How long can you keep a fresh caught fish in the fridge?

[Rain City]

Hey team, need help. I caught a salmon on Wednesday, gutted and iced on the water. Got it home within a few hours of catching, kept in ice the whole time. Filleted it and vac packed it as soon as I got it home and threw it in the fridge. One half went in the freezer right away, but we planned on cooking the other this week so I left it in the fridge. I'm supposed to cook it tomorrow but the wife is freaking out because she says I should have frozen it to kill the bacteria if it was going to sit that long (5 days). I think it's completely fine, I've kept fish on ice longer while on a trip. But she can't find anything that says more than 1-2 days is ok on the interwebs. So I'm losing this battle here. Any thoughts?

 

[Buddha]

Hey team, need help. I caught a salmon on Wednesday, gutted and iced on the water. Got it home within a few hours of catching, kept in ice the whole time. Filleted it and vac packed it as soon as I got it home and threw it in the fridge. One half went in the freezer right away, but we planned on cooking the other this week so I left it in the fridge. I'm supposed to cook it tomorrow but the wife is freaking out because she says I should have frozen it to kill the bacteria if it was going to sit that long (5 days). I think it's completely fine, I've kept fish on ice longer while on a trip. But she can't find anything that says more than 1-2 days is ok on the interwebs. So I'm losing this battle here. Any thoughts?

People have this romantic notion that commercially caught seafood purposed for fresh sales are pulled from the waters of remote areas then choppered, flown and transported first class express through a processing plant, distributer, retailer’s walk in your city and then displayed minutes before you walk into your local retail store for you to be told it just came in. Your 6 day fish will still be far superior to 80% of the seafood for sale now and I know some gourmands purposely wait 4-7 days on their salmon before cooking to relax and age the muscles. If it’s been kept clean and cold cook it through (not the medium rare thing restaurants like to do) and you are golden but like all things that are harvested and foraged from the wild that don’t go through a federally inspected facility do so at your own risk. Time from dressing the fish is the important part which you have covered. The Haida Gwaii troll fishery just started on the 16th and some of those fish are probably just getting offloaded now if they are hitting fresh markets.

 

[scott craven]

I agree with Buddha, my fish are gutted and iced in a cooler for 3-4 days.
Cut up and sealed in the fridge for another 3-4 days.
The colder the better !

 

[Aquaholic]

I know some gourmands purposely wait 4-7 days on their salmon before cooking to relax and age the muscles.

This^

Try pulling the pin bones on one filet a few hours after catching it. Then, leave the other in the fridge for 24-48 hours and pull the pin bones. There’s a big difference in effort needed due to the relaxing of the muscles. Same as rolling up a salmon steak, or doing a medallion, much easier after a few days in the fridge. Good point.

 

[kaelc]

I agree but why fight the war. Freezer pack it and smoke it and dethaw the frozen one.

 

[scott craven]

I agree but why fight the war. Freezer pack it and smoke it and dethaw the frozen one.

This doesn't relate to the question?

 

[kaelc]

This doesn't relate to the question?

wife is freaking out

 

[Ringo]

This doesn't relate to the question?

Kaelc is such a diplomat

 

[CIVANO]

Make her a hot dog and you eat the fish

 

[Samnjoe]

The fresh fish in Safeway has likely been on ice for 10 days before it hit the store. I just got back from the north coast. My fish were on good ice 9 days before being packaged and frozen. They were perfect.

 

[kaelc]

I can just envision how the conversation will go. Some guys on the internet told me this new crypocoin will go to the moon!

 

[Rain City]

I'm hoping this gets a little more scientific lol

 

[Tips Up]

Interesting debate. I also looked this up recently and there seems to be a difference between how long you can keep a fish properly packaged on ice vs in the fridge. The fact that you vacuum packed my make a difference. If it was sitting in a fish bag with moisture it could be an issue but it sounds like it was processed properly. Fish fillet should have no real smell to it. If it smells good... eat it.

 

[Samnjoe]

Remember 28 day beef???
Best ever.
I'm 67 years old. Haven't died from bad food in all that time.

 

[ship happens]

My vote is cook it and dont give her any

 

[Aces]

I agree with @kaelc . You are probably right but you'll never win the argument. Freeze that one and thaw the other one out

 

[Rain City]

I agree with @kaelc . You are probably right but you'll never win the argument. Freeze that one and thaw the other one out

Well now we're arguing about me "wasting an animal I killed"

 

[Alex_c]

Technically she’s the one wasting it if she doesn’t want to eat it while it’s still safe to eat. Please do not tell her this, we like having you as a member here and don’t want to hear about your untimely fate in the news. 4 days on ice is really nothing. I have kept fish on ice while camping/fishing that long and it was fine.

 

[CBsqrd]

Give it the smell test. If it smells spoiled, i.e. actually bad/rotting - throw it out.

If it smells just a bit fishy it will be fine. Either rinse with water or lemon juice and pat dry.

My undergrad (and my wife Masters) is in Biochemistry/Microbiology, and this has always been our approach and no one has ever gotten sick. We always try to eat or freeze asap, but we’ve had salmon that’s been in the fridge up to a week after being caught.

 

[tubber]

Thumper knows. The window closed after day 3. Turn it into prawns or crabs.