Putting Food By - Janet Greene [117]
Small whole fish—under ½ pound—may be defrosted just enough to separate them before they’re fried (without crumbs or batter coating) or broiled on a greased broiler.
Fish fillets and steaks are baked or poached from the frozen state; they’re partially defrosted before boiling or frying (without crumbs or batter coating).
Shellfish and fish for stews, chowders, and Newburgs are cooked still frozen.
Freezing Large Whole Fish
Dress (clean) as above, removing the head if you wish.
Pack and seal. Freeze-glaze with ice. Wrap snugly with moisture/vapor-proof covering, using the butcher wrap or drugstore fold—then overwrap or place in a plastic freezer bag for security. Seal. Label; store in freezer.
Freezing Small Whole Fish
Dress as for large whole fish, leaving on heads if you like.
Pack and seal. Small whole fish are most often packed in rigid containers with added cold water to fill crevices between the fish. Hold the lid tightly on the container with freezer tape wrapped around the rim, and overwrap with moisture/vapor-proof freezer paper or foil, using the butcher wrap or drugstore fold. Seal.
For easy separation in thawing, individual small fish may be enclosed in a household plastic bag or other clear wrapping before going into the rigid freezer containers. Proceed with overwrap, and seal.
Sport fishermen often freeze their catch covered with water in large bread pans or the like, the whole thing sealed in a freezer bag, and frozen. When solid, the block of fish-in-ice is removed from the pan and tightly wrapped in moisture/vapor-proof material, using either the butcher wrap or drugstore fold, or sealed in a plastic freezer bag. Label; store in freezer.
Freezing Fish Fillets and Steaks
Dress and cut up strictly fresh fish. Treat Fat fish pieces with the ascorbic-acid dip, or Lean fish pieces with the brine dip. Pieces may also be glazed with ice before wrapping.
Pack and seal. Fill rigid containers with layers of fillets or steaks, dividing layers with double sheets of freezer wrap for easy separation when frozen. Cover and seal.
For even greater odor prevention, overwrap the container with sheet freezer material, using the butcher wrap or drugstore fold or seal in a plastic freezer bag.
Layers of fillets and steaks may also be wrapped in bundles and sealed instead of going into rigid containers; the bundles are overwrapped or placed in a plastic Freezer bag and sealed. Label; freeze.
Freezing Fish Roe
Roe is more perishable than the rest of the fish, so it should be frozen and stored separately from the fish. Carefully wash each set of roe from strictly fresh fish and prick the covering membrane in several places with a sterilized fine needle. Treat the roe with an ascorbic-acid dip, even though it may come from a Lean fish.
Pack and seal. Wrap each set of roe closely in lightweight plastic for easy separation when frozen, smoothing out all air. Pack in flat layers in rigid containers and seal; then overwrap the containers in moisture/ vapor-proof material, using the butcher wrap or drugstore fold or place in a plastic freezer bag. Seal. Label; freeze. (Sharp-freeze at −20 F/ −29 C; store at Zero F/−18 C or below for not more than 3 months before using.)
Freezing Eels
Skin the eel. Tie a stout cord tightly around the fish below the head and secure the end of the cord to a strong, fixed support (a post or whatever). About 3 inches behind the head, cut completely through the skin around the body of the eel, necklace fashion. Grip the cut edge of the skin with pliers and pull it downward, removing the entire skin inside out.
Remove the entrails; wash the eel. Cut in fillets or in the more usual steak-type rounds. Because eel is a Fat fish, treat the pieces with an ascorbic-acid dip. Pack as for fillets or steaks of other fish, above. Seal. Label; freeze.
Freezing Crab and Lobster Meat
Cook crabs and lobsters as described fully in “Canning Seafood,” Chapter 11. Rinse and cool under drinkable running water; pick the meat carefully, removing all bits of