Question/help: CEVICHE!

[jplee3]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering if it's OK to use older frozen fish (yellowtail, wsb, sheepshead, and halibut from about a month ago) to make ceviche. I made some with the fresh catch the next day of, so obviously that was fine.

Just wondering if it will be very good if I used it.


Any tips?

Thanks guys!

[cappo]

yes it should be fine. I've done it many times.

[jplee3]

yes it should be fine. I've done it many times.

Awesome! I'm gonna try it out. BTW: In your guys' experience, does sheepshead have sort of a 'fishy' taste in ceviche (at least more distinct than WSB, hali, and YT)? The first time I made the ceviche I put all four fish in and one gave a pretty distinct taste that was fishier than the others. I don't think the fish had gone bad, but I'm not sure what it was... I want to think it wasn't the halibut, wsb, or yt - I think I had a sliver of each raw and none had a strong taste. I didn't try the sheepshead raw so it's just a guess. I think the flesh, in the ceviche, was also a bit softer to my recollection. Does that sound about right?

[Oz]

like juan said u can use older fish. as long as u vacum sealed it it will taste like u just caught it the day b4. sheephead shouldnt have a fishy taste. it could have been some of the other fish.

[jplee3]

like juan said u can use older fish. as long as u vacum sealed it it will taste like u just caught it the day b4. sheephead shouldnt have a fishy taste. it could have been some of the other fish.

Shoot... my vacuum sealer has been broken so I ended up just putting the fillets into ziplock baggies. I see frost on them too. Not *too* much though. I need to get a new vacuum sealer :( Is the fish still okay even though it hasn't been vacuum sealed?

[troutdog]

Frozen fish will work as previously stated, but obviously it won't be quite as good as the fresh stuff. As far as the fishy tasting culprit I have not had sheephead ruin a batch of ceviche as of yet, perhaps one of the fillets were older than the rest and had gotten a little "ripe"?

Shoot... my vacuum sealer has been broken so I ended up just putting the fillets into ziplock baggies. I see frost on them too. Not *too* much though. I need to get a new vacuum sealer :( Is the fish still okay even though it hasn't been vacuum sealed?

Jplee I have yet to buy a vacuum sealer and at this point I probably just bite the bullet and do so. In the interim I put my fillets in a quart sized ziplock, fill it 2/3 with water, press the air out and freeze....no more freezer burn and fish is good for months!


TD

[sansou]

Never, ever, ever, never....absolutely do not ever: store or freeze your ocean catch in freshwater. No bueno.

[troutdog]

Never, ever, ever, never....absolutely do not ever: store or freeze your ocean catch in freshwater. No bueno.

I have been doing that for trout and cats fillets and they have turned out great for months, I did the same thing for yellowtail(granted it was only in there for two weeks) and it too was fine. What is the difference between storing fresh water species vs salt? Please explain in further detail so I don't possibly ruin a perfectly good catch...thanks! Are there any alternatives to vacuum sealing saltwater species?


TD

[jplee3]

I have been doing that for trout and cats fillets and they have turned out great for months, I did the same thing for yellowtail(granted it was only in there for two weeks) and it too was fine. What is the difference between storing fresh water species vs salt? Please explain in further detail so I don't possibly ruin a perfectly good catch...thanks! Are there any alternatives to vacuum sealing saltwater species?


TD

Tap water can taint the flesh of the fish due to the chemicals in it. I'm wondering if it's safe to use a mix of distilled water + salt to make a distilled brine of sorts.

I'm not sure what the 'fishy' taste came from but it didn't affect any of the other fish. It's possible that I got a piece of the 'bloodline' from one of the fish into the mix and that could have very well been the issue. They didn't bleed my YT after I got it - I should have told them to... now that I think about it, that's likely the culprit. The bloodline/vein almost always has that stronger taste to it. Some ppl like it but I think most would do well without it ;)

[Hometown]

Im thinking the fishy taste was the yt it has a stronger flavor than the rest even more so if you dont remove bloodline