Keeping smoked salmon questions

[joey805]

Hey all - I'm planning on doing some smoked salmon tomorrow. Have it in a 4/1 dry brine right now.

How long will it keep in the fridge after I smoke it before going bad? Also can I vacuum pack and freeze some for later? If so, how long will that keep for?

Thanks

 

[gmc2003]

I'm not sure about the fridge part as ours always gets eaten before that decision has to be made. Vacuum sealed and in the freezer - I've done it with both lox and smoked never had a problem. We always freeze in smaller portions so they get eaten pretty quickly when defrosted.

Chris

 

[atomicsmoke]

It depends how much mositure was lost during curing/smoking. At least one week. Up to a month if dry.

 

[SmokinAl]

It doesn't last long in the fridge, cause it gets eaten right up.
As for freezing, I freeze my lox in vac packs, and they will be good at least 1 year.
I've never kept them any longer than that, but I'm sure they would last a few years vac packed & frozen.
Al

 

[atomicsmoke]

I remember when i first made cold smoked salmon. I treated it like other dried meats. Didn't soak after curing, left to dry after smoking...wasn't bad but not the buttery almost falling apart salmon. That would have lasted months in the fridge...probably even room temp -:)
As i make it know...there is significant water content left....only turned bad once - package was pushed back in the "chilled" fridge drawer...didn't see it for about 3-4 weeks.

 

[daveomak]

For freezing.... freeze the fish on a tray first... then wrap in plastic and vac pack frozen... That keeps from crushing the fish... Release the vacuum in the bag before thawing... that also keeps from crushing the fish....