Ceviche is a staple made from raw seafood. It’s a popular dish with a unique way of preparation since it doesn’t cook seafood through heat. Instead, it uses acidic components such as lime or lemon juice. Thus, it’s easy to spoil and is usually made for immediate consumption. Now, if you have leftover ceviche, you may wonder:
Can you freeze ceviche? Yes, you can freeze ceviche, but you should consume it within 48 hours. When you freeze your ceviche, make sure you take out all of the juices. Also, it would be best if you kept it in an airtight container to avoid contamination. Since the seafood is generally raw, you should consume it as soon as possible.
Ceviche is a dish that’s only at its best when served fresh. Thus preparing such should only be in serving sizes that you can consume in one sitting. However, there are instances when we prepare more, and this information will help you with it.
In this article, you’ll read through all the things you need to know about storing your ceviche in the fridge. This way, you can extend the shelf life of your ceviche and keep it for a day or two more without going bad.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
- Is it OK to freeze ceviche?
- How long can you freeze ceviche?
- How to freeze ceviche?
- Take out as much marinade as you can from the ceviche.
- Pack the ceviche in an airtight container.
- Add another lime or lemon juice when serving again.
- Throw it away if you smell any fishy odor.
- Avoid letting it stay at room temperature for several hours.
- Keep the ceviche in the fridge for a maximum of 48 hours.
- Can you freeze fish ceviche?
- Can you freeze shrimp ceviche?
- Summary
- Resources
Is it OK to freeze ceviche?
Yes, it is OK to freeze ceviche, but only when highly needed. The thing about ceviche is that it uses raw seafood and cooks it through acidic components only, such as lime or lemon juice.
In general, ceviche doesn’t use heat, which means it’s pretty prone to going bad. Also, this process makes ceviche a dish that’s easy to spoil and can do so in a matter of hours.
In short, ceviche is meant to be served fresh, and it usually only takes 15-25 minutes to prepare. Thus, it should be served only in servings consumed in a single sitting.
If you have leftover ceviche, you can freeze it, but make sure you take out all the juices and pack them in an airtight container to ensure the seafood doesn’t get any bacteria.
Lastly, you can only keep ceviche in the fridge for as long as 48 hours. Since it’s marinated with acidic components, the seafood will continue to break down, so you should consume it as soon as possible.
How long can you freeze ceviche?
Generally, you can freeze your ceviche for a maximum of 48 hours only. Now, that length or period depends on how much texture change you can tolerate.
The acidic elements in the ceviche marinade will not affect the quality of the fish. However, it will generally continue to degrade the tendons and ligaments in the seafood, causing the quality to deteriorate with time.
You will also be in danger of contamination, just as if you had stored the uncooked seafood in your refrigerator. This is especially concerning if your seafood was not remarkably fresh to start.
How to freeze ceviche?
If you need to freeze ceviche, make sure you follow these steps to keep your ceviche from going bad.
Take out as much marinade as you can from the ceviche.
When keeping ceviche in the fridge, drain as much from the marinade as you can to avoid the seafood from crumbling down and getting mushy or slimy from sitting in it for too long. Because the acid in the citrus juice degrades the collagen in the seafood, you should not keep it for far too long.
Pack the ceviche in an airtight container.
The next step is to store the ceviche securely packed and in an airtight container. For example, when keeping ceviche in the refrigerator, use an airtight jar or a container securely covered in plastic wrap to prevent moisture, air, or germs from getting into touch with the ceviche and causing it to spoil faster.
Add another lime or lemon juice when serving again.
To change the flavor, add fresh lime juice when serving over. This step is optional, but it will give a hint of freshness to your stored ceviche.
Throw it away if you smell any fishy odor.
If you detect any fishy odor whatsoever at any time, discard immediately. The fishy odor can signify that the seafood from your ceviche has spoiled and is not ideal for consumption.
Avoid letting it stay at room temperature for several hours.
Keeping your ceviche in the fridge is much better than leaving it at room temperature. The seafood can spoil in a couple of hours when the ceviche is exposed at room temperature. Thus, if you can’t finish your ceviche, you should pack it in an airtight container as soon as possible.
Keep the ceviche in the fridge for a maximum of 48 hours.
Because the fish is cooked in the acidic combination and is not entirely raw, ceviche may be preserved in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but only if carefully refrigerated. Although ceviche must be consumed fresh, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days if eaten before then.
Can you freeze fish ceviche?
Yes, you can freeze fish ceviche, but only do so when needed. As mentioned earlier, you should take out the marinade and seal the fish ceviche in an airtight container.
This way, you can prevent bacteria from growing and stop the ceviche from going bad, extending its shelf life for a day or two.
In short, the best thing to do is only prepare fish ceviche in small amounts that you can finish in one meal. This way, you can enjoy fish ceviche at its best, and that’s when you serve it fresh.
Can you freeze shrimp ceviche?
Yes, you can freeze shrimp ceviche, although it’s not ideal. As mentioned previously, the shrimp ceviche should be sealed in an airtight container after removing the marinade.
By doing so, you will prevent bacteria from growing and extend the shelf life of the shrimp ceviche for a few days.
Shortly put, the best thing you can do is prepare shrimp ceviche in small quantities that you can finish in one sitting. Then, when shrimp ceviche is served fresh, you can enjoy it at its best.
Summary
Essentially, you can freeze ceviche, but you should consume it within 48 hours. Be sure to remove all of the juices from your ceviche before freezing it. In addition, you need to store it in an airtight container to prevent contamination. Finally, you should consume ceviche as soon as possible since it is made of raw seafood.
When served fresh, ceviche is at its best. As a result, preparing such should only be done in serving sizes suitable for consumption in one sitting. However, there are instances when we have to prepare more, and this information can help.
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Resources
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