Freezer Burn

[WEEZER]

I just tried to cook the last pack of salmon from the fall run and I was really Po'ed to find it freezer burned and really nasty. I then inspected some walleyes that I caught last week and they are also getting freezer burned!!!!!!
Generally I just put them in a zip lock bag and squeeze as much of the air out as possible. I have used freezer paper in the past and they freezer burned fairly quickly as well. can anyone give me any methods that will keep my fillets in good shape for a month or two? What's the longest they will keep with your method? Thanks ~Rick
PS I usually don't fish to fill my freezer but in the case of the walleyes the only time I get them is in the winter since I'm a crazed steelhead and trout freak!

SEE ya on the river....

[Blaketrout]

Try putting some water in your Freezer Zip Locks. I usually put the fillets in, fill with water, squeeze all the air out and freeze. I also freeze fillets with the skin on. The skin seems to help keep the fillets from fallin apart, plus it's a lot easier to skin the fillets after they've been frozen.

[fishon]

Usually I will use two layers of suran wrap and then freezer paper on top of that. This works pretty well for me and keeps my game from getting freezer burned for about a year. Usually in September I will clean out the freezer and take inventory of what I have left and if their is any vension or steel head or salmon I will have a wild game party and cook everything up. It always keeps for me. I have tried the water in the freezer bag and it works really well, but it takes up alot of room in the freezer and is a pain is the but to thaw out. I also have one of the vacum sealer's you see on TV once in awhile. That works extremlly well but it is slow.

Good luck
Russ

[Steve]

Yes, the water in the bag thing has worked well for me. That has been passed down for generations in my family.

[Seldom]

Yup, water in the Ziploc. I haven't found anything better over the years. If you still get freezer-burn, you left air in the bag!

[WEEZER]

Russ, how expensive are those vacum sealers?
Are the Bags easy to find?

[SalmonSlayer]

Hey guys, any ideas on freezing whole salmon and trout. I'm talking about gutting the fish, cutting off all fins and head and tail and leaving the skin on. What I've done in the past is to simply place them in a large plastic trash bag and wrap it around several times. Then this is wrapped with freezer tape and placed in common bread bags. If the fish is too long for 1 bread bag, I put another on from the opposite end and tape the two together.

Would it be better to fillet the fish? Don't you lose a lot of meat when filleting a salmon? Maybe it is time for me to change the way I prepare and freeze my fish.

Ben

[Gordie B]

Wheezer, I own the Foodsaver ($149 off tv) and it's the best. It's pump is powerful and fast. It has precut bags and rolls which allows packaging whole fish. I used to do the water in the ziplock, but always wanted a vacuum sealer. If you freeze alot of stuff (not just fish), it's well worth it!

Good Luck!

[Raptor_Man]

yes water in the zip lock i have done this for many years and only a few times has it got freezer burn a great way too store fish

[rivrat]

put the fillets in a ziploc bag and cover the fillets with water then sqeeze out the air and freeze. this also has worked for me, for many years.

[dukslayer]

4 your panfish filets cut the top off a milk carton put in filets fill with water to cover an frezze works great

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[Steve]

Yes, the ice around the fish makes all the difference in the world.