Fresh Salmon

pickles7, Sep 12, 11:41pm
A warning when buying "fresh" Salmon.I bought some Salmon last Friday, it was sealed in a bag designed to keep it "fresh". I went to cook it for a luncheon on Sunday, and it was OFF. I was not happy at all, it had a use by date of 2 days. at $35.98 a kg, I was not amused.
I had kept Salmon longer than that before and set about testing .
I bought some from another outlet on Monday, use by date was 1 day, I was told yeah but it will be good up till Wednesday easy. I have just cooked it now, Thursday and it was as fresh as it was the day I bought it.
I have bought marked down salmon and had it lasted longer than 2 days.
I would like a bit of feed back please, on the use by dates you see on your fresh salmon.

valentino, Sep 13, 12:10am
Hmmm, I only buy fresh salmon if I could smell it and see it at the same time but intersting in what you had noted re buying in sealed packaging, quite often looked at those others like smoked salmon pieces or slivers - some of these need to be wary of also.
Cheers for this.

There is a fish shop in West Auckland that once certain fish whether smoked or not gets tossed out when they know it is not suitable to sell, full marks for them on this.

Cheers.

village.green, Sep 13, 2:14am
I only ever buy it on the day I am using it. Not much help sorry!

mwood, Sep 13, 2:29am
I buy 1 to 2 kg fresh whole salmon in Blenheim for $13.95 kg they don't haveuse by date on them - sometimes I cut into Darnes (steaks) and freeze them. Head and tail souped.

pickles7, Sep 13, 3:06am
You are spoilt then.mwood. The usual price here, is anything between $35.00 and $39.00. I keep forgetting to go check out the fish market, it possibly could be cheaper.

rainrain1, Sep 13, 5:18am
only buy fresh, only way to go with fish

fifie, Sep 13, 5:51am
Only way with fish is fresh, thanks for the legs up on pre sealed package. Findfresh salmon is quite rich so only need small pieces for us nowadays. Love the stuff wish i could find a old recipe on preserved salmon in tomato sauce again, its beautiful with salads in the summer time. Pickles hope you took your package back and complained, and finally got to enjoy your salmon.

pickles7, Sep 13, 7:53am
gee that tells me a lot then.friendly_prawn.Coun-
tdown Salmon was by far the freshest here.

pickles7, Sep 13, 7:59am
Not pre packaged Salmon. It was "Fresh Salmon", It was put into a foil bag that was heat sealed by the assistant. They are supposed to keep the fish fresher longer. I am thinking that that bag had the oposite effect on my Salmon. The plastic bag Countdown used did not turn the fish off, it was in my fridge for 3&1/2 days.

firemansgirl, Sep 13, 8:21am
At that price, or even at half that price I would be beyond p****d off if the salmon was like that. I hope you took it back and complained.

shop-a-holic, Sep 13, 8:31am
Eeeeweee. Buying "fresh fish" from a supermarket is quite foreign to me. This is why we have fishmongers and love supporting them.

You will find, buying from a supermarket fish bar, or even the deli! your plastic wrapped item will have a best before date for either the next day, or a couple of days.They Cannot Guarantee when your item will expire; so make it as safe as possible, 'fit for your consumption' as soon as possible!

Most people buy what they need, both in quantities and quality for the day.

I could never buy from a local fish supplier and keep in it the fridge! Defeats the purpose of hunter-gathering for the day; having respect for the product and finding out all about the source.

pickles7, Sep 13, 12:24pm
It could have lasted two more days easy. You would be surprised how long the retailers keep it in there cool rooms, then another 12 hours in the display cabinet.
My fridge is set correctly and is not over loaded.

pickles7, Sep 13, 8:44pm
I have seen staff at our Paknsave put fresh sliced meats on top of meat already out in the display area. With a 12 hour time frame for meat in the display area I am now thinking they do the same with the Salmon.

davidt4, Sep 13, 10:26pm
Like most of the previous posters I always buy fish on the day it is to be eaten.The only time I keep it longer is if I am curing it for smoking or to make gravlax.

I have also found that fully cured gravalx (5 days curing) smokes beautifully in a hot smoker. so I'll do that if I want to keep salmon longer than a day.

I only ever buy fillets of fish from a fish market, and only if they look plump and perfect.I mainly buy whole fish, because it is easy to decide if a whole fish is fresh or not (look at the eyes and the gills).

valentino, Sep 14, 5:23am
pickles7, did you buy the salmon from Pak'n'save where they use those foil packaging and hand over to you then onto the checkout eventually, if so, I dread those packagings, preferred the plastic bag style as it was easier to defrost if went straight into the freezer.

Quite a long time ago, about 30 years plus, an old gentleman once told me that whenever one buys fresh fish and more so if early in the day is to stick it straight into the freezer when you get home regardless of when you were planning to use it. He noted that the longer it is not chilled sufficiently - the more deterioration of the fish itself, even if it is for an hour or 3.

Putting it into the freezer then taking it out on the same day keeps the freshness longer and yes, it is far better.
He also noted that Fish is of all types of meat is the quickest of this deterioration, noted how when there is no smell that the fish is very fresh, but the longer it is exposed that the smell starts to come hence that fishy smell.
Just some old thoughts given and hopes this helps.

Cheers.

pickles7, Sep 14, 6:28am
valentino (520 )5:23 pm, Fri 14 Sep #18Quote

pickles7, did you buy the salmon from Pak'n'save where they use those foil packaging and hand over to you then onto the checkout eventually, if so, I dread those packagings, preferred the plastic bag style as it was easier to defrost if went straight into the freezer.

Yes that's the one. I commented at the time it felt warm after being heat sealed. I was told the bags are designed to keep the fish fresh, longer.
I will not have my Salmon put in those bags again. It should of been in perfect condition.
I intend to buy the next lot from a, wet fish outlet.

valentino, Sep 14, 7:03am
I have told Pak'n'save a few times that I don't want those packages and now if I buy anything that it goes into the normal Bluish bags.

It is very rare that I get fish there as much but I do buy some though.

I buy fish from about 3 sources but it comes down to what is the best deal and quality is always number One.

mwood, Sep 14, 9:16pm
Really good fish prices here - and they deliver "no signature "North & South Islands :
http://www.hawkesbayseafoods.co.nz
Delivery Costs

North Island Urban $7.50 up to 5kg
South Isalnd Urban $9.85 up to 5kg
Rural Delivery add $3.50 per polybin up to 10kg

pickles7, Sep 20, 11:27am
The pre packaged fresh salmon has a shelf life of at least 9 days.
I had a look at them on the 19th. There is not a packed on date, only a best before date. I found best before 22nd of this month and the 28th date.

gr8stuf4me, Sep 20, 9:58pm
Hi - Pickles7 - I hear ya.I buy my salmon from the local new world and they package it in the foil bag you mentioned when I buy fresh over the fish counter. I usually eat it the day I buy it or at the very least the next day - I too would be highly peeed off if I opened said foil package the next day to find my salmon off. Hope you took it back and complained. Thanks - by the way the best before date on mine is always two days from the time of purchase.

pickles7, Sep 20, 10:30pm
I was told the Salmon comes in "fresh" every day.
Taking into account the pre packaged dates were 6 days apart, I suggested the Salmon comes in once a week. I have bought some with a 1 day use by. I will now ask the use by date before buying, if I am buying at the supermarket again.
The last lot I bought I got from Hawkesbay Seafoods, no use by. I did ask how long it will be good for, I was told it should last 3 days easy.

unknowndisorder, Sep 22, 1:06pm
http://www.fishingmag.co.nz/salmonbottling.htm have a look at that, sounds like what you're after.