Freezing fish fillets for the obsessive-compulsive angler

It is a Vacmaster 112. I got it in Tigard at a business that did online sales.  I can't remember the name, but I think they went out of business.  They had a great special at the Sportsman's Show (I think) two years ago and rather than ordering online, I went into their "storefront" and played with one, then bought it.  Plus they gave me 20 % off on the bags when I mentioned their Ifish Sportsmen's special, so they were actually less than 4 cents for the 1000 8 X 12 sized bags. I picked these, because that was roughly the size of Food Saver bag I was making for 1 - 2 pounds of fish/bag. I also bought 500 11 x 14 inch bags for about 7 cents per bag.  That is the max size the Vacmaster 112 can hold. That is what the salmon heads and carcasses go in for crab bait.  It was weird when I first started doing that for crab bait then I realized ziplocks were more expensive.

When you vacuum pack salt, it is so hard it becomes a weapon. 


Here is another retailer to use as an example.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vacmaster-vp112a-chamber-vacuum-sealer/120VMASVP112.html

I froze fish in the zip-lock bags and water for years and they were great, the only problem was the weight of the package after you had a load of them.  I began using the vacuum sealers when they first came out and they were both great, frustrating, and expensive.  I now use a Food Saver (about the 4th generation) and it works better than anything.  The main trick is to never buy Food Saver brand bags.  Get on Amazon and buy the pre-sealed non brand named bags and your costs will plummet and they are every bit as good.

Thanks Craig....the one my buddy has is a commercial unit it's waist tall on rolling casters and seals 6 bags at a time 3 on each side.

You can also use the full sink of water trick with regular ziplocs if you can't afford a vacuum sealer.

I've had the vacmaster 112 for a couple years now and I'd have to say I'm not that happy with it!  I have alot of problems with broken seals, even though I handle the packages carefully.  Oftentimes there will still be air in the package, even after max pressure and seal time.  Not cool.  At first it didn't happen that often, but has gotten worse over time.  I've replaced the seal bar and bag clip and spent time on the phone with their tech, to no avail.  They were nice folks and everything, but they said I'm going to need to send the thing to them for them to look at it.  Since it's no longer under warranty, I gotta pay for shipping and repairs.  And this thing is large and heavy!  It still mostly works so I haven't yet done this.  I've taken the belt-and-suspenders approach and am wrapping the fish with cheap cling wrap before vac-sealing.

But, if I could do it again I'd probably go with a different brand.

Rant over.

I've had the vacmaster 112 for a couple years now and I'd have to say I'm not that happy with it!  I have alot of problems with broken seals, even though I handle the packages carefully.  Oftentimes there will still be air in the package, even after max pressure and seal time.  Not cool.  At first it didn't happen that often, but has gotten worse over time.  I've replaced the seal bar and bag clip and spent time on the phone with their tech, to no avail.  They were nice folks and everything, but they said I'm going to need to send the thing to them for them to look at it.  Since it's no longer under warranty, I gotta pay for shipping and repairs.  And this thing is large and heavy!  It still mostly works so I haven't yet done this.  I've taken the belt-and-suspenders approach and am wrapping the fish with cheap cling wrap before vac-sealing.

But, if I could do it again I'd probably go with a different brand.

Rant over.

Rory,
For the amount of fish you catch you need one of these bad boys! You can lay 6 full king fillets on each half (3 on each side). While those 6 are sealing you can lay out 6 more fillets on the other side. When the sealing process is done you swing the hood over the the other side and start sealing the 6 you just laid out.

If you are quick enough you can keep up with the machine but usually it takes two people to keep it running at full speed.

For the really obsessive (those of us that like to take some time to freeze some prime albacore loins!) ...

1) Put a bucket of salt saturated water (dissolve salt until you can no more) into your chest freezer.
2) Drop your fillets in individual ziplocks into this solution.  You'll be amazed at how fast they'll freeze compared to just letting them sit in the freezer in open air.
3) Once frozen, (freeze time will vary depending on coldness of freezer, amount of salt water bath, and number of fillets added), remove from ziplocks and dip in a lemon-glaze (lemon juice, water, gelatin).  This controls rancidity and bacteria growth, which ultimately preserves the flavor better.
4) When ready to use, defrost in the fridge slowly and gradually.

-Allen

I have alot of problems with broken seals, even though I handle the packages carefully.  Oftentimes there will still be air in the package, even after max pressure and seal time.  Not cool.

Yeah, broken seals have happened with all the vac sealers I've had. PITA. I freeze fish before sealing and it helps a bit. Then I use the vacuum a few times to get all the air out before sealing. Got a Weston Professional Advantage and it's been pretty good so far.

I have a feeling that your volume of fish and DAILY USAGE might have a bit to do with your issues.

For the really obsessive (those of us that like to take some time to freeze some prime albacore loins!) ...
1) Put a bucket of salt saturated water (dissolve salt until you can no more) into your chest freezer.
2) Drop your fillets in individual ziplocks into this solution.  You'll be amazed at how fast they'll freeze compared to just letting them sit in the freezer in open air.
3) Once frozen, (freeze time will vary depending on coldness of freezer, amount of salt water bath, and number of fillets added), remove from ziplocks and dip in a lemon-glaze (lemon juice, water, gelatin).  This controls rancidity and bacteria growth, which ultimately preserves the flavor better.
4) When ready to use, defrost in the fridge slowly and gradually.
-Allen

After you glaze the fish, do you put it back in the ziplock bags, or do you vacuum pack it?

Using a saturated salt solution to quickly freeze bagged or vacuum packed fish is a great idea.  It takes some time and a lot of salt to make a saturated salt solution, but if you have room in your freezer, you could keep a tub of saturated salt solution in it and re-use it repeatedly.

How would it work if you vacuum pack non-frozen fish and then put it in the chilled saturated salt solution to freeze?  I suspect that would work better than putting the fish in a ziplock bag, because the air in a ziplock bag would partly insulate the fish from the chilled salt solution, but if the fish was vacuum packed the solution would have better contact with the fish.

Or for another option, how would it work if you dip non-frozen fish in the lemon glaze, vacuum pack it, and then put it in the chilled saturated salt solution to freeze?  That wouldn't create a thick layer of lemon glaze, as is created when you dip frozen fish in the glaze, but at least you'd get some of the glaze frozen on the fish.

Rory,
For the amount of fish you catch you need one of these bad boys! You can lay 6 full king fillets on each half (3 on each side). While those 6 are sealing you can lay out 6 more fillets on the other side. When the sealing process is done you swing the hood over the the other side and start sealing the 6 you just laid out.

If you are quick enough you can keep up with the machine but usually it takes two people to keep it running at full speed.

I'd die for one of those things.  Might was well throw in a blast freezer too!!

alan - love the saltwater idea.  Gonna give that a try! 

For the really obsessive (those of us that like to take some time to freeze some prime albacore loins!) ...

1) Put a bucket of salt saturated water (dissolve salt until you can no more) into your chest freezer.
2) Drop your fillets in individual ziplocks into this solution.  You'll be amazed at how fast they'll freeze compared to just letting them sit in the freezer in open air.
3) Once frozen, (freeze time will vary depending on coldness of freezer, amount of salt water bath, and number of fillets added), remove from ziplocks and dip in a lemon-glaze (lemon juice, water, gelatin).  This controls rancidity and bacteria growth, which ultimately preserves the flavor better.
4) When ready to use, defrost in the fridge slowly and gradually.

-Allen

How about just getting a dewar of LN2?   

dip in a lemon-glaze (lemon juice, water, gelatin).  This controls rancidity and bacteria growth, which ultimately preserves the flavor better.

What do you use for the ratio of said items Allen?

For the really obsessive (those of us that like to take some time to freeze some prime albacore loins!) ...
1) Put a bucket of salt saturated water (dissolve salt until you can no more) into your chest freezer.
2) Drop your fillets in individual ziplocks into this solution.  You'll be amazed at how fast they'll freeze compared to just letting them sit in the freezer in open air.
3) Once frozen, (freeze time will vary depending on coldness of freezer, amount of salt water bath, and number of fillets added), remove from ziplocks and dip in a lemon-glaze (lemon juice, water, gelatin).  This controls rancidity and bacteria growth, which ultimately preserves the flavor better.
4) When ready to use, defrost in the fridge slowly and gradually.
-Allen

After you glaze the fish, do you put it back in the ziplock bags, or do you vacuum pack it?

Using a saturated salt solution to quickly freeze bagged or vacuum packed fish is a great idea.  It takes some time and a lot of salt to make a saturated salt solution, but if you have room in your freezer, you could keep a tub of saturated salt solution in it and re-use it repeatedly.

How would it work if you vacuum pack non-frozen fish and then put it in the chilled saturated salt solution to freeze?  I suspect that would work better than putting the fish in a ziplock bag, because the air in a ziplock bag would partly insulate the fish from the chilled salt solution, but if the fish was vacuum packed the solution would have better contact with the fish.

Or for another option, how would it work if you dip non-frozen fish in the lemon glaze, vacuum pack it, and then put it in the chilled saturated salt solution to freeze?  That wouldn't create a thick layer of lemon glaze, as is created when you dip frozen fish in the glaze, but at least you'd get some of the glaze frozen on the fish.

So that's the OCD way that I reserve for sushi cuts.  What I do most of the time ...

1) squeeze a lemon in a big bowl of cold water.
2) Dip fillet in lemon was for 10-ish seconds.
3) Vacuum pack.
4) Freeze in the salt solution.

-Allen

dip in a lemon-glaze (lemon juice, water, gelatin).  This controls rancidity and bacteria growth, which ultimately preserves the flavor better.

What do you use for the ratio of said items Allen?

I wing it.  Something like one lemon to 2 cups of water plus one package of gelatin.

-Allen

I'm thinking about putting a small fan in the chest freezer and putting fish on wire rack to speed freezing.
Now I just need to catch more fish! =)