Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600571
10/13/97
Fish can be cooked successfully without thawing first
by allowing additional cooking time. Approximately double
the time in a recipe is needed to fully cook frozen fish.
If a recipe calls for breading, stuffing or broiling thawed
fish works the best.
Thaw fish in its original wrappings in the refrigerator
or under cold running water. Never allow fish to thaw at
room temperature. Thaw fish only until it has just become
pliable. It may still have some ice crystals in it.
Free fish frozen in ice blocks by running cold water
over the block. When the fish is free of ice, remove it and
wipe dry. Cook at once.
If thawed fish is required, remove fish when freed of
ice and let stand in clean, cold water until just thawed.
Drain, wipe dry and cook at once. To avoid the leaching
effect of the water, remove the fish when free of ice and
cover with aluminum foil or food wrap and finish thawing in
the refrigerator. Cook at once.
Thawing times vary with the size and shape of the
package and with a temperature. Typically, a pound of fish
requires 6 to 8 hours to thaw in the refrigerator or 1 to 2
hours to thaw under cold water.