What to do about frozen seafood ?

[Crouton]

Hi all,
My question is this- I have frozen fish (Halibut and Salmon) whenever I thaw the halibut and cook it (BBQ grill or pan fry) it always tastes fishy, how can I rid the overly strong fishiness? It is not even close to what fresh halibut tastes like.
Suggestions would save me from tossing it out
Arne

[soussweets]

i would try a good strong lemon wine and herb bath,,, then cook it en papilote,,,,, seems to work well for me when my fish seems to smell a bit too much like fish....

[mike]

Are you wrapping well & freezing not too long. I guess thats kind of obvious but worth asking. Is the fish skin on because sometimes that will slime up & give a fishy smell, it just needs a good rinse & dry.

I find frozen fish is ok & generally keeps well & at any one time I have salmon, cod, trout, haddock, mackerell & plaice frozen & ive never noticed this fishy smell, Dont wrap in plastic.

[markface]

i have been an avid fisherman for years , and when i need to freeze fish of any kind , i make sure that i rinse it very well after its been scaled and gutted or filleted . once i have cleaned the fish and rinsed it i freeze it in zip lock bags with enough water in the bag to completely surround the meat . then remove all excess air from the bag and freeze it . the water acts to protect the fish from any bacteria that might otherwise get to it and cause a smell . it also keeps the fish from freezer burning . another thing is that the skin will quite often hold a good bit of slime in it . i use a scotch bright scrubbing pad on the skin of any fish i freeze . by lightly scrubbing the skin under running water you can remove any excess slime from it .

[miahoyhoy]

My main question is at what point did you freeze the fish?

If it was purchased then set in the frifge for a day or two then frozen here is the problem.

If it was purchased frozen, was it from a reputable fishmonger or the grocery store?

Less reputable sources tend to freeze their "fresh" fish after it's been in the case a couple of days and sell it frozen.

Also, how long was it frozen. Unless your freezer goes down to absolute 0 the fish can and will slowly decompose.

lates,
Jon

[Chefb2057]

I worked for a chef that rarely used frozen fish, but when the event came up about how we should freeze the stuff his solution was simple "Brine" he would have us make up a simple brine dip the fish fillets, place on trays in the freezer until almost frozen and then re dip and wrap them. I found that the salt water acted as a barrier after it was wrapped and kept the fish remarkably fresh. We often used said filets for bouliabasse or other ragout type items.

Good Luck

[Crouton]

Thanks gang, I will try some of the suggestions.
I don't know how the fish was handled but I think it was frozen very fresh with the skin on and in plastic bags.

[chef from va]

i havent tried it but i have heard and seen people use milk to kill the fishyness. again i am not sure what method of cooking they use though. if you are an iron chef fan Sakai has done it a few times (btw he never lost a seafood battle). it might be worth checking out some of the iron chef stuff for some info.

[Kent Wang]

All those freezing tips sound very clever! I'll check it out.

As for removing the fishy taste when cooking, classic Chinese remedies include ginger and rice wine. Ginger seems to be the most effective without also flavoring the fish very much.

[mudbug]

Kent,

If you can purchase fresh fish, freeze it yourself by putting it in a zip lock freezer bag with enough water to cover the surface area of the fish by about a half inch. You can put it in a small pan to help with the shape.

This is the best way I have found to freeze fresh fish - tried and true. It prevents freezer burn and odors. The texture is as good as the day it was caught.

There is also plenty of information regarding methods for dealing with your original question including the following:

Thaw frozen fish in milk. The milk draws out the frozen taste and provides a fresh-caught flavor.

add 2 tablespoons of vinegar (any variety) to 2 cups of water, then simmer it in a small saucepan while the fish is cooking

Soak fish in 1/4 cup vinegar, lemon juice or wine and water before cooking it for a sweet tender taste

If fish smells a little "fishy," place fish in a shallow dish; add enough milk, blended with a tablespoon or two of fresh lemon juice, to cover. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour. Do not leave the fish in the milk bath for longer than an hour, because the lactic acid in the milk will break down the connective tissue in the fish and it will tend to fall apart when cooked. Drain fish, pat dry on paper towels and use as desired. This can often salvage fish that you have kept a bit too long before using.

Recipe Goldmine