I have always Vacuam packed and frozen my salmon after curing and smoking. A friend was telling me he stores his in the refridgerator and it last a good long time, up to six months. Will this work? I hate to learn the hard way and have a batch of smoked fish lost to spoilage.

I can't keep the stuff around long enough for it to go bad. If you have alot like 50# I would freeze some of it

u can probably get a good life out of it in the fridge maybe not 6 months though i would think 2 or 3 months would be more realistic. correct me if im wrong on this. the freezer is a way better choice in my point of veiw though.

As I do not eat smoked fish I always vacuum pack and freeze. It lasts longer that way for my parents when I give it to them.

I think freezing it is the best idea. I was told by a lady at the health department that it's possible to get botulism from vacuum sealed foods because it's anaerobic (no air). I haven't heard of any cases and it's probably pretty well preserved with all the salt and smoke, but I don't like to take chances.

hey,

I don't pretned to be to smokin god, but i do spend alot of time behind the smoker. I would not reccomend more than 3 weeks to 1 month in the refriderator, that is with cold smoked salmon, if you have the average "little chief" that is hot smoking and I would not reccomend screwing around with the long term. spend your time impressing he ladies with your smokin skills if any longer freeze it. can anyone say jack in the box ???

To the freezer it goes! Thanks for the input.

The vacuum packed should be frozen, or stored below 4Deg. C. or, wrapped in a non-airtight manner in the fridge (week or so). Otherwise it gets kind of funky.
If you plan on keeping it above 4deg. C (~40Deg.F), Don't leave it air tight; wrap it so it is not airtight.
Botulism has been documented to grow in temps as low as 3.3Deg.C (~37.94F).
C. botulinum growth can be avoided by: Exposure to air, temperature (cooked above 240Deg. F), high sugar content and high salinity (Saltier than you would probably like to eat it).
The key here is the anaerobic storage conditions of the food.
No air, right temp. range, Clostridium Botulinum grows and produces a toxic substance.
Don't even mess with botulism. It is said that one cup of the bacteria has the potential to kill every human in the world! As a matter of fact, it is listed as one of the most toxic bacteria known to man.

I freeze mine and then open the vac. pack (couple slits in it will do) and thaw it in the fridge. No botulism poisoning yet.
Use extreme caution if storing any low acid food in a vac. pack at or above ~37DegF. This stuff is bad news, fast.
Read Jack Whelan's excellent 'Smoking Salmon & Trout' he talks all about this with canning and vacuum packing smoked/raw fish.


Reference:
Whelan, Jack. 1917-1994.
"Smoking Salmon & Trout: Plus Canning, Freezing, pickling & more / by Jack Whelan
Harbor Publishing o. Ltd., Madiera Park B.C.
ISBN 1-55017-302-2

It would have to be super heavily salted to last any length of time or else salted and made into jerky. I wouldn't trust the brines we all use to last very long.

I believe it makes a difference as to whether you hard or less than hard smoke your fish in regards to frig. shelf-life. I like my smoked fish just short of firm while still quite moist. I believe it spoils quicker with a higher moisture content. If not eating my vacuum packed smoked fish within 3 weeks I put it in my deep freeze. If not vacuum packed I only trust it for 7 days in the frig. Vacuum packed smoked fish will last at least 1 year in the freezer and will maintain 95% of it's quality as the day you brought it out of the smoker. After 18 months in the freezer I toss it out if it happens to last that long.

To be really safe just indian smoke it. Basically it is dried to the point (with some dry salt treatment prior to drying/smoking) of being nothing but dried protein/jerky and lasts nearly forever. No vac. pack necessary.
The process is easy and takes a long time.
Dry salt the meat, thick parts more salt, thin parts hardly any. Let sit, depending on overall thickness. Remove dry salt and rinse with water. Dry in air 'til pellicle forms them smoke for days or weeks. Not very practical for a Little/Big chief, but if you're ever outdoors for weeks you'll have a fire going anyway.... Then when it is see- through and hard, it's done.

Smoke it and freeze if your not gonna eat with in a couple weeks.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE