Salted herring is a favorite snack on the festive table. However, often before the solemn event, we do not have enough time to salt a delicious fish. There are two options left, either to buy in the store and hope that a successful ambassador is caught, or to cook in advance and put in the freezer. But here the logical question arises as to whether salty herring can be frozen . Let's get it right.
What kind of fish is suitable for long-term storage
Herring is an incredibly useful product that has long been consumed by people in a variety of ways. Fresh, salty, fried, it is characterized by a large number of nutrients. Unsaturated acids Omega -3, vitamins of groups B, A, D, E, PP. But, as often happens, at that moment when you really want to eat fish, it is not at hand. Therefore, today we decided to find out whether it is possible to freeze salty herring. But before moving on to this, let us once again recall how to choose the right fish.
A good herring always has a shiny, undamaged peel of silver color. But rusty or yellow spots indicate improper storage, it is better to refrain from such a purchase. Check the carcass for resilience. If you press a high-quality carcass, it immediately straightens. The eyes should be clear and a little bulging. Gills are very informative. If they are red, then the fish is fresh. Speaking about whether it is possible to freeze salted herring, it should be noted that for harvesting for the future it is best to choose fish caught in the winter. Such instances will be the fattest and most delicious. If the fish have a wide back and rounded sides, then it is worth typing more and freezing for the future.
Prepare for storage
If you have a large freezer, you can take a batch of good fish and make preparations. Moreover, speaking about whether it is possible to freeze salty herring, it is worth noting that fresh it lies well in the freezer. To do this, rinse it, remove the insides, dry it and pack it in polyethylene or foil. If you plan to cook something in two days, you can just put it in the refrigerator. But make sure that products, especially butter, are located far away.
If you want herring to lie for several months, then you need to place it in the freezer. To do this, gut the fish, wash and dry it, pack it in bags for freezing. You can do differently. First put the fish on a tray and turn on the “super freeze” function, and then put it in packages. It is stored for a very long time and at any time you can get a fish ready for cooking.
Preliminary ambassador
Part of the purchased fish will definitely go under salting. In this case, many housewives will have a question about whether it is possible to freeze a salty herring in a freezer. Someone will argue that when defrosting, the fish will lose their taste, but practice says something completely different. In the freezer, the fish will lie in its original form, and if guests are coming to you, just boil the potatoes, and in 30-40 minutes remove it from the freezer. An appetizing, tasty and healthy dish is ready.
How to freeze salted herring
To do this, you will need to prepare a delicious pickle and put the fish you bought in it for several days. Ready carcasses should be cut into pieces and placed in a food-grade plastic container. If you want to leave the portion for food, you can pour the pieces with oil and put them in the compartment of the refrigerator compartment. In this form, it will completely stand for 2-3 days.
Clean all fish that you do not plan to eat in the near future in the freezer. Do not listen to friends who doubt whether it is possible to freeze salted herring. This method is not new at all. In Russia, you can often find on sale frozen gutted slightly salted herring. It is harvested directly on ships after fishing, by dry salting, and then frozen in a dry way. Such a fish is very tasty, but capricious in terms of storage, it does not tolerate repeated freezing, so if you do not plan to eat immediately, clean immediately in the freezer.
What to look for
During storage, the fish gains a concentration of salt due to freezing of the liquid. To prevent this from happening, it is important to pack the herring tightly in polyethylene. There you can add a little brine. If you worry that it will become too salty, then make the ambassador less concentrated.
In general, because of salt, it does not freeze into stone, so it does not lose anything in taste. If someone claims that after defrosting the fish will become soft and loose, it means that he did not try to do this even once, or thawed it under the influence of high temperatures.
Defrost
We asked experts, food process engineers, whether salted herring can be stored in the freezer. It turns out that if you properly prepare the ambassador, thoroughly clean the fish from the insides and dry it, and then freeze it in a high-quality freezer, then you will not cause any damage to the product. You are guaranteed to get a tasty and healthy snack at any time, you just need to serve it correctly on the table.
And here, many make a mistake. In an effort to bring the fish to the table faster, it is thawed in warm water, put on a battery or trying to warm in the microwave. This cannot be done. When removing herring from the freezer, you need to rearrange it on the lower shelf of the refrigerator so that it gradually moves away. Only then can it be laid out on a dish where it will finally warm up. If you are looking for situations where you need to quickly get a snack, then freeze the fish in thin slices. They can be immediately poured onto a plate and sprinkled with oil. While you are preparing the main course, the pieces will become usable.
Is it just herring
Another logical question is whether it is possible to freeze salted herring and mackerel, as well as pickled, smoked and other fish. Specialists in the field of catering and experienced housewives say that in this way you can save almost any fish. However, it is highly advisable that your freezer supports the function of shock or quick freezing, and defrosting is very delicate. Do not forget that each fish should be packed in an individual plastic bag. Greasy and delicious mackerel is great for these purposes. It will become not just a snack, but the crown of your feast, and then the guests will ask for a long time how you thought of pickling the mackerel right before their arrival.
Instead of a conclusion
Storing salted herring in the freezer is a great solution for a busy person. At any time, if you want to cook a delicious salad or just treat yourself to potatoes and fish, you just get it out of the freezer. It makes no difference to salt one herring or a dozen, so you save time. It remains to choose a favorite recipe for yourself, try it and constantly delight the family with a delicious dish.