Defrosting your frozen fish

Defrosting frozen fish should be carried out overnight in the refrigerator. We do not recommend defrosting food at room temperature as this may allow the multiplication of harmful bacteria.And, once defrosted, the fish should be eaten within 48 hours.

Defrosting under water is not recommended as the flavour of the fish will be lost. The flavour of fish is salt based and these minerals will be washed away and dissolved in your water. If you have to thaw seafood quickly, seal it in a plastic bag and immerse it in cold water (this will stop the flavour washing away)

Defrosting in the microwave should be avoided unless you’re in a hurry and the fish has to be cooked immediately. If you use a microwave incorrectly the fish can partially cook and dry out. If the fish fillet is thicker than 3cm there is a higher chance of it slightly cooking due to the time necessary to defrost. If you are using a microwave stop the defrost cycle while the fish is still icy but pliable.

Defrosting Frozen Fish in a fridge 

Thawing Time: 6 to 24 hours, depending on quantity. Generally, 6 to 8 hours per pound.

Thawing fish in the refrigerator is the slowest but safest method you can use. The temperature of the refrigerator should be maintained at 8°C or below as anything between 8°C and 63°C may allow the multiplication of bacteria.

Thaw Fish Not Frozen in Ice: Leave the fish wrapped and place on a platter or a tray to catch the drips as it thaws. Place in the fridge to thaw and keep away from ready-to-eat foods.
Thaw Fish Frozen in Block of Ice: Remove the fish from the wrapper and place under cold running water to remove the ice surrounding the fish. Once the fish is free of ice, separate the pieces and place on a platter or in pan lined with paper towels. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to finish thawing in the refrigerator.

Defrosting Frozen Fish in cold water

Thawing Time: 1 to 2 hour per pound

Thawing your frozen fish in cold water is the faster way of thawing, but precautions need to be taken when using this method. Fill a basin or bowl with enough cold tap water to cover the frozen fish. Put your fish in a sealable bag and submerge it in the water. The water should be changed every 30 minutes. Do not use warm water, even though it will thaw the fish faster, it may also encourage the growth of bacteria to harmful levels. If you are in a hurry use the microwave (discussed below). Once the fish is thawed, it should be cooked immediately. If using the basin, do not use it for other purposes during thawing period and be sure the thawing water does not splash onto other preparation surfaces or food. Once the fish is thawed, remove it from the sink and clean all utensils and surfaces affected during the thawing period with hot water and soap.

Defrosting Frozen Fish in a microwave

See your manual for defrosting details

Using a microwave to defrost your frozen fish is a quick method but is not recommended because of the difficulty in getting the different thicknesses of fish fillets to defrost evenly. However, if you are in a rush this is the most efficient way! Defrosting times vary according to different microwaves and according to the form of fish (whole or pieces) you are thawing. Use the steps below for thawing in the microwave:

• Place the fish on a microwave rack in a microwave safe pan. Place foil just on the tips of the pieces to protect from cooking.
• Microwave for 1/2 the defrosting time. See time chart below. Then turn the fish pieces over. Place on the rack so the thinnest sections are towards the middle and are overlapping each other. Remove foil from tips.
• Finish micro waving. Pieces should still be pliable and still cool to the touch. They may be slightly icy but they will finish thawing while they stand for 5 minutes.

Note - Micro waving with Aluminum Foil: Before using foil in the microwave oven, refer to the user manual for that oven to see what is recommended. Some models are manufactured so that the magnetron tube is protected, which allows small amounts of metal, such as aluminum foil and metal skewers to be used. Do not use foil if the manufacturer does not recommend use. Care must be taken when using foil in the microwave. Use only thin strips or small pieces that are just large enough to cover the areas that need protection from overcooking. The foil pieces must be kept at 1 inch from the oven walls and 1 inch from each other.

Note - If the individual fish pieces are frozen together, defrost in microwave just long enough to be able to separate the pieces and then follow directions above.

Defrosting Times

Using Defrost Feature or at 50% Power Level

Fish                  Thickness           Frozen-No Ice          Glazed
Minutes per lb.           Minutes per lb.
Whole-Small       1" - 1 3/4"           3 1/2 - 6 1/2               4 - 6 1/2
Fillets                1/4" - 1"              3 - 5                          3 1/2 - 5 1/2
Steaks               1"                      3 - 5 1/2                    3 1/2 - 6

Other thawing tips
• Do not thaw frozen fish at room temperature
• Always cook thawed fish that hasn’t been thawed in a refrigerator as soon as possible.
• Fish thawed in a refrigerator can be kept refrigerated for 2 days.
• Do not refreeze thawed fish. It is safe to refreeze fish once it has been cooked but some of its quality will be lost

Cooking frozen fish

Deep frying in batter  – cook from frozen
Deep frying in bread crumbs – cook from frozen (although the bread-crumbing is more successful if done with defrosted fish
Shallow frying – defrost first. This is mainly a safety issue: the water within the fillets will likely cause the fat / oil to spit or sometimes the fillet can explode in parts
Grilling – cook from frozen if thin fillets / steaks (maximum 3cm) or defrost if thick fillets / steaks
Baking – cook from frozen if thin fillets / steaks (maximum 3cm) or defrost if thick fillets / steaks
Baking in tinfoil – cook from frozen
Baking in a crust / pastry – defrost first or the water within will cause soggy pastry
Making a stew – cook from frozen if you can safely cut the fillet to size. Also allow for extra thickening of the

Above cooking should be completed at normal cooking temperatures (as per fresh fish)

Click here to see how to defrost your Christmas Turkey

Click here for details on how to defrost your frozen chicken