What is the average shelf life of haddock? How long does haddock last in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer? What is the best way to store haddock to increase its shelf life? Find out the answers to these questions and more below:
Shelf Life of Haddock
| Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh | 1-2 Days | 6-8 Months |
| Cooked | 2-3 Days | 2-3 Months |
Haddock has a delicate flake, and its slightly sweet taste makes it melt in your mouth. This is normally sold as either whole headed and gutted fish iced or frozen, or filleted and proportioned. It is perishable and cannot be stored for long. It spoils and becomes inedible after about 3 to 4 days storage in ice. The whole gutted haddock should not be kept for more than two days in ice particularly if it is to be smoked. Haddock that is kept chilled for more than 7 days is not recommended to be used to prepare frozen products.
Purchasing Haddock:
Haddock is sold in various forms such as fresh, frozen, canned, smoked or dried. Fresh haddock has clean and white flesh, and its freshness is determined by its firmness. There is a variety of sizes and forms. Finnan haddie is one of the popular forms. Smoked haddock is naturally off-white but often died yellow. Young and fresh haddock fillets are often sold as scrod at some places. Haddock is usually preserved by drying and smoking as it doesn’t salt well.
Storing Haddock:
Haddock is the kind of fish that rots quickly so it should be appropriately stored in the refrigerator if you do not plan to cook for next 2 or 3 days. Store it on the bed of the ice even in the refrigerator. The required temperature for haddock storage is about minus 20 degree Celsius. Three days is the limit to keep it fresh for cooking. Unpack the fish from the store, wash it under cold water, and dry it with a paper towel. Put it on the ice in refrigerator, ice should lay only beneath the fish.
Handling Haddock:
Haddock, whether you purchase it fresh or frozen, should not be exposed to unsafe temperature for a long time. Get it just before leaving the market. Do not let it set for in a hot vehicle. Keep at a temperature below 40°F to maintain the quality. It should be handled properly while cooking and serving, to prevent contamination. Use different utensils for raw fish and cooked haddock and do not let its raw form come contact with other food items in your kitchen. Maintain the temperature if you are taking cooked haddock to serve at another place. The temperature should be 140°F if keeping hot and below 40°F if keeping cold.
Cooking Haddock:
Haddock is rich in nutrients and delicious in every way it is cooked. You can have it baked, broiled, fried, poached, sautéed, and smoked. You can also deal with haddock by making a fish cake with chopped parsley. Deep fried haddock has the best taste. It is moist and tender when opened at the table.