# How long will dried/salted fish last.



## neil-v1

I was wondering if anyone has any first hand knowledge of how long dried/salted Cod or other fish could be stored For? Would vacuum sealing it make it last even Longer? Any help or opinions welcome.


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## camo2460

Stored properly, kept in a dry cool environment, it should last indefinitely. Dried Meat (Jerky) has been found stored in Clay Pots at the back of Caves that was estimated to be several Hundred Years old. In the case of your Fish, it's not only dried but Salt has been added, which adds another layer of protection. Moisture is the sworn enemy of any dried Food, and Vacuum sealing it would help keep it dry, but it still needs to be stored in a Cool and Dry place.


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## Caribou

We had a case of salt cod stored in an outside locker on a tug I worked on. It saw rain, snow, rain, cold, rain, heat, and more rain. After more than a year of hauling it around I tossed it overboard. There was nothing wrong with it even after being stored in a less than ideal situation. There was nobody onboard that wanted to eat any of it. The next time the company sent us a case of salt cod it immediately went back into the sea from whence it came.

I was over at an friends house, he is eskimo and this was in the village. I noticed that his dried and salted salmon had molded. I asked him if he ate it after the mold set in. He said that he did but that his son wouldn't. Dried fish is a staple in the villages. Smoke, drying, and salt is the preserving method. The smoke is meant to keep the flies off and the fish is stored out of the snow and rain without refrigeration for a year quite easily. When this years fish is ready the dogs get last years fish. 

This salmon might see temperatures from +80's to -60's with multiple freeze thaw cycles. It is kept from direct contact with rain or snow.


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## hiwall

there is oil in dried meats that could go rancid but you can easily smell that before eating.


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## readytogo

*Salted Dry Fish the right way.*

Good question, salted dry fish can last your lifetime if is really dry, not the wet junk sold in stores as dry fish. As a child we used to get it from Spain in wood boxes ,the whole fish slice open and dry like a piece of wood ,no moisture whatsoever, Italians and Portuguese also have a great dry fish, never seen in your local chain store ,but online even Amazon sells it. Any fish can be salted and dry my Spanish grandfather living in the country in Cuba and with no power but the Sun used to dry fish with fresh sea salt, then it was hung to dry in the Sun, a very common sight in Korean villages near the coast, I have also done it here in Miami with snappers and groupers, you can then vacuum pack it for prosperity. Here is some info. https://www.orceserranohams.com/bacalao-salt-cod/
And in basically the same area , Spanish dry ham has no equal, cured with salt and time.


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## Davarm

I started salting and drying fish 5 or 6 years ago, ate a piece of it last year and it was still good.

I soaked it in brine, dehydrated it, vacuum sealed the fillets in food saver bags then packed ithe packets into 5 gallon buckets.

Sooo, first hand, I will say at least 5 years and likely quite a bit longer if it is stored properly(cool/dry/dark place).


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## readytogo

Real dry fish or meat will shred like straw and would have no moisture what so ever I just put it in water and drain several times till all the saltiness has gone than cook. There are many recipes for dry fish ,one of my favorites is fritters or in a potato salad with olive oil, onions . red peppers and olives.


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## neil-v1

Thank you everyone. I've always appreciated this site.


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## ZangLussuria

Noob question as I haven't dried anything more than fruits in a household kitchen dehydrator.

Can I buy store bought "dried fish" and further dehydrate it in the dehydrator?


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## Caribou

ZangLussuria said:


> Noob question as I haven't dried anything more than fruits in a household kitchen dehydrator.
> 
> Can I buy store bought "dried fish" and further dehydrate it in the dehydrator?


I doubt it. I don't think it would matter. I stored salt cod in an outside locker on a boat and it stayed dry. That is a rather humid condition without any change. If you want to try, go for it, you can't hurt it.


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## Davarm

Drying fish isn't hard or complicated, may be more trouble to find/buy then further dehydrate fish than to just do it from scratch.

Soak fillets in your brine overnight then put it in the dehydrator until completely dry. Thin fillets take 6 to 8 hours to dry completely then vacuum seal them and store.

I'm pretty sure Gypsysue's book covers it and if oldcoothillbilly still has his blog up but he explained it pretty well there.


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## readytogo

I should had posted earlier but had to go in the attic for the book, I actually need to get some dry fish to make a Spanish fish pie that my neighbor from Spain said his mother used to make and my grandmother made too, is a wonderful dish with nothing more than fish, onions, garlic, tomatoes, red peppers, olives and olive oil Cook like a stew till it dries somewhat and place in a pie plate with a simple dough and baked. Any way this book is old but has very good history, technics and recipes on curing, salting, smoking meats, fish and game.
ISBN=1-55821-422-4
http://www.sausagesource.com/cold-smoking-salt-curing-meat-fish-game
Good Luck.


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