Help me figure out what to do with 2 recently thawed-out salmon steaks
May 25, 2019 12:54 PM Subscribe
My in-laws had 2 large (aprox. 1kg each) frozen salmon steaks they'd flown up from Chiloé. Their refrigerator broke down this morning, and the steaks mostly thawed out. They gave them to me. What should I do with the salmon?
Each steak is about 30×20cm and 4cm thick, with skin on one side. The fish has no strong odor and looks and feels normal. My wife is away for a week, so just cooking and eating it is an iffy proposition.
Should I refreeze it, will this affect its flavor/texture? Is there a way to cook it so it'll last a few weeks or longer? Make some sort of salmon soup and freeze it? Is there a low-tech way to smoke it? I have a largeish freezer and a good oven, and can cook.
Each steak is about 30×20cm and 4cm thick, with skin on one side. The fish has no strong odor and looks and feels normal. My wife is away for a week, so just cooking and eating it is an iffy proposition.
Should I refreeze it, will this affect its flavor/texture? Is there a way to cook it so it'll last a few weeks or longer? Make some sort of salmon soup and freeze it? Is there a low-tech way to smoke it? I have a largeish freezer and a good oven, and can cook.
Cook then freeze.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 1:01 PM on May 25, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 1:01 PM on May 25, 2019 [7 favorites]
I vote for making some salmon fishcakes. If you make a bunch and separate them with some wax paper before freezing you can just pull a few patties out for dinner.
posted by like_neon at 1:21 PM on May 25, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by like_neon at 1:21 PM on May 25, 2019 [9 favorites]
Dry some of it in a oven, convection bake, lowest possible setting, door propped slightly open.
Add some salt to its surface in the later stages of drying.
Make gravlax some of it.
posted by the Real Dan at 1:24 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Add some salt to its surface in the later stages of drying.
Make gravlax some of it.
posted by the Real Dan at 1:24 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Salt curing like gravlax is a good idea. You could also make a rillette by poaching them in butter, flaking it, and then mixing it with some of the fat to get a kind of paste. Pot it in ramekins or jars and cover with another layer of butter, which will harden in the fridge and make a seal. Should last about a week in the fridge and I think you can get away with freezing it if you want.
posted by backseatpilot at 2:25 PM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by backseatpilot at 2:25 PM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
Right now, you have some salmon in good shape. Re-freezing it will damage the texture, but it will have no more or fewer germs. I would cooks some, because it will be tasty, and re-freeze the rest.
posted by theora55 at 3:38 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by theora55 at 3:38 PM on May 25, 2019
Use some to eat now and make fish cakes and/or fish pie and/or soup of your choice and freeze these for later.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:17 AM on May 27, 2019
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:17 AM on May 27, 2019
Response by poster: I ended up giving half away, and dividing the other steak into 2 pieces, one I sautéed in a pan with some olive oil and rock salt, the other half I used to make a modified version of the chowder charmedimsure linked to, ate half of that, saved the rest. Both recipes where delicious. Thanks, all!
posted by signal at 8:41 PM on May 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by signal at 8:41 PM on May 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by charmedimsure at 1:00 PM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]