Mures fishmongers

 

Thawing Seafood

1. Remember that fish starts to deteriorate much faster when the temperatures rise over 4 degrees.

2. Try to anticipate when you will need the frozen products thawed. If possible allow 24hrs for thawing. Take out of freezer. If the fillets are shatter packed in individual plastic bags, drop box on floor and separate fillets out. Leave out of chiller until the first signs of thawing become apparent. (The fillet temperature will still be under 4°C) Then put fillets into chiller so that thawing will be completed in the 0-4°C range.

3. If you have misjudged the timing and require frozen products urgently, please observe the following rules:

  • Thaw out in cold water
  • Add salt to the approximate taste of salt water
  • Always thaw individual fillets (not whole 10kg box)
  • As soon as fillets have lost their frozen stiffness (still icy centre), take out of water and put in chiller.
  • Remember when thawing fish fillets, their temperature should not rise above 4°C

The reason for using salted water when thawing

The term osmosis means that liquid will pass through a semi permeable membrane (cells in the fish fillet) from a weak solution to a stronger solution.

The fillets or shellfish (especially scallops) will absorb unsalted water (up to 30% in weight). This results in cellular breakdown and severe deterioration in taste and texture of the product. To avoid this always add enough salt to water to give it a sea taste. The salt in the fish and in the water will then have similar saline content and cellular breakdown will not occur.

 

Mures Fishing

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