# Shelf Life for smoked fish



## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

I tend to smoke fish in large batches. Consequently, I still have some smoked lake trout and Cisco in the fridge from about 15 months ago. It was brined in Morton's TenderQuick for 2 days, then rinsed in cold running water to remove excess salt, slow smoked for 8 hrs, then vacuum sealed and refrigerated. I gave a bunch away and have been enjoying this periodically since then. It still tasted great about 2 months ago. But with 5+ lbs still in the fridge I'm wondering just when to get rid of it? Rather than hearing that "It never lasts that long at my house", I'd rather hear "I've had it last a lot longer than that", or even "I got sick once on a batch that old and will never risk it again". You get my point ... Any practical experiential advice?

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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

if it's vac sealed I think it should be good for a year at least, most likely longer than that. I have some vac sealed smoked salmon that's as good now as it was fresh a couple years ago.


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## penaltybox (Feb 8, 2012)

My sarcastic side says keep eating it and let us know when you get sick.
My serious side says, and I do this fairly often. Why get sick on something that cost a couple bucks. In this case, you can get more. I understand not wanting to waste it, but its not worth the adverse health effects. 
Whether you toss it in a garden or trash, eventually it will get used usefully.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

I freeze larger batches

I've had mold issues for long term without freezing


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## excalibur (Oct 17, 2008)

I got sick on some smoked fish about 10 yrs ago and to this day I Will not eat it. The fish was not ever froZen or vacumn sealed.


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## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

Really, if it wasn't bad after 13 months, I don't see that 2 (or 5) more months will make any difference. Other than flavor degradation.

If bad stuff was going to grow, it would have already.

That being said, I probably wouldn't eat it after a month in the fridge.


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## U D (Aug 1, 2012)

Botulism is your main concern. Your probably OK. But i'm with most others, why take a chance? Eat fresh fish and keep your processed fish supplies low so you can go catch more.


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## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

Botulism will not grow at fridge temperature.


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## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

Well, the verdict is in: 15 months is still OK. Had some yesterday and I'm still alive today. I think the vacuum packing really makes a difference - the taste and texture was still fine. 

As an independent verification, I looked for a "use by" date on a pack of cold smoked salmon in the grocery store, and there was none! Guess nobody really knows.

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## Curt (Jan 5, 2011)

If I'm going to keep smoked fish for an extended period of time I like to can it in a pressure cooker.


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## june bugger (Oct 28, 2015)

Why smoke more than you need at a time? Our's rarely makes it two weeks before it's gone,nothing to worry about then. I do however find your post interesting how long it can last vacuumed packed.


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## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

june bugger said:


> Why smoke more than you need at a time? Our's rarely makes it two weeks before it's gone,nothing to worry about then. I do however find your post interesting how long it can last vacuumed packed.


I do large batches because I try to mix cold smoked and hot smoked fish. I brine everything for 2 days. Then cold smoke (using a stand-alone smoke generator) everything at ambient temp for about 8 hrs. Then remove the cold smoked salmon, turn on the heat and finish off the lake trout and Cisco at a more typical 150-180 for an hour or two. Then immediately vacuum pack and refrigerate. Since this turns into a several day affair, I do large batches at a time. I also just do it 2 or 3 times a year.

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## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

Curt said:


> If I'm going to keep smoked fish for an extended period of time I like to can it in a pressure cooker.


I've not tried canning yet. Doesn't this let a lot of water into the jar before sealing, though? I want the cold smoked salmon to be smooth and relatively dense for thin-slicing and the hot smoked fish to be flaky. Soggy/wet fish in the sealed jar would ruin all the effort that went into smoking.

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## Curt (Jan 5, 2011)

Jim_MI said:


> I've not tried canning yet. Doesn't this let a lot of water into the jar before sealing, though? I want the cold smoked salmon to be smooth and relatively dense for thin-slicing and the hot smoked fish to be flaky. Soggy/wet fish in the sealed jar would ruin all the effort that went into smoking.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


No water enters the jar. Some juice from the fish will collect in the bottom of the jar but there is nothing soggy and wet about the fish flesh. It actually firms up.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Jim_MI said:


> I do large batches because I try to mix cold smoked and hot smoked fish. I brine everything for 2 days. Then cold smoke (using a stand-alone smoke generator) everything at ambient temp for about 8 hrs. *Then remove the cold smoked salmon, turn on the heat and finish off the lake trout and Cisco at a more typical 150-180 for an hour or two. Then immediately vacuum pack and refrigerate*. Since this turns into a several day affair, I do large batches at a time. I also just do it 2 or 3 times a year.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


I have been vacuum sealing smoked (and fresh) fish for years but I have never vacuum sealed it until it has cooled after smoking - in fact, I usually refrigerate it overnight and then vacuum seal it the next day. I've got 1 or 2 packages in the freezer that have been there for 2 years. I guess I better get busy eating it before it spoils


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