health guides

Keep whitefish cool on the trip from the market to your house. Never let it stay unrefrigerated for long. To store whitefish, remove packaging, rinse fish under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Fish deteriorates when it sits in its own juices, so place it on a cake rack in a shallow saucepan filled with crushed ice. Cover with cling wrap or foil and set in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Whitefish will store well this way for up to two days. When well-wrapped, whitefish can be frozen for up to two months in a refrigerator freezer compartment and three to four months in a deep-freeze. Use lined freezer paper and wrap fish tightly from head to tail with at least two layers of paper. To thaw slowly, unwrap, place in a saucepan, cover, and leave for 24 hours in the refrigerator. To thaw more quickly, place the whole fish (in a watertight plastic bag) in a sink with cool running water, allowing about 1/2 hour per pound (454g). For fastest thawing, use the defrost cycle of your microwave, allowing 2 to 5 minutes per pound (454g), with equal standing time in between zaps.