Bluefish Storage/Prep

[yakscientist]

So I know bluefish isn't the most popular fish to eat, but I also know a lot of people (myself included) really enjoy it if it's fresh, in a variety of ways. I'm used to catching/cleaning/eating the same day or the day after at most. I know it doesn't have the longest shelf life, so I was wondering, what are some tips for getting fillets to keep for the longest possible time? I'm mainly asking since I intend to keep many smaller (below 25" if possible)bluefish from the upcoming J-bay tournament, but I probably won't have access to a freezer until Sunday night. If someone's bringing a large one and would let me use some space in it, I would gladly trade fish, money, or booze, for that privilege. Anyway, I will have a vacuum sealer, and plenty of bags and rolls of cut-your-own bag material with me, and the normal filleting tools. Will the bluefish fillets be fine for the 3-4 tournament days if kept on lots of ice, if they're vacuum sealed, either for consumption on Sun-Tues night, or freezing for a max of 1-2 months (beginning sunday night when I return home)? If not, any tips to make that scenario possible? Do you all ever brine them for a few days, and then smoke them later? Space will be limited, since I will be going up there with SilasVirus, who has graciously offered to let us use his truck to take everything up there. So preferably, let's assume I will only have 1 ~45 qt cooler for myself. Thanks for the advice everyone.

[hookmeup]

If you bleed them, the meat will be less funky. Always cleaned fresh and frozen ASAP. No idea if icing for a few days will be bad or any good. Only one way to find out

[mchottie]

I purchased a FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer, and it's been worth every penny for those who are contemplating/ on-the-fence.

[ronaultmtd]

My favorite Bluefish recipie- clean fish, remove bloodline place on cedar plank bake at 450 degrees until flakey- throw fish away and eat plank...

[yakscientist]

My favorite Bluefish recipie- clean fish, remove bloodline place on cedar plank bake at 450 degrees until flakey- throw fish away and eat plank...

That response came quicker than I expected haha. But I did expect it...

[Slobber Bob]

If it was me, and it was going to be 3 -4 days until I could either consume them or vacuum seal and freeze, then I'd probably just forgo keeping them at J-Bay altogether and wait until I could catch them locally.

But if you want to try and keep them, my best advise would be:
1. Bleed them right away. It's a mess on a kayak, but necessary with blues, in my opinion.
2. Get them on ice quick. Whether you have a cooler on your kayak or you go back to shore, the sooner they are on ice the better!
3. Once your done for the day, instead of filleting them, I'd just gut them and bury them back into the ice leaving them alone until you got home.
4. Keep tabs on the ice in the cooler and don't be stingy resupplying ice to keep those blues cold. Drain the excess water from the cooler as the ice melts.
5. Clean the fillets when you get home. Keeping the fish whole might help keep the fillets from breaking down faster and getting mushy on you.

Whenever I smoke blues or take them out of the freezer, I brine them for just a couple hours (depending on thickness), then pat dry excess, and let air dry in fridge.

If worse comes to worse, make fish cakes out of it or feed it to a dog.

[Slobber Bob]

That response came quicker than I expected haha. But I did expect it...

That's fine. More for us!

[CHOC]

Actually, if you make crab cakes but replace the crab with shredded bluefish its delicious.

[yakscientist]

If it was me, and it was going to be 3 -4 days until I could either consume them or vacuum seal and freeze, then I'd probably just forgo keeping them at J-Bay altogether and wait until I could catch them locally.

But if you want to try and keep them, my best advise would be:
1. Bleed them right away. It's a mess on a kayak, but necessary with blues, in my opinion.
2. Get them on ice quick. Whether you have a cooler on your kayak or you go back to shore, the sooner they are on ice the better!
3. Once your done for the day, instead of filleting them, I'd just gut them and bury them back into the ice leaving them alone until you got home.
4. Keep tabs on the ice in the cooler and don't be stingy resupplying ice to keep those blues cold. Drain the excess water from the cooler as the ice melts.
5. Clean the fillets when you get home. Keeping the fish whole might help keep the fillets from breaking down faster and getting mushy on you.

Whenever I smoke blues or take them out of the freezer, I brine them for just a couple hours (depending on thickness), then pat dry excess, and let air dry in fridge.

If worse comes to worse, make fish cakes out of it or feed it to a dog.

Yeah I may only decide to keep fish on Sat and Sun to minimize storage time. I will have my sealer with me though at the tournament, so what I might do is follow your advice for half the fish, and the other half just fillet right away and vacuum seal, and ice. Although for all the fish, I will probably bleed them right away, and of course throw them right on ice, in the cooler bag I keep behind my seat.

[dasher]

I too like bluefish.

I bleed them, & remove the dark meat before freezing. I've had bluefish in the freezer 6 months with no issues. You have to ensure that the fish doesn't freezer burn. I've sucessfully placed fillets in bag with water & minimized freezer burn. As long as the fish is kept very cold there should be no issue with the meat going bad.

[Oldbayrunner]

My favorite way is to bleed them right away, take them home, remove any blood line, Make a beer batter and deep fry them up right away. They come out moist, flakey and yummy. Of course that was when I lived in Fla. and caught mostly blues daily.

[kevinfry]

I think the secret the blue fish lasting it's putting them directly on Ice in the boat if you get them cold immediately you think you can keep them cold for a long time and still be okay. Blues dont live long on the stringer in my opinion....so putting them on ice in the yak (or in my case putting them on ice in Bill's yak) really helps.
I am a bluefish lover.....smoked is my fav but fresh fried too......also heard marinating in cold gin is good. .....but that seems $$

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[Slobber Bob]

Actually, if you make crab cakes but replace the crab with shredded bluefish its delicious.

I wasn't knocking fish cakes. I often use the rib meat, scrap trimmings, or leftovers to make them. I was just pointing out that you can still make a delicious meal out of the blues even if the fillets don't hold up the greatest on his long trip.

[Slobber Bob]

Smoked is my favorite way to have them. But a close second is pan frying small snappers whole with only sea salt until the skin is crisp and crunchy. Pair it with some fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, drizzle some good olive oil over it all, maybe some mozzarella cheese if you have it... a perfect summer meal! Now I want to go snapper fishing, haha!

[kevinfry]

Ahhhh, slobber bob.....like like fresh sardine. Sounds great

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