How long will salmon keep.

[LPS]

I saw Thunderlands thread on smoking salmon so checked out my supply.  I have a bunch of packages from Alaska that my uncle gave me.  I see they are from 2012.  Darn time flies.  I didn't think I had them that long.  Do you think they are still good?  They are vaccuum packed and are nice and solid.  No air in the packages.  How do I know if they are good or not?  They are more orange than red but maybe that is just the way they are.

[delcecchi]

Sous vide a piece and find out..... sleazy-422.gif

[Rebel SS]

   But notice who she seems to be looking at....

[ThunderLund78]

Unfortunately, I think 5 years is a lot for any meat.  I don't know the exact science, but over long periods of time, even properly-sealed meat will structurally change (at the molecular level) if kept frozen.  I don't think it will make you sick, but the texture and taste might be off.  But who knows, thaw a piece out and throw it in the oven or grill - I would say if the meat's still firm, smoking would be the best way to make use of it.  Enough salt, sugar and smoke should cover-up any deterioration in taste.

[Rebel SS]

That's a LOOONG time..sure it's edible, but define "edible". Has to be a breakdown of texture and quality... maybe salmon doggie treats? 

[LPS]

Ya it is a shame but he gave me so much I just couldn't eat it all.  Should have given more away.  I used to give the old neighbors walleyes once in a while and they gave us veggies out of their gardens.  Once I gave them some salmon thinking they may like some.  When I saw him at the post office I asked if he would like some more salmon.  He said "oh no we don't want any more of that"....      All I could do was laugh.  The honesty was refreshing.  He laughed too so I asked him a few more times later on just to get his same response so we could both laugh again.  BUT he said we will take some more walleyes if you get some.   

[HD]

Smoke'er up!
(Or you can send it my way, and I will)

[mike89]

I was thinking something like that too.  just didn't say it!!

[LPS]

Ok will do. 

[glenn57]

Smoke'er up!
(Or you can send it my way, and I will)

it would be closer to send it to me!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'd smomed that up..............smomed salmon ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there ya happy!!!!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

Smoke'er up!
(Or you can send it my way, and I will)

it would be closer to send it to me!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'd smomed that up..............smomed slamon ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's a slamon? Slam drinking contest?   

[glenn57]

OK Del!!!!!!!!!!!!

maybe!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bobby Bass]

To bad you did not eat it fresh, then you froze it so it lost some more of its flavor. Five years is a long time to keep some thing. You could try it but why leave a bad taste in your mouth.  burp-402.gif  Also if it is not good for you I would never feed it to a pet. Salmon is one of them picky kind of fish to eat anyway.

[snow1]

Pass,two years max by the book vacumed sealed of course.

[LPS]

I had so much of it I just couldn't eat it all.  AND I could  have taken more if I wanted.  We ate salmon regularly when we first got it.  Just had too much of it.  We did eat all of the halibut.  We didn't get as much of that.  Made some great chowder out of that.  My worry is making the smoked salmon and it leaving that bad taste and turning me off forever.  Some things do that you know. 

[LPS]

I would gladly give anyone some too if you were closer...

[Reinhard]

My opinion is that 5 years is way too long.  Most guidelines say frozen fresh salmon 6 to 9 months.  If you have a frost free freezer than it could even be shorter.  Vac pack is the best way to go but they don't keep things fresh forever.  As time passes by, so does the quality of the item frozen.  Having been in the meat buissness for over 35 years I have been asked this question many times.

I tell them that "guidelines" say you should have temps of zero or below zero in you freezer.  Good idea to put a thermometer in there once to see how cold it really gets.  if it's above that zero point than you would have a shorter life span.  Opening the freezer frequently also cut's down on that constant zero temp.  Lot of folks don't date the items in the freezer as well.  Rotation, rotation  [I think we are all guilty of not doing this at times].  So for me I would toss the salmon.  Not worth getting sick over.  I don't go along with the 6 to 9 months with vack packed sealed well items.  I may go 2 years but not more with vack packs.  good luck.

[Rebel SS]

Gotta agree with RH...on a side note, I date all my stuff in freezer (As most do)  and occasionally "rotate the stock". I use from the bottom up, which is where my oldest items are. Anything that's close to a year old get's marinated and cooked, or used in a soup or stew. Or one of dem casserole things...

[LPS]

Great info from all of you.  I thought I had heard that salmon does not freeze well due to the oils or something.  I too was thinking of about 2 years in a vac pack.  These were given to me about 2 years ago so were already 3 years old then.  Marked 2012 Kenai River....  Darn...  But ya not worth taking a chance.