Thread: Best way to package fillets for the freezer?

Yep your plastic needs to be dry where you seal it with the vacuum machine. Otherwise I've used the water and bag method as long as I can remember and it works just fine if you don't want to spend the money on a machine and bags.

Originally Posted by gabowman

Vacuum is the only way to go. Now that being said, I read a post on the SC board the other day where a guy placed his fillets in a ziplcok bag and submerged the whole bag under water getting all the air out. Then he'd push out 1/2 of the water (or more ) out of the bag and zip it while still under the water. IMO, that would be even better than filling the bag full to help conserve freezer space plus they would thaw alot quicker when youre gonna cook 'em.

That is how I do it, works great for me. I even do that with other game as well but with deer ect. I dont leave any water (or very little) in the bag I let the water pressure force the air out. It's a por mans vaccum sealer.

Ziplock bag and water has always worked for me.

Originally Posted by flip

Ziplock bag and water has always worked for me.

Me too, been working for me for 30 years.

dont know if its been mentioned, but what about having dry filets, and bag place filets in ziploc, fill sink up with water then put the bag under water all except for the top, the water pressure forces the air out and doesnt allow any water in.
its kindve a cross between the other one mentioned, use the water pressure to get air out, but dont fill the bag with water

one thing i have wondered is when storing in water why doesnt freezer burn occur? freezer burn occurs when the food gets oxygen, and water is 2 parts hydrogen 1 part OXYGEN, why would the one part oxygen freezer burn the food?
think about it, a piece of metal underwater rusts, and the only way to get rust is to have oxygen hence the process of rust being oxidation.

They will eventually "burn" in the ice. Not so with vacuum. I tooks some out and cooked them the other day, they had been in the freezer for 19 months. The bag had gotten lost in the freezer. They were just as good as fresh never frozen fillets, and no mushy texture like you get with fillets frozen in water. Vacuum is the only way for me!

Originally Posted by flip

Ziplock bag and water has always worked for me.

That's the way I do it.

I also have a Food Saver system and I wash my fillets and dry as much water off them as possible...I have had fish in the freezer for up too 9 months ..with no freezer burn...Love my sealer.....JIM....CL....