Another post about eating fish brought the following question to mind...

A few days ago I found a package of sea bass in the freezer that I didn't remember being in there, and it was sealed and frozen in 2020. I haven't thrown it out because I wanted to see how something like that can be kept before it "goes bad", despite being well sealed and deeply frozen?

Any feedback on this before I toss something that is still good would be appreciated!

Frozen?

Let it go...

I think two years may be a bit much.

My brother freezes his fish in water - not sure if it’s tap, or he adds salt, and it seems to keep very well…

Is it vacuum packed?

Chest freezer or frost free?

If it's vacuum sealed then it's likely okay. If not it will be freezer burned beyond saving.

To answer a few questions...

Frozen in water in heavy duty Ziploc bags, NOT vacuum sealed as that would have sucked out the water. Also, in a frost-free freezer, not a chest freezer...

Thaw it out and check out the texture.

Old Turkey:

Around Thanksgiving a few years ago, radio commentator Paul Harvey shared a true story of a woman and her frozen Thanksgiving turkey.


The Butterball Turkey Company set up a telephone hotline to answer consumer questions about preparing holiday turkeys. One woman called to inquire about cooking a turkey that had been in the bottom of her freezer for 23 years. That's right—23 years. The Butterball representative told her the turkey would probably be safe to eat if the freezer had been kept below zero for the entire 23 years. But the Butterball representative warned her that even if the turkey was safe to eat, the flavor would probably have deteriorated to such a degree that she would not recommend eating it.


The caller replied, "That's what I thought. We'll give the turkey to our church."

Sea bass I like to eat it sooner than later vs other fish such as Salmon, halibut, cod, etc. Sea bass seems to not be as good to prolonged storage as others. I like sea bass. Really good if not over cooked and eaten with six or eight months from being caught. I recent caught some and have eaten it twice and was delicious.

I would try it.

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
To answer a few questions...

Frozen in water in heavy duty Ziploc bags, NOT vacuum sealed as that would have sucked out the water. Also, in a frost-free freezer, not a chest freezer...

As in completely submerged in water and frozen? As far as I know, that's probably the best way to freeze fish. I'd just thaw it and check the texture/smell of the fish. If it's off, toss it.

As far as safety goes, doesn't seem like there would be any concerns as long as it has remained frozen. The texture and flavor may have deteriorated, depending on how well it was packaged and stood up to freezer burn.

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:
As far as safety goes, doesn't seem like there would be any concerns as long as it has remained frozen. The texture and flavor may have deteriorated, depending on how well it was packaged and stood up to freezer burn.

That would be my opinion also. I'd defrost it, cook and eat it as long as it doesn't smell bad.

Given the price of sea bass, I'd give it a shot.