
If you have frozen other fish varieties then make sure you write clear labels so you can easily grab the right type of fish when you want it. Trying to tell the difference between frozen trout and salmon is tough.
Use Good Quality Bags
The last thing you want is for your freezer to stink of fish. Before you know it, you’ve got ice cubes, vegetables and fruit all smelling like fish. Instead, make sure you use good-quality bags.
Freeze Portions Individually
To make it easier to grab a portion at a time, make sure you freeze each fillet individually. That way you can grab one, two or three fillets at any one time.
How Long Can You Freeze Salmon?
Salmon is a fatty fish and these donāt tend to keep as long as leaner fishes when frozen.
As such you should be looking to use your salmon within about two months of freezing. After this, you might find the texture changes too much and it could taste freezer burned.
Salmon can be kept in the fridge for around 2 to 3 days or up until the use-by date on the packaging.
How Do You Defrost Salmon?
When it comes to defrosting salmon you should allow plenty of time for it to thaw out fully. No one wants to end up sick from spoiled salmon!
To thaw it out simply take the salmon out of the freezer and pop it into a bowl in the fridge. This will then allow the salmon to thaw out fully and slowly.
Some store-bought salmon can be cooked from frozen but make sure you check the instructions on the packaging and donāt try this with fresh salmon you froze yourself.
Can You Refreeze Salmon?
Fish has a bit of a bad reputation for causing stomach bugs but you can avoid this by not refreezing any fish, including salmon.
If you refreeze and thaw out for a second time then you are in danger of the fish spoiling and causing people to get ill.
Does Salmon Freeze Well?
Salmon is a fish that does freeze very well. You shouldnāt notice too much of a difference in taste or texture as long as you have frozen it well and kept it airtight.
In some cases, it is recommended to choose to freeze your salmon over keeping it in the fridge! This is because the salmon will start to degrade as soon as it is caught and if you can freeze the salmon quickly you lock in more of the nutrients.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing salmon or salmon in general, then these may help:
Yes, salmon can be frozen without any precooking. Each salmon fillet should be wrapped in cling film before it is bagged up and then frozen for up to 2 months.
It is perfectly safe to freeze salmon. As it is quite a meaty fish, it withstands the freezer well so is a good fish to freeze.
