How to Defrost Salmon

Nutritious and delicious, salmon is a highly versatile fish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. While fresh salmon tastes wonderful, frozen salmon can be easily and successfully prepared, too. Whether you’re keeping a few extra fillets on hand for future meals or you’re saving a fresh catch in the freezer, try thawing it in the fridge for around 12 hours for the best results. For same-day defrosting, pop the frozen fish into a resealable plastic bag and submerge it in cold water for about 1 hour. Microwave defrosting is also possible; it’s quick but it won’t produce the same moist, flaky texture. Either way, beat off bacterial growth by cooking the salmon directly after thawing it.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Thawing in Cold Water

1. Place the frozen salmon in a resealable plastic bag. Remove the fish from its original packaging. Pop the frozen pieces into a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Squeeze out any air bubbles so that the sides of the fish are pressed against the inside of the bag. Then seal it up tightly.^[1]
   
   
   
2. Set the bagged salmon into a large, deep bowl. Choose a bowl that’s wide and deep enough to hold the salmon pieces without the fish extending over the top of the bowl.^[2] The fish should be fully submerged when the bowl is filled with water.
   
   
   • Use 2 or more resealable plastic bags and 2 or more bowls if you’re defrosting a larger quantity of salmon.
3. Fill up the bowl with cold water until the salmon is submerged. Run water from the faucet until it’s cold to the touch. It should reach below to prevent the growth of bacteria.^[3] Once you reach the right temperature, pour enough water into the bowl to completely cover up all parts of the frozen fish. Use a sealed can or jar to weigh down the fish if it floats to the top; aim to keep all of the salmon underwater.
   
   
   • Refrain from using warm water. If you warm up the outsides of the salmon, the fish will quickly lose its moisture and flavor. Plus, the insides won’t be properly defrosted.
4. Refresh the water every 10 to 20 minutes or use running water. For a lower-maintenance defrosting method, keep the faucet running so that cold water pours directly into the bowl. You’ll need to weigh down the salmon with a sealed jar or can as it’s more likely to float to the top this way. Or, if you don’t want to use running water, just tip out and refill the cold water ever 10 to 20 minutes.^[4]
   
   
   • It’s important to refresh the water so that it doesn’t start to approach room temperature. It should stay close to the whole time.
5. Thaw the salmon under cold water for up to 1 hour before cooking it. Allow 30 minutes of defrosting time for every of fish. Once the fish has completely defrosted, cook it immediately. Refrain from leaving it in the fridge or refreezing it.
   
   
   
   • This method doesn’t work well for whole fish, as they won’t fit in a resealable gallon bag and are typically too thick to thaw completely underwater. Instead, try defrosting a whole salmon in the fridge overnight.^[5]
   • If any ice crystals remain in the inside cavities of a whole salmon, seal the fish in plastic wrap and run cold water over the frozen parts for up to 1 hour.

[Edit]Defrosting in the Fridge

1. Remove the salmon from the freezer 12 hours before you plan to cook it. Fridge defrosting yields the most successful and flavorful cooked salmon. Thin salmon fillets and pieces weighing less than each will take around 12 hours to defrost in the freezer. For whole fish or thick cuts weighing over each, take the salmon out of the freezer 24 hours in advance.^[6]
   
   
   
   • If you want to prepare your salmon fillets at 7:00 PM, take them out of the freezer first thing in the morning, at 7:00 AM.
   • It’s okay to leave thin cuts in the refrigerator overnight, but don’t leave them in longer than 24 hours.^[7] So, if you want to start cooking your salmon at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, and you won’t be up at 4:30 AM that morning, you can take it out of the freezer before you go to bed on Monday night.
2. Wrap each frozen salmon piece in plastic wrap. Remove the fish from its original packaging. This is especially important to do if the salmon came in a vacuum-sealed package.^[8] Seal up the individual piece(s) of frozen fish in a single layer of plastic wrap.^[9]
   
   
   • If the fish came in a package with multiple fillets and you only want to defrost 1 or a few, remove the desired piece(s) of salmon from the package, then reseal it and return it promptly to the freezer.
3. Place the plastic-wrapped salmon on a paper towel-lined dish. Set a layer or 2 of paper towels at the base of the dish to capture any moisture from the thawing process.^[10] Then put the pieces of salmon side-by-side on the dish.
   
   
   • Choose a plate or bowl that’s large enough to fit the pieces of salmon in a single layer.
4. Leave the dish of frozen salmon in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Wait around 12 hours for pieces under to defrost. For larger cuts or whole fish weighing more than , wait around 24 hours before removing the fish from the fridge.^[11]
   
   
   
   • Make sure your refrigerator is set to or less.
5. Cook the defrosted salmon immediately after removing it from the fridge. Once the fish has thawed out, it’s ready to cook. Discard the paper towel, packaging, and any plastic wrap you used.^[12] Then be sure to cook the salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of .^[13]
   
   
   
   • Don’t leave the salmon to sit out at room temperature unless you’re planning to cook it right away.
   • While it’s technically safe to refreeze the uncooked salmon after you’ve thawed it correctly in the fridge, it will loose much of its flavor and moisture.^[14]

[Edit]Using the Microwave

1. Take the frozen salmon out of its packaging 10 minutes before cooking it. If you’re defrosting all of the fish, discard the plastic wrapping and any paper or foil packaging that it came in. If you’re defrosting 1 or a few pieces from a larger package, remove the ones you want, reseal the packaging, and return it to the freezer.
   
   
   
   • Microwave defrosting is the quickest method, but it’s not highly recommended.^[15] The salmon will certainly be safe to cook and eat, but it may end up tough and dry or unevenly heated.
2. Place the frozen salmon on a dish between 2 pieces of paper towel. Use a microwave-safe dish that’s large enough to fit all of the salmon pieces side-by-side. Line the bottom of the dish with a few pieces of paper towel to catch the melting ice crystals. Place the salmon directly onto the paper towel-lined dish, and cover it with another piece of paper towel.^[16]
   
   
   • Position the thickest parts of the fish towards the outside edges of the dish and the thinnest parts toward the center so the whole piece defrosts evenly.
3. Use the microwave’s defrost setting to gradually heat the fish. Each microwave will be slightly different but start by hitting the defrost button. Then, if prompted, enter either the weight of your salmon or the amount of time you want the microwave to run. Aim to warm up the salmon for 4 to 5 minutes per of fish you’re defrosting.^[17]
   
   
   • The defrost setting is usually 30% of the microwave's heating power, so if you don’t have a defrost feature, set the controls to 30% or Power 3.
4. Pause the microwave halfway through to flip over the salmon. If you’re defrosting a piece of salmon, open the microwave door about 2.5 minutes through the defrosting sequence. Carefully flip the salmon over so that the bottom side faces the top. This will help it thaw out more evenly. Then close the door and allow the microwave to continue the cycle.^[18]
   
   
   • Wash your hands with soap after handling the raw, partially-thawed fish.
5. Remove the salmon from the microwave before it’s totally thawed. Stop defrosting the fish when it’s mostly pliable but still contains a few frozen patches. Feel the fish to check on its progress. If needed, keep defrosting it for 30 seconds at a time until it reaches this stage.^[19]
   
   
   
   • After handling the raw seafood, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
   • Avoid overdoing the microwave defrosting. If you keep it in for too long, it may start to cook unevenly or dry out.
6. Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before cooking it. Instead of totally defrosting it in the microwave, take the salmon out of the microwave and allow the heat to work through the fish while it rests at room temperature. Wait about 5 minutes for the frozen patches to thaw out. Then immediately cook the salmon.
   
   
   • Feel free to cook the salmon in the microwave or in the oven.

[Edit]Tips

• If you’re defrosting a whole salmon, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then check the inner cavity for ice chunks. Seal the whole fish in plastic wrap and run cold water on the cavity for around 1 hour to finish defrosting this portion, if necessary.
• Label and date your salmon before storing it in the freezer so you remember to defrost and cook it before 2 months pass.^[20]

[Edit]Warnings

• Keep your salmon frozen for no more than 2 months’ time.^[21]
• Don’t attempt to thaw out frozen fish at room temperature. This promotes the growth of bacteria.^[22]
• Avoid buying frozen salmon that’s covered in a thick layer of frost or ice crystals. It’s either been stored for too long or has been defrosted and re-frozen.^[23]
• Avoid buying “frozen” salmon that’s pliable. The fish should be frozen solid. If it’s bendable within its packaging, this is a sign that it may have been partially defrosted already.^[24]

[Edit]Things You'll Need

[Edit]Defrosting in the Fridge

• Plastic wrap
• Large dish
• Paper towels

[Edit]Thawing in Cold Water

• Resealable plastic bag
• Large bowl
• Cold, running water

[Edit]Using the Microwave

• Microwave-safe dish
• Paper towels

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• Buy Fresh Salmon
• Remove a Fish Smell from a Refrigerator
• Cure Salmon
• Make Salmon and Cucumber Boats
• Make a Salmon Burger

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/14105-how-to-defrost-your-fish-faster-and-things-to-do-while-you-wait
2. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/14105-how-to-defrost-your-fish-faster-and-things-to-do-while-you-wait
3. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/14105-how-to-defrost-your-fish-faster-and-things-to-do-while-you-wait
4. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/14105-how-to-defrost-your-fish-faster-and-things-to-do-while-you-wait
5. ↑ http://www.namanet.org/how-prepare-fresh-whole-fish
6. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-defrost-salmon-267459
7. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely
8. ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/dangers-of-thawing-frozen-fish-in-package
9. ↑ https://bbqrecipez.com/how-to-defrost-salmon/
10. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-defrost-salmon-267459
11. ↑ https://bbqrecipez.com/how-to-defrost-salmon/
12. ↑ https://bbqrecipez.com/how-to-defrost-salmon/
13. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely
14. ↑ https://food.unl.edu/it-safe-refreeze-raw-meat-and-poultry-has-thawed
15. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely
16. ↑ https://bbqrecipez.com/how-to-defrost-salmon/
17. ↑ https://bbqrecipez.com/how-to-defrost-salmon/
18. ↑ https://bbqrecipez.com/how-to-defrost-salmon/
19. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely
20. ↑ http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/publichealth/foodsafety/chill.aspx
21. ↑ http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/publichealth/foodsafety/chill.aspx
22. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-thaw-frozen-fish-fillets-fast-article
23. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely
24. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely