# freezing fillets



## fishin109

I was wondering what is the best way to freeze your fish after you fillet them


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## KaGee

Well, i used to put them in a zip lock bag, fill it with water and freeze.

Now, I just got a food saver and will vacuum seal from here forward.


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## jonnythfisherteen2

freeze them in water if you don't have a vacuum seal. I like to salt the water a bit. it leaves the fish a bit firm when it comes out the water.


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## fishin109

I have been freezing them in water in zip lock bags. You add salt to the water you freeze them in or to the water you put the fillets in when you clean them? I need to try and talk my wife into letting me get a vacuum sealer


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## BassBlaster

Vac seal. Ive eaten fish and deer that have been vac sealed for 3 years or better and its always as fresh as the day it was frozen. Watch the Food Saver website, they have deals all the time. We had an original that broke after 10 plus years. Happened onto the site while they were having a sale and got a new replacement for around 50 bucks shipped!!

The trick to vac sealing fish is to get the fillets really clean. Then I pat them dry with a paper towel and put them in the freezer on a cookie sheet to firm them up. They dont need to be frozen, just really firm. At this point you can bag em up and seal em and they will last a very long time!! If you dont firm them up in the freezer first, the machine sucks moisture and dosnt get all the air out before sealing the package.


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## saugmon

Foodsaver vac sealer. Beware of the other brand names except maybe the cabelas series. Last years fillets still look like the day I put them in the freezer.

Cabelas runs a sale every spring on 50' rolls of their vac seal bags for $17. That's cheapest by far per sq foot compared to foodsaver and walmart brand vac bags.


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## JohnPD

I freeze mine in water in a ziplock bag


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## CRAPPIECOMMANDER

Another vote for the Vac Seal, the best and cheapest bags I have found are at Menards.


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## Misdirection

Vaccum seal has my vote as well. I bought by sealer and bags at an Ace Hardware. The sealer was $50 and it wasn't even on sale. 

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## jonnythfisherteen2

I salt the water when the fish goes in the freezer. also, to further keep the fish in edible condition, thaw them slowly in cold water. don't rush it, as you will get a very hard lesson in thawing fish. it will get mushy on you and fall apart in the the oil.


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## erik

friend of mine told me about filing freezer bag with water and freeze them-so i tried it and it does work and they wont get freezer burned. just make sure u get all the air out of bag


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## Misdirection

erik said:


> friend of mine told me about filing freezer bag with water and freeze them-so i tried it and it does work and they wont get freezer burned. just make sure u get all the air out of bag


I used to do it this way as well (pre vacuum sealer). If you add a touch of milk to the water, they will last longer...

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## hang_loose

I'm curious why the touch of milk would help???


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## ebijack

I have a vac/sealer but I prefer Ziploc, a bit of water, squeeze most of it out with all the air, then wrap in foil. For me it works as good as the vac/sealer but is easier to deal with since I'm right there rinsing them off.


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## Misdirection

hang_loose said:


> I'm curious why the touch of milk would help???


As of was explained to me, the proteins in the milk help keep the fish fresher...I've tried it and it does seem to work.

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## sherman51

I've always just filled a zip lock bag with salt water or used freezer boxes. and after they are frozen check for any meat that's not covered by water add water if needed to make sure all fish is totally covered. next yr I might try a vac/sealer. I bought an 85 qt freezer for our 2 week trip this july and where we froze the fish in the little freezer we had a hard time getting the fish out to put in our house freezer. and the little freezer filled up after about a week of fishing then we had to put our fish on ice in coolers. if I had been using a vac/sealer it would have just gave us much more room in the freezer.
sherman


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## fishngolf

Fill the bag about 3/4 way with water (and salt and milk or whatever), Then zip almost all the way except about a 1/2" squeeze bag gently until all air is out (some water comes out) and zip. This will make some room for expansion, be careful putting bags in door, they will expand and you wont be able to get them out.


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## boss302

If all things were = vac dealing wins for the space savings! It does take a bit longer and does cost a bit more, but for me vac seal is the best way, and I don't need to add milk or salt to combat mushy fillets. If you are going to freeze in water, use a deep freeze if you have one as opposed to regular kitchen fridge/freezer. Anything you can do to minimize the time the meat is soaking in liquid water will help with the mushies.

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## perchjerk

I'm a vac sealer man. If you have problems with moisture keeping you from getting a good seal, try this. Take a paper towel and cut it abot a 1/2 inch less than your bags width. Next fold it a few times in one inch sections.. Place in bag above fish. The moisture will be drawn into the paper towel and not get to the sealing element. I also back the bag out a 1/2 inch and reseal again.


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## Walleye 3

Vac sealer is the way to go. I flash freeze the fillets first then dip them in water, the water sticks and freezes to the fillet. Then I load them into vac bags and seal the ends twice. No freezer burn problems at all. They last a long time and stack very nice.

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## ezbite

dry ice 

I like the ziplock bag method. but lay them on a sheet pan while freezing and you can stack them when frozen.


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## viper1

Still do mine the old way. Froze in ice. No freezer burn when there is no air. Tried the seal a meal for a year and went back to ice. Always fresh and no burn. You don't fix what 's not broke.

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## Reel Magic

I agree with Viper, Ice


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## Saugeye Tom

YOU GUY's really eat the fish? LOL I am 51 and can remember grandpa freezing the fish in milk cartons when we went to Canada as a kid. I still freeze it in ziplocs with all the air removed. Tom


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## Snyd

I freeze mine in a zip lock back filled with water and a little salt.


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