How to Store Fresh Seafood at Home

Fresh seafood tastes best when it is cooked on the day you buy it, but that is not always possible. With the right storage, you can keep fish and prawns fresh and safe for a day or two in the fridge, or for weeks in the freezer. Here is how to store fresh seafood at home.

First, Check Your Fish

As soon as your seafood arrives, check it. It should smell clean and mild, look bright and feel firm and cold. If anything seems off, contact the seller straight away — do not store fish you are unsure about and eat it later.

Storing Fish in the Fridge

Fresh fish keeps for one to two days in the fridge. Keep it in the coldest part of the fridge, ideally on a plate or in a container, and cover it loosely. If you have ice, place the fish on a bed of ice in a container, cover it, and drain the melted water from time to time. Always keep fish away from cooked food and other foods that are ready to eat.

Storing Prawns in the Fridge

Prawns should also be kept cold and used within one to two days. Keep them in a covered container in the coldest part of the fridge. If they were delivered on ice, keep them on the ice and drain the water as it melts.

Freezing Fresh Seafood

If you will not cook your seafood within a day or two, freezing is the best option. Freeze it as soon as possible, while it is still fresh, and never freeze fish that is already past its best.

How to Freeze Fish Properly

Pat the fish dry and wrap each portion tightly in cling film or a freezer bag.
Squeeze out as much air as you can before sealing the bag.
Label the bag with the type of fish and the date.
Lay the bags flat in the freezer so they freeze quickly and stack neatly.

Fish and prawns keep well in the freezer for a few months. The sooner you use them, the better they will taste.

Thawing Frozen Seafood

The safest way to thaw seafood is in the fridge overnight. Put the frozen fish in a container to catch any drips, and move it to the fridge the night before you plan to cook it. If you are short on time, put the sealed bag in a bowl of cold water and change the water every half hour. Never thaw seafood at room temperature, and never refreeze seafood once it has thawed — cook it instead.

Storing Cooked Seafood

Leftover cooked fish or prawns should be cooled quickly, covered and kept in the fridge, and eaten within a day. Reheat them gently and make sure they are heated right through before eating.

A Few Storage Mistakes to Avoid

Do not leave fresh seafood in a warm kitchen or in the car.
Do not store raw fish next to ready-to-eat food.
Do not keep fish in the fridge for longer than two days.
Do not refreeze thawed seafood.

A Final Word

Good storage is simple: keep seafood cold, use it quickly, and freeze it if you need more time. Follow these steps and your fish will be as fresh as the day it arrived. If you would like fresh seafood delivered to your door, message Karachi Seafood on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/923203921038.