What is the average shelf life of swordfish? How long does swordfish last in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer? What is the best way to store swordfish to increase its shelf life? Find out the answers to these questions and more below:
Shelf Life of Swordfish
| Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh | 1-2 Days | 2-3 Months |
| Cooked | 3-4 Days | 2-3 Months |
Swordfish is a very delicate and fine tasting fish. Its meat is white and has very smooth texture and mild flavor. Swordfish has a small shelf life so you won’t be able to store it for a longer period of time even in fresh or cooked form. A fresh fish could be refrigerated for 1-2 days while it can be kept in a freezer for 2-3 months. In contrast, if you cook it, you can refrigerate it for 2-3 days and freeze it for 2-3 months. It is not advisable to keep it frozen for any longer than the given period. If kept, the botulinum toxins can start to grow, and if you eat such fish, it will act as a poison.
Purchasing Swordfish
Swordfish basically is a very mild tasting fish that those people who don’t like fish can eat. It has white flesh but has got the meaty touch as well. You can easily buy fresh swordfish from the market. The white parts of the meat are mild tasting while the red ones possess a very strong flavor, so carefully choose the ones that you will like. Make sure that the meat is not giving off any stale odor neither it is too firm nor too lean and meek.
Storing Swordfish
You can easily store it by washing it with cold water and then putting in a paper towel and wrapping it up in aluminum foils. A freshly caught swordfish needs to be cleaned as soon as possible, and you can freeze it 1-2 days, but if cooked it should be consumed within 1-2 days. The temperature for fresh fish to freeze is 40 ͦF and cooked fish is 140 ͦF. Within this temperature, the fish might get stale and cause food infections if it’s being consumed.
How to Handle Swordfish
Handling of every fish is tricky since you have to make sure that the fish stays fresh and its taste is not affected while the catching and storing process is on. The best way to do that is to handle the fish wisely. Carry it in a plastic bag from the armlet to avoid contact with any food item or environmental bacteria. Try to clean it with cold water and freeze it as soon as possible. After catching the fresh, keep it alive; if this is not possible then store it in some ice before bringing home to avoid the growth of bacteria and sepsis which occurs in a dead fish very often.
Cooking Swordfish
Before cooking a swordfish, make sure you have trimmed its skin off. It is a great fish due to its incredible taste whether it is grilled, sautéed or baked. It can be broiled as well. You can make countless dishes using this mild-tasting fish. It is being made as part of various dishes such as kebabs, croquettes and can even be fried as well. Try to use a thermometer to control the temperature while cooking as the fish might lose its moisture and get dry if it is cooked at a very high temperature.