Fish & Seafood

Buying

When choosing fish, look out for bright clear eyes and bright red gills. Fresh fish should have vibrant looking flesh, skin and scales. Any liquid on fish fillets should be clear rather than milky. Fresh fish should smell clean, fresh and perhaps a little briny, but never fishy.

To maximise the lifespan of your food, take an insulated cooler bag when shopping and use it for all your frozen and refrigerated purchases.

Storing

Refrigerate fish as soon as possible after purchase. Fresh fish has a very limited lifespan so if you are not ready to use it straight away, freeze it (see important advice below). Cooked fish will last for several days in the fridge.

Freezing

Pre-packed fish from the shop’s fridge or freezer can be safely frozen at home. As with meat products, previously frozen fish should never be refrozen once defrosted. This includes fish purchased ‘off the ice’ from the fishmonger’s counter. This is because they were partly frozen from contact with the ice when purchased and may have defrosted on the journey home.

Freezer life

3 months for oily fish and shellfish, up to 6 months for lean white fish

Cooking

Use leftover fish to make chowder, bisque or a broth style soup or stew. You can also make fish cakes, croquettes, salads or sandwiches. Try Bord Bia’s recipe for fish pie.