Madeline Adams
Did you take too much-smoked salmon with you the last time you went shopping and now you have some left over? Now the question arises: Can you freeze smoked salmon? The simple answer is yes. However, there are a few things you should be aware of when freezing smoked salmon.
Salmon and smoked salmon are popular delicacies – not only at Christmas time. Smoked salmon will keep in the fridge for about two weeks unopened. However, you should not store an opened pack for long, but consume it the next day at the latest.
If you miscalculate when shopping or planning your meal, you may end up with more leftover smoked salmon than you thought. So the question is, can you freeze the smoked salmon and thaw it at a later time?
Can you freeze smoked salmon?
In short: Yes, in principle this is possible without any problems. But only if you keep a few points in mind. Smoked salmon is a sensitive food that can easily harbor dangerous bacteria and germs.
Store smoked salmon in the freezer
The sell-by date is approaching and you would like to keep your smoked salmon longer? In this case, that’s not a good idea! You should only freeze smoked salmon if it is still well away from the use-by date.
- It is important that you freeze smoked salmon as fresh as possible.
- If possible, you should freeze the smoked salmon in the original packaging. If the package has already been opened, you should pack the salmon as airtight as possible to prevent freezer burn. Freezer bags with zip closures, from which the air can be pressed before sealing, are well suited.
- Smoked salmon will keep for three to four months in the freezer.
- The optimal temperature in the freezer for freezing smoked salmon (and fish in general) is -18 degrees.
- Label the smoked salmon with the current date before placing it in the freezer.
- Thawed smoked salmon should be consumed quickly and not refrozen.
- Frozen smoked salmon is less suitable for eating raw and more for warm dishes such as pasta sauces or risotto.
- You can also freeze gravlax without any problems.
Smoked salmon tested: Which salmon should I buy?
We tested smoked salmon from aquaculture (i.e. farmed salmon) and smoked wild salmon. We had all products checked for undesirable ingredients in the laboratory. Among other things, it was about heavy metals such as cadmium, lead or mercury and about germ contamination.
Our smoked salmon test shows: the ingredients are often great, the taste not so much. animal welfare? That’s a longer story. In a nutshell, dealing with salmon is no better than factory farming on land. Disgusting: A few products contained a relatively large number of dead small worms.
Gently defrost the smoked salmon again
Smoked salmon should be thawed as gently as possible. The best way to thaw frozen smoked salmon is to place it in the refrigerator overnight. This keeps it structured and consistent.
If the thawed smoked salmon smells unpleasant, it is better to dispose of it. Even if you discover gray spots or a smear layer, the fish is (unfortunately) a case for the bin. There is a risk of food poisoning from spoiled or germ-infested salmon – a risk you should avoid at all costs.
