A great fishing trip is usually followed by some extra work and trouble once you get home. You have all these fish, but storing it turns out to be an issue. Of course, your first task is to gut and fillet it, but then what? Most people tend to throw the fish fillet in the freezer, but this might not be the brightest idea if you do not prepare for freezer burn. Especially if you plan on storing it for more than a few days. Having your freshly caught fish ruined by your freezer is certainly not something that you want to experience.
But how do you freeze fish fillets without freezer burn? Below, we will go over two of the most popular ways to do this. One of them is quite common but requires extra equipment. The other one, however, is much simpler and easier to perform – it can even come in handy when you want to freeze all sorts of stuff without risking freezer burn.
But before we get to these two points, let’s talk about the issue we are trying to tackle here – freezer burn.
Why Does Freezer Burn Happen?
Freezer burn typically happens because the meat you are storing is exposed to air and moisture. Naturally, this means that drying off your meat and vacuuming it is the way to go. However, this is easier said than done – vacuuming requires equipment, and drying off meat can be tedious, especially when dealing with large quantities. While you may skip the former by using a different approach, there is no way to go around the latter – drying off your fish fillets is a must.
Failing to prevent freezer burn may result in your fish fillets being ruined. It can drastically change the quality of the food, form crystals, discolor meat, and even change the texture of the fillets. Needless to say, these are all things that you want to avoid at all costs. Keep in mind that freezer burn does not render food inedible – however, it will likely ruin the final dish.
Do You Need A Vacuum Sealer?
It is already clear that a plain zip bag might not do the trick. Most people prefer to rely on a vacuum sealer to freeze fish fillets without freezer burn. The machines are relatively cheap, and they come in various sizes. Of course, you will also need to spend a few cents on the little bags they use. The process is quick and easy – but costs a few dozen dollars.
While many people think that vacuum sealers are mandatory to prevent freezer burn, this is not true. There is an alternative way to freeze fish fillets without freezer burn, as well as all sorts of other meats. But before we get to that, let’s talk about how to freeze fish with a vacuum sealer.
Use a Vacuum Sealer to Freeze Fish Fillets without Freezer Burn
Let’s assume that you already have the machine and little bags ready. So, what next? Do you just throw the fillets in, and let it to do its work? No – there is some preparation that you will need to take care of first.
We already discussed the two main elements leading to freezer burn – air and moisture. Air is easy to deal with, thanks to the vacuum machine. With this out of the way, all you need to do is to prepare your fish fillets for storage. Once you have cleaned and cut them nicely, you should wash them well by using cold water – it helps to keep the meat firm. After this, pat them dry – pay extra attention to this step, as you do not want any extra moisture. Finally, pick a baggy with the correct size, and run the vacuum sealer.
We have found a highly rated inexpensive vacuum sealer, get the best price here. If you are looking to buy right and buy once, then here is a highly rated vacuum sealer with all the bells and whistles.
How to Freeze Fish Fillets without Freezer Burn and without a Vacuum Sealer
Now, if you do not wish to bother with a vacuum sealer, or you simply do not have one right now, then here is the alternative technique you have been looking for – frozen fish fillets in a block of water. This sounds simple enough, but we are not done yet – we have some valuable advice on how to perfect the process and minimize the risk of encountering any issues.
Make sure to manage portion sizes carefully because when you defrost one of the bags, you will need to cook it – refreezing it is not an option. The same applies when using a vacuum sealer – managing portions is something that you should think of in advance.
Once you have the portion figured out, pick a Ziploc bag that is slightly larger than the fish fillet you are about to store. Why? Because you want to have some space on top so that the water can nicely cover the meat. This also minimizes the risk of the meat floating out of the water. Keep in mind that you are using a Ziploc bag – you will not be able to get all the air out, so the water acts as a sealant to freeze fish fillets without freezer burn.
See also .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire for Whitetail Deer Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Whitetail Deer Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for whitetail deer hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the whitetail deer, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the whitetail deer in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a whitetail deer in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire within the ideal range of suitable calibers for whitetail deer hunting?” our answer is: No, the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Animal Species Whitetail Deer Muzzle Energy 250 foot-pounds Animal Weight 210 lbs Shot Distance 150 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire round is approximately 250 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer is approximately 210 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in whitetail deer hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for whitetail deer to be approximately 150 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the whitetail deer being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer - and to this question, the response again is no, the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting. [Click Here to Shop .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting whitetail deer to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment
Now that you have the fish fillets and the water in a bag, it is time to think of storage. One option is to use a flat surface, but this might still be a bit uncomfortable – the bags will end up freezing in weird shapes. A neat trick that can solve this is to use Tupperware or any sort of plastic container. Pick a size that somewhat matches the one of your bag of fish fillets, and stuff it inside. Make sure that there is enough water on top to cover the meat entirely.
Once it freezes, you can take it out and have a perfect block of frozen fish fillet that is 100% protected against freezer burn. This also makes it much easier to arrange and store your meat without wasting any space at all. Last but not least, make sure to tag the bags with the date on which the meat was frozen – future you will thank you for this information.
