FISH SAFE HANDLING

Chances are you already know some food safety basics, but it is important to brush up on and practice proper food safety and share knowledge with others every time you’re in the kitchen. Proper food preparation as well as storing leftovers ensures that your meals will not only be nutritious and delicious, but safe and wholesome, too.

Freezing Guidelines

• For best results keep your freezer at 0°F
• Arrange contents of the freezer in an orderly way. It will help you keep track of what you have and keep temperatures even.
• Have sufficient airflow around products. This will make sure they

Uncooked meat, poultry, fish and seafood may be kept for as long as 12 months, depending on the cut.

Defrosting Guidelines

Thaw frozen fish overnight in the refrigerator (on a plate to catch drips) in its original wraping. If you’re short on time, hasten thawing by placing the wrapped fish under ‘cold’ running water. Once thawed, drain well and pat dry with paper towels before cooking.

Never thaw frozen fish at room temperature, or you’ll run the risk of bacterial contamination. For the same reason, never thaw fish under ‘warm’ water.

Do not refreeze frozen fish.

Preparation and Cooking

Cook as soon as possible after defrosting.

Hand-washing:

• Wash hands thoroughly with hot water and soap before handling food.
• Wash hands after handling or switching between raw meats, poultry, seafood, or vegetables.
• Wash hands after using the restroom.
• Wash hands after using the phone.
• Wash hands after handling garbage or dirty dishes.

Cooking Success

• Fish is best cooked briefly. Overcooking can toughen the flesh or cause it to fall apart; it can also ruin the flavor.
• Fish is done as soon as the flesh is no longer translucent and turns opaque all the way through. Remember that fish continues to cook after it has been removed from the heat.
• For steaks and fillets, test for doneness by inserting the point of a knife deep into the thickest part and gently parting the flesh, which should be just opaque throughout
• It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen fish, the cooking time may be about 50% longer.

To estimate cooking time for a whole, stuffed or rolled fish as well as unsauced steaks and fillets, use the 10-minute rule. Allow 10 minutes of cooking time for every inch of thickness. Sauced or frozen fish require more time; see the cart below. Use this only as a guideline, checking doneness just before the cooking time indicated for best results

Cooking Times Fresh (thawed) fish 10 minutes per inch Fresh fish in sauce 15 minutes per inch Frozen Fish 20 minutes per inch

Substituting Fish

When you want to try a new recipe or your favorite calls for a fish you don’t have on hand, don’t worry. Substituting one fish for another is almost always an option, and doing so will add more variety to your recipes.

Fish, a naturally low-fat food, is generally categories by its fat content, which ranges from lean to oily. As a rule, the oilier the fish, the darker and richer the flesh. Lean fish has delicate, whiter flesh. When choosing a substitute, go for a fish that falls in the same fat category as the one call for in the cart below. Before you make a decision, also consider the flavor and texture of the fish. Most thin, white-flesh fish fillets, for example, are mild-tasting and flaky. And of course, if the recipe calls for fish steaks, it’s best to stick with steaks, through in a pinch you could use firm fillets.

Lean fish. The majority of readily available fish fall in this group. Fish with the lowest fat content, or lean fish, have the most delicate texture and mildest flavor. Their fat content may be a little as 2.5 percent.

Moderately oily fish. This category contains fish with a slightly higher fat content, abut 6 percent. They have a moderately firm texture and fairly neutral flavor.

Oily fish. The average fat content of oily fish is 12 percent. Their flesh is strong-tasting and meaty. Oily fish are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike the saturated fats found in mea, Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that does not clog arteries.

Serving Leftovers

• Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. If you’re serving a buffet, you can keep cold foods on ice to maintain a temperature below 40°F, and keep hot foods on a hot plate or sterno flame to ensure internal temperatures stay above 140°F.
• As soon as your meal is over or within two hours (whichever comes first), place leftover food in the refrigerator. Allow hot or warm leftovers to cool in the fridge, not at room temperature.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into small portions. The smaller size will not only be convenient for leftovers, but shallow containers will allow for quick chilling.
• Any leftovers should be covered, refrigerate and eaten within 3 to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months.
• Reheat to 165°F throughout. Stir foods during reheating to be sure that all the food reaches the appropriate temperature.
• When in doubt, throw it out. Never taste leftover food that looks or smells strange.