Can You Freeze Cod? Simple Freezing Method

Cod is a popular fish to eat due to being nutritious and flavorful. This fish can be prepared in many different ways, which it can be cooked, fried, baked, and steamed. If you enjoy eating cod, you may buy them in bulk to store at home. To keep them fresh, cod will need to be properly stored. Would freezing cod be an option for storage?

Can you freeze cod? Yes, you can freeze cod, both cooked and raw. Due to their high amount of water, cod freeze quite well. To keep the cod fresh and retaining its quality while in the freezer, it should be prepped first. Also, the proper storage is required to keep the cod fresh for about 2-3 months.

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Do Cod Freeze Well?

Yes, cod freeze very well due to the fish being high in water content and lean in fat. The key to keeping the fish fresh and lasting for a long time is proper storage.

Like any other foods stored in the freezer, the longer it’s in the freezer, the higher the chance that it will get freezer burn. As for cod, they too will get freezer burn if it’s left in the freezer for too long.

While you can’t prevent freezer burn, you can lessen the chance of the fish getting freezer burn by prepping the fish and storing them in a freezer approved storage bag or airtight container.

How To Freeze Cod

Freezing cod is simple and requires just a little bit of time prepping it. Depending on the fish if it’s fresh or cooked, prepping it will be a bit different.

By prepping them first, it will ensure the fish will retain their quality for a long time in the freezer.

Freezing Fresh Cod

If you want to freeze fresh cod you’ve bought from the fish market or caught the fish yourself, you’ll need to clean and gut the fish first. Freezing with the gut still intact will make the fish not taste as good as it should.

Also, it’s important to prepare and freeze the fish as soon as you get home. The longer you wait, the greater the chance the fish will be contaminated with bacteria.

Fresh cod can either be frozen as a whole fish or just the fillet. Freezing just the fillet will help save storage space in the freezer while freezing the whole fish will take up a lot of space.

Once you’re done cleaning and gutting the fish, follow the steps below to freeze the cod:

After cleaning the fish, place the fish on a cutting board.
Using a clean dry paper towel, gently press on the fish to remove any excess moisture from it.
With an aluminum foil or cling wrapper, wrap the fish a couple of times around.
Place the fish into the freezer bag.
Press on the bag to remove any excess air from it and seal it tightly.
Label the bag with the freezing date and place it into the freezer.

If you’re freezing the fillet, you can stack them on top of each other to save space in the freezer. Make sure the fillet is completely frozen first before stacking them upon each other.

Freezing Cooked Cod

Sometimes, you made cooked too much cod and have leftovers. Cooked cod can be frozen, but it’ll need to prep first. You can’t simply place them in a bag and freeze them. If so, the cooked cod will not last longer than a month.

Below are the steps to prepping and freezing cooked cod:

Wait for the cod to cool down to room temperature.
Gently press on the cod with a clean dry paper towel to remove excess moisture from it.
Using aluminum foil, wrap the fish completely around. Make sure there is no part of the fish exposed.
In a freezer bag, place the wrapped fish into it.
Remove excess air from the bag by pressing the bag. If there is air in the bag, it will cause freezer burn to the fish.
Seal the bag tightly and label it with the date of freezing.
Place the cooked cod onto a tray and transfer it to the freezer. Since cooked cod are fragile, the flesh can break apart. Using a tray will help hold its structure until it’s frozen.
Once the cod is frozen, remove the tray from the freezer.

Can You Freeze Battered Cod?

Yes, you can freeze battered cod. To ensure that it doesn’t stick together when frozen, it’s recommended to flash freeze them first.

Below are the steps to preparing and freezing battered cod:

Wait for the cod to cool to room temperature.
Using a dry paper towel, gently press on the cod to remove any excess moisture and oil from it.
On a clean tray, lay a sheet of baking or wax paper.
Place the battered cod on the tray spacing them out so they don’t touch each other.
Wrap the entire tray with a cling wrapper.
Place the tray of battered cod into the freezer.
Flash freeze them for about 2-3 hours.
Once it’s completely frozen, remove them from the freezer.
Immediately transfer the frozen battered cod to an airtight container or freezer bag.
If using a freezer bag, press on the bag to remove excess air from it before sealing the bag. For an airtight container, ensure there are no leaks in the lid before sealing it.
Label the bag or container with the freezing date and place it into the freezer.

Battered cod is will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

To ensure that you get the crispy texture, you should bake the cod. There’s no need to thaw them beforehand. Preheat the oven to 350F. Once it’s at the temperature, take the amount of cod you need from the freezer and place it on baking sheets. Then move them to the oven and let them bake for about 20-30 minutes. By baking the fish, the oil will drain out and leave the battered nice and crispy.

How Long Can You Freeze Cod?

Both cooked and fresh cod can be stored in the freezer for about 2-3 months, if it’s stored properly. After that time, the fish will still be safe to consume, but the quality will deteriorate.

You can extend the shelf life of the fish by vacuum-sealing it. This process will remove all air from the bag before it’s sealed. Since there is no air in the bag, it will have less chance of getting freezer burn. By vacuum-sealing, the fish will be kept fresh for up to 1 year.

Also Read: How long does fish last in the freezer

How Do You Defrost Cod?

For fresh frozen cod, remove them from the freezer and place it into the fridge to thaw. Let it sit overnight to thaw or for at least 6 hours. Thawing cod in the fridge will help retain their quality as the fish is thawed evenly. Make sure to cook the cod within 24 hours after it’s thaw completely to avoid bacterial growth.

If you need cod quicker, you have the option to thaw using a microwave or place it in warm water.

For cook cod, remove them from the freezer and transfer them to the fridge. Let the cod thaw overnight or for at least 5 hours so that it will thaw evenly throughout.

Cooked cod that has been thawed in the fridge can be kept in the fridge for an additional 3-4 days before cooking.

Can You Refreeze Cod?

Yes, you can refreeze cod, but only under certain conditions. If the cod has not completely thawed and it’s being thawed in the fridge.

The reason why you can’t refreeze cod after it has thawed completely is due to the texture. Once it’s thawed, most of the moisture will leak from the flesh. This means the texture will be broken up and cause the flesh to fall apart.

By freezing it once again, the cod will no longer hold its structure and the flesh will become mushy.