How long can you keep fish in the fridge after cooking?

In this article, we will answer the question “How long can you keep fish in the fridge after cooking?”, and how to cook fish in a rice cooker?

How long can you keep fish in the fridge after cooking?

Cooked fish or seafood will stay good for 3-4 days in the fridge. Raw fish or shellfish stored at a steady refrigerator temperature of 40 °F/4.4 °C or below lasts 1-2 days. 

How long can you keep raw fish in the freezer?

Raw fish lasts 3-8 months while shellfish lasts 3-12 months in the freezer. Cooked fish is best consumed within 3 months of frozen storage. 

Fish or shellfish stored at a steady temperature of (0 °F / -17.8 °C or less) has an indefinite shelf-life. But the organoleptic properties of the fish will gradually degrade over time. 

How to store fish in the fridge?

Wash and pat dry the fish. Shift it to a ziplock bag and place the bag on a plate filled with ice or ice packs. Top off the ziplock bag with more ice. Refrain from piling your fish fillets. Store the fish near the back of the bottom fridge shelf.

Field and market storage 

Freshly caught fish must be stored in an ice cooler. The melted ice should be allowed to escape through an open drain hole. When you are ready to transport the fish, block the drain hole. 

The fish must remain submerged in the ice or ice-cold water on the commute to your home. When buying seafood from the store, make sure the fish is spread over ice or stored in the fridge. The fish should be clean and give off a pleasant sea-like smell.

Good and bad fish

As mentioned above, the fish should look clean. It should give off a mild and pleasant odor. The eyes of the fish are the mirror to its freshness. 

Fresh fish should have clear and slightly bulging eyes. The fish should have bright red-colored gills. 

Fresh fish does not feel slimy or sticky upon touching. The fish is bad if it gives off a pungent or ammonia-like odor and has a dull color body. 

Frozen fish, thawed in the fridge 

The frozen fish should never be thawed on the counter. The safest method to thaw fish is to leave it overnight in the fridge. 

When in hurry, you can adopt thaw the fish by submerging it in a bowl full of cold water. Make sure the fish remains sealed in a resealable plastic bag. 

Find out How long does vacuum-sealed fish last at room temperature.

Inspect the storage bag for any tears or holes before submerging it in water. If the package is damaged, put it inside another freezer bag. Fish, thawed in the fridge, can be kept in the fridge for an additional 1-2 days. 

How to cook fish in a rice cooker?

Things you’ll need

  • Rice cooker
  • Whole fish or fish fillets
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Fork
  • Water or freshly prepared sauce
  • Serving bowl or plate

Instructions 

Step 1

Rinse the fish thoroughly under lukewarm water. Pat dry the fish using paper towels. If you are working with fish fillets,  make 3-4 ¼ to ½-inches slits on both sides of the fish. If you are working with whole fish, make 3 ½-inch slits on each side of the fish. 

Step 2 

To make Chinese inspired dish, season the fish using soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, cilantro. To make Cajun-style fish, season the fish with cayenne pepper, chopped onions, celery and green peppers, garlic, fish stock, lemon juice, and diced tomatoes with chopped green chiles. 

Make Italian-style seasoning using tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic, thyme, and olive oil. Dry-seasoned fish needs 1-3 cups of water to be cooked in the slow cooker. The volume of the prepared sauce should be at least 1 cup to thoroughly cook the fish in it.

Step 3

Transfer the seasoned fish or fish sauce into the rice cooker. The whole fish should be done after 12 minutes if cooked on a low setting. Fully cooked fish will flake when poked near the top fin using a fork. 

Fish fillets will be done cooking after 10 minutes. The doneness is checked by flaking. Check after 5 min intervals if you are working with less than 1-inches thick fish fillets. 

Step 4

Empty the rice into the serving plate. Serve alongside veggies or baked bread. Top off with lemon slices and herbs like fresh parsley, thyme, oregano, cilantro, or ginger.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “How long can you keep fish in the fridge after cooking?”, and how to cook fish in a rice cooker?

References

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-store-fish
https://www.livestrong.com/article/545369-how-to-cook-fish-in-a-rice-cooker/
https://www.seriouseats.com/best-way-to-store-fish-refrigerator-ice-packs

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