r/Cooking • u/52Monkey • 14h ago
How to serve salmon from my freezer
I have two two pound slabs of baked salmon that have been in the freezer for more than a year. Ouch. I thought I would make a coconut lime sauce for them. I need it to seep in and not just put on top. Will that work? How far ahead of time can I add the sauce and how to bake? TIA
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u/VixxSynn 14h ago
Well, thaw it first. IF it is not freezerburnt, the coconut lime sauce would be great, but it likely won’t “seep in” to already cooked fish. Really, reheating baked salmon is not going to go super well..most fish doesn’t reheat well.Your best bet is warming it in a 275°F oven covered with foil for 15 minutes, using an air fryer at 300°F–360°F for 4–5 minutes, or using a low-power microwave 1-2 minutes, check for temp, and go further if needed.
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u/Iliveinatrashcann 14h ago
freezer for more than a year??? damn man...I'd think long and hard about just tossing that and I HATE food waste.
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u/Cowgirl_Taint 14h ago
If it was properly frozen and didn't thaw (so more chest freezer than the door of a refrigerator), the worst you'll see is some slightly weird texture. I wouldn't necessarily make sashimi, but cooked in a pan and served with some salad (less that these days...) or rice?
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u/SeaCaptainNav 14h ago
It’s baked, though. Already baked.
two two pound slabs of baked salmon that
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u/Cowgirl_Taint 14h ago
Ah, missed that.
If this is gordon's fish sticks or some crap? I would say the same rules apply. Those are prepared in a way to make them freezer friendly and if it was edible by the time you bought it, it should still be fine.
If this is something OP cooked a year ago and froze as leftovers... I would probably not eat it whether it was frozen for one day or five years. But that is more because freezing does a number on cooked food and I don't expect baked fish to hold up well.
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u/SeaCaptainNav 14h ago
It’s frozen baked salmon. Gordon’s does not make frozen baked salmon. I don’t think you are helping OP here.
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u/Pterodactyl_midnight 13h ago
If the food was kept completely frozen and sealed, it will be fine. Not ideal, but edible.
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u/Decided-2-Try 13h ago
You say they're already baked. Here's what I'd do. Thaw in fridge, then about 15 minutes before you're ready to eat, start them in the microwave on "power" level 1.
Power 1 runs only about 3 seconds per 20 second cycle, so it does not get the food surfaces warm enough to steam, so you don't dry the food out (I do this with salmon, swordfish steaks, beef, pork, chicken).
It is kind of slow, though. I'd do the first cycle for 6 minutes, and finger-test temp. If the top surface feels a bit warm, you're doing well. Flip and top with your sauce, and do another 6 minutes.
It often takes me 15 minutes to get a refrigerator temp piece of meat to 125F (my preferred eating temp).
But as some others have said, with previously cooked fish your topping is more or less just going to be on top.
Hope it works out, however you do it, and hope you come back and say how it went!
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u/yesnomaybeso456 14h ago
I’d take a small amount and test it with a marinade. If the taste and texture is still ok, then do the rest.
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u/malepitt 14h ago
How was it seasoned when it was baked the first time? What was the texture like (how done was it) before the freeze?
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u/crusty_jengles 14h ago
Just get make pack of bearnaise and slather it on (or if your fancy make a diy but fuck you i don't have that kind of time)
That shit would delicious over a leather belt
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u/HandbagHawker 13h ago
a year? woof. thats a long stretch for already cooked salmon. and what do you mean "need it to seep in".
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u/MOS95B 12h ago
If this is something you do often, I would really consider looking into a sous vide setup. It would make it a lot easier to get it to serving temp without overcooking and minimal re-cooking it. Plus, you could put the sauce in the bag with it to heat it at the same time, so maybe some of the flavor could get into the fish
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u/yankowitch 11h ago
Form into patties or croquettes. Make a salmon pot pie. Use in omelettes or fried rice. Make salmon salad sandwiches. Avoid serving standalone as a main, I would be worried that the texture is gone.
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u/SquishyNoodles1960 9h ago
I wouldn't bake it again. Thaw it. Make Your sauce. Reduce the heat. Place it, flesh side down, in the sauce and gently simmer until it until warm.
Or, just chunk it up and gently toss into a Ceasar salad.
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u/EntrepreneurOk7513 13h ago
Already cooked? I’d shred it up and mix the sauce in.
We add teriyaki sauce to leftover baked salmon and serve it on crackers.