Do It Yourself and Other Tips

Learn how to debone a whole whitefish yourself and impress someone!  Smoked Whitefish is one of our most poplular items that is available in bulk or retail.  Most of the whitefish you see is professionally deboned at Acme or by the fish handlers at an appetizing store.  Some retailers, Costco for example, sell Whole Smoked Whitefish that you can debone yourself and open up a world of recipe possibilities.  You can also find whole whitefish in many delis, seafood departments, and appetizing stores.

Trimming and slicing smoked salmon, lox, or gravlax by hand is truly a skill that only a few can master, but we will help you get there. The guide below will take you step-by-step from start to finish until you end up with thin and silky slices.

Note that smoked salmon can be frozen for extended storage, but the following recommendations are critical to maintain the quality and integrity of the product.

1. If product will be consumed at different times, we recommend that you separate the smoked salmon slices prior to freezing.
2. Only freeze product that has not been previously opened or has not expired.
3. Place a slice or the amount of slices on a desired serving size inside a freezable zip-lock bag.  Make sure that the bag is completely sealed as air will dry the smoked salmon.
4. Write the freezing date on the bag so you can keep track. Do not store product in the freezer for more than 2 months.
5. Place the individual bags inside a container to protect the integrity of the slices.
6. Place this container away and above raw products to prevent potential cross-contamination.
7. We recommend that your freezer is set to the lowest temperature possible as this will protect the flavor and freshness even further.
8. When thawing, make sure you follow the thawing recommendations below.
   ** Note that other smoked fish can also be frozen using the same steps. Unopened smoked salmon packs can also be stored in the freezer.

Thawing can be a step that if not conducted properly, it can not only deteriorate the quality of smoked fish, but also could be a food safety hazard.

• Make sure that the seals are broken or poke a hole on vacuum packed smoked fish. Be aware that there are bacteria that can grow on environments that have no oxygen. Many of these organisms could be very dangerous. Refrigeration is critical to prevent these organisms from making you sick.
• All smoked fish must always be defrosted under refrigeration. Quality also happens to be affected if the product is not defrosted under refrigeration.

We understand that buying smoked fish and herring could be your daily or weekly indulgence, but there are times that smoked fish is shared with friends and family. We have created a simple guide to better assist you with quantities to buy depending on the number of people that you are planning to serve.