We know that feeling of eager excitement when you pull your freezer door open to reveal an astonishing array of frozen fish products. After all, not only is it tasty as the Captain would testify, but it’s also packed to the brim with nutritional benefits.
To unlock those delicious flavours and nutrients, you first have to cook your fish safely. Don’t worry though – this shouldn’t cause you any kitchen jitters! To prove it, we’ve created a guide with a number of different ways to defrost your fish – whether you’ve got a hankering for a fillet of flaky cod or sumptuous salmon.
How to defrost Birds Eye fish products
Never forget the Captain’s wonderful wares – Birds Eye’s frozen fish is delicious and can be cooked up in double quick time. Of course, one huge benefit of our products (and there are many of them!) is that you can defrost and cook simultaneously.
That’s right, just dust off your oven or microwave and cook from frozen! For some of the range such as our iconic fish fingers, you can also grill them until then they’re perfectly golden. For full defrosting and cooking instructions, check out the individual products.
How to defrost fish quickly
1) If they aren’t already, place your fillets of fish in separate re-sealable bags.
2) Fill up a deep tray or large bowl with chilled water (it’s natural to think hot or lukewarm water would be better but this can actually be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria).
3) Leave your fillets fully submerged in the water for around 20 minutes, but carefully check that the fish has completely defrosted before removing them from the bag.
4) Give each fillet a quick rinse with cold water before dabbing them dry ahead of cooking.
How to defrost fish in the fridge
1) Seal your fillets of fish in plastic bags.
2) Put them in the fridge overnight – this method will need you to be well prepared but it’s super easy. Just slot your fillets onto a shelf before you go to sleep, and pick them out just before you cook the next day – do make sure that it essentially seems fresh in terms of texture and feel first!
How to defrost fish in the microwave
1) Take your fish out of any packaging and put it on a microwaveable plate.
2) Microwave it for around three minutes using the ‘Defrost’ function (it may need slightly longer if it’s a thick fillet – check that it’s properly thawed by seeing if it’s pliable but make sure you don’t start to cook it in the microwave either).
3) Use the defrosted fish in your recipe of choice straight away and do not return to the freezer or fridge.
Now you know how to defrost your fish, let us give you some pointers on how to cook it. And if you’re wondering what to serve up alongside the Captain’s finest, then look no further than our veritably tasty frozen veg.