So, you’ve got some delicious and fresh tuna steaks that you can’t use for a few days. Can you freeze them to keep them fresh?
Well, yes you can! Tuna can be frozen in most forms, with very little consequence. The “fishy” taste may be a little stronger after thawing it, but that’s easily ignored or covered.
If the tuna is going to be prepared and eaten raw – such as with sushi – it’s first frozen to kill off any harmful bacteria.
If stored properly, a fresh tuna steak can be kept indefinitely at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, your best bet is to finish off the tuna within 2-3 months, if peak quality is a concern.
Best Way to Freeze Tuna Steaks?
Ideally, your tuna steaks should be frozen on the day of purchase, after properly wrapping and storing.
If you have an entire side, your best option is to chop it up into single-serve steaks and wrap them individually – or chop it up into chunks.
Rinse your tuna steak with cold water and gently pat it dry with a paper towel.
Individually wrap or store your steaks, because when they’re frozen together in clumps it will take longer to defrost.
Place the wrapped steaks into freezer-safe plastic or glass storage container. Because of tuna’s intense smell, double wrap each steak to prevent the smell from permeating to other foods.
Optional, but important: label your tuna with the date it’s frozen, so you know exactly how much time each piece has left.
Finally, consume within a 3-month window for best quality.
Remove them from the freezer and pop them into the fridge, leaving them for at least 24 hours.
Never thaw your fish on the countertop or in the sink, as it could expose your fish to dangerous levels of unhealthy bacteria.
Does Freezing Tuna Steak Ruin it?
When done properly, not at all!
Precautions must be taken to ensure your fish stays as fresh as possible in the freezer, including avoiding the dreaded freezer burn.
If frozen and stored improperly, every aspect of the fish will be tainted. A foul taste, heavy fishy smell, and a mushy texture.
It’s also incredibly important to eat your fish as soon as possible. After about 2 months, the tuna steaks will begin to lose their delicious flavor and texture – much the same as chicken or beef.
When done properly, there’s no harm in freezing your tuna steaks.
If eaten quickly enough, the texture and taste won’t be altered much – if at all.
Bacteria and parasites are all taken care of, either before you even got the fish, or after freezing.
Don’t be afraid to freeze your fresh tuna steaks, so long as you don’t forget about them in there everything will be just as it was the day you bought it.
