How to Preserve Salmon Like a Pro: The Ultimate Guide

Salmon is one of the most delicious and nutritious types of fish out there It’s loaded with protein, healthy fats like omega-3s, and important micronutrients. However, fresh salmon tends to have a short shelf life and goes bad quickly if not stored properly.

Luckily there are several methods you can use to extend the shelf life of salmon so you can enjoy it year-round. In this comprehensive guide I’ll walk you through the most popular techniques for preserving salmon at home.

Overview of Preserving Salmon

Here are some of the most common ways to preserve salmon:

• Freezing Freezing is the simplest way to preserve salmon long-term It stops bacteria growth and prevents spoilage Salmon can be frozen raw or cooked.

• Canning: Canning involves cooking salmon and sealing it in air-tight jars. The high heat kills bacteria, and the airtight seal prevents recontamination. Canned salmon lasts 1-2 years stored in a cool, dark place.

• Curing: Curing involves coating salmon fillets with a salt, sugar, and spice mixture. This takes out the water, makes it impossible for bacteria to live there, and makes the salmon more “cured.” Gravlax and smoked salmon are two popular cured salmon products.

• Smoking: Smoking cooks the salmon with smoke at low temperatures. The smoke kills bacteria while adding flavor. Smoked salmon lasts 2-3 weeks refrigerated.

• Drying: Dehydrating or air-drying salmon jerky removes moisture so bacteria can’t grow. Salmon jerky can last up to a year stored properly.

• If you pickle salmon in an acidic liquid like vinegar or lemon juice, the bacteria won’t be able to grow. Pickled salmon keeps in the fridge for 2-3 months.

Now let’s look at each preservation method in more detail, along with tips, tricks, and step-by-step instructions to preserve your salmon.

Freezing Salmon

Freezing is hands-down the easiest way to preserve fresh salmon. It stops bacteria growth and keeps the salmon safe to eat for 9-12 months.

Here are some tips for freezing salmon:

• Freeze salmon as soon as possible after catching or buying. The fresher it is, the better the texture will hold up.

• Clean, gut, and fillet salmon before freezing. Discard guts, bones, head and tail.

• Pat salmon dry with paper towels and remove any blood spots or scales.

• Cut salmon into portion sizes you plan to use like fillets, steaks, or chunks.

• Wrap each portion in freezer-safe plastic wrap, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. Make sure it’s wrapped airtight with no air pockets.

• Place wrapped salmon flat in a single layer in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Squeeze out excess air and seal.

• Label bag with type of salmon and freeze date.

• Freeze at 0°F or below. Use freezer bags, containers, or heavy duty aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

• Once frozen, salmon can be stacked or consolidated to save space.

• Thaw frozen salmon overnight in the fridge. Do not thaw at room temp.

• Use thawed salmon within 3 days. Do not refreeze thawed salmon.

Freezing salmon is that easy! Just remember to wrap it airtight, label it, and eat within 3 days after thawing.

Canning Salmon

Canning is a preservation method that kills bacteria with heat and seals food in airtight jars. Canned salmon can be eaten straight from the jar or incorporated into recipes. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Get Mason Jars and Lids

You’ll need Mason jars, new lids, and screw bands that fit your jars. The jars and lids must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before canning.

Step 2: Cut Salmon into Jar-Sized Pieces

Remove bones, skin, fins, and bellies from salmon and cut fish into jar-sized portions.

Step 3: Pack Jars Tightly

Put salmon pieces into jars, leaving 1-inch of headspace. If using liquid like oil, broth, or tomato sauce, leave 1⁄2-inch space. Pack tightly to remove air pockets. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp towel.

Step 4: Apply Lids and Bands

Put new lids on jars and screw bands on fingertip tight. Do not overtighten bands.

Step 5: Process Jars in Boiling Water Bath

Place jars on a rack in a large pot filled with enough water to cover jars by 1-2 inches. Bring water to a boil and process for recommended time based on jar size:

• Half pints or pints – 75 minutes
• Quarts – 90 minutes

Step 6: Cool and Store

Remove jars and let cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check lids have sealed and remove bands. Wipe down jars and label with content and date. Store in a cool, dark place up to 2 years. Refrigerate after opening.

Canning salmon enables long term storage at room temperature. Just be sure to follow proper sanitizing procedures exactly. Botulism and other dangerous bacteria can grow if jars are not processed and sealed correctly.

Curing Salmon with Gravlax and Smoked Salmon

Curing gives salmon a unique flavor and firmer texture that prolongs shelf life. Popular cured salmon products are gravlax and smoked salmon.

How to Make Gravlax

Gravlax originated in Scandinavia. It’s salmon cured in a salt, sugar, and dill mixture. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Mix equal parts kosher salt and granulated sugar. Coat salmon fillet thoroughly on all sides.

Step 2: Sandwich salmon between layers of cheesecloth. Add more salt-sugar mix on top.

Step 3: Weigh down salmon and refrigerate for 24-48 hours, flipping halfway through.

Step 4: Rinse gravlax, pat dry, and slice thinly on the bias.

Refrigerate leftover gravlax up to 5 days. The salt and sugar cure gives it a shelf life of 1-2 weeks.

How to Make Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon is cured with salt and sugar first, then hot or cold smoked. Follow these basic steps:

Step 1: Mix 1 cup salt with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Coat salmon fillet on all sides.

Step 2: Refrigerate salmon for 12-24 hours to cure. Rinse off cure mix.

Step 3: Smoke salmon for 6-12 hours at low temp (100-150°F) using preferred wood chips.

Step 4: Slice smoked salmon thinly and eat within 2 weeks. Keep refrigerated.

Gravlax and smoked salmon last longer than fresh salmon thanks to the salt, sugar, and/or smoke used to cure them.

How to Make Salmon Jerky

Dehydrating salmon into jerky removes moisture so bacteria can’t grow. Here’s a simple salmon jerky recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs salmon fillet, skin removed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Cut salmon into 1/4 inch thick strips with the grain.

2. Whisk together marinade ingredients. Pour over salmon and marinate 30 mins – 1 hour.

3. Drain and pat dry salmon strips with a paper towel.

4. Arrange strips in a single layer on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 145°F for 6-8 hours until dried.

5. Pat off any beads of oil. Store jerky in an airtight container up to 1 year.

Salmon jerky can also be made in the oven at 170°F with the door propped open slightly. Drying removes moisture so salmon jerky can be stored and eaten longer without spoiling.

How to Pickle Salmon

Pickling salmon in an acidic brine extends shelf life. You can quick-pickle salmon in just 20 minutes or fridge-pickle it for long term storage.

For quick-pickling:

• Cut salmon into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Heat 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp salt, and any spices to a boil.
• Remove from heat and pour over salmon cubes in a container.
• Refrigerate 1 hour then serve.

For fridge-pickling:

• Cut salmon into strips or cubes.
• In a jar, layer salmon and sliced onions with pickling spice mix.
• In a saucepan, bring vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil.
• Pour hot brine over salmon, making sure it’s submerged.
• Refrigerate 1-2 days before eating. Keeps 2-3 months refrigerated.

The vinegar acidity inhibits bacterial growth while the salt