How To Thaw Fish

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

You buy frozen fish and all you have to do is defrost it and cook it. So what is the best way to defrost fish?

How to thaw fish?

The main concern when thawing frozen fish is safety. By this we mean minimizing the growth of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It turns out that the most effective way to defrost fish it is also the safest.

Please note that we assume that your fish is frozen on the market and sealed under vacuum. This includes individual portions, whether fish steaks or fillets, and even whole fish such as tilapia or trout. There are two favorites the method of thawing frozen fish and who you will use depends mainly on how much time you have.

Thaw fish in the refrigerator

Absolutely the best way to thaw fish is to do it in the refrigerator overnight. Just transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator before going to bed and it will be ready for cooking the next day.

If your fish is sealed under vacuum, you don't have to worry about it spilling. You can simply place it on a plate or tray or even directly on the refrigerator shelf. Then, when you are ready to cook the fish, open it, rinse the fish and dry it with paper towels and everything is ready.

The reason this defrost method The best part is that it ensures that the fish are never warm enough to give the food bacteria a chance to multiply. The main drawback is forgetting to take it out of the freezer the night before. If the pieces are thin enough, you may be able to get out in the morning if you plan to prepare it for dinner.

Thawing fish in cold water

The next best way, and much faster, is to thaw the fish in cold water. Again, assuming your fish is sealed in a moisture-proof package, simply place the fish in a shallow bowl in the sink, fill it with water and let the faucet run a little so that a slight stream of water flows into the container. And make sure the water is cold, not warm and definitely not hot.

As it completely envelops the fish, the cold water will thaw it faster than the cold air in the refrigerator. And even a small stream of water will lead to a slight convection effect, which will significantly speed up the process. This technique should take no more than 30 minutes, although you can check it after 20 to see how it works. As before, after thawing, open the package, rinse the fish and dry it with paper towels.

You can also combine the water method of defrosting food with the method of the refrigerator. Just dip the package in water in a large bowl and transfer everything to the refrigerator. This will take a little longer than the running water method, but still much faster than the ordinary refrigerator method. The advantage is that by leaving it in the refrigerator, you minimize the risk of bacteria.

But whatever you do, don't immerse the fish in water unless it's sealed in plastic. This will lead to overwetting. If it is not already sealed, seal it in a plastic bag before immersing it.

How NOT to thaw fish?

There really is no reason to try anything else between these two methods. But in case you are tempted, remember that thawing in warm water or on the hob at room temperature are not suitable options. Both methods can pose a risk to food safety. And warm water can cause unwanted changes in texture.

And when it comes to defrosting in the microwave, this is the worst method of all. The microwave oven heats up unevenly and will eventually cook parts of the fish, while creating a risk to the safety of the product. Given that you can use the running water method for a while and defrost your fish for half an hour, there is really no reason to resort to this.

Why does frozen fish turn yellow?

One of the problems that can affect frozen fish is that once it thaws, it can have a mushy texture. This can happen if you immerse the fish directly in water, without plastic around it, as mentioned earlier. But there is another factor that can cause this, although it is quite rare.

Fish, like all living things, are made up of millions of cells and these cells contain fluid. When the fish is frozen, this liquid also freezes. If the freezing process occurs too slowly, this liquid can form ice crystals that will destroy the fish cells. When this fish is later thawed and cooked, this liquid will leak out, forming a mushy texture.

Thicker fish, as it takes them a little longer to freeze, are more likely to show this problem, although if they have been frozen properly, they should not. But assuming you thawed it properly and it happened, it's most likely caused by something that happened before you bought the fish, not by the way you thawed it.

However, when your fish is ready thawed, you can use it to prepare delicious dishes, including grilled fish, baked fish, and why not a fishpond and fish soup!