The salmon for smoked salmon is sockeye salmon, which is landed in Alaska and Canada, so most smoked salmon is produced in foreign countries.
While Japan uses salt in pickles and other foods to preserve them, smoked salmon is preserved by being smoked.
Because of its long shelf life, it does not expire during importation, so it is often found in Japan.
Here is how to preserve smoked salmon, how long it keeps, whether it can be frozen, and what happens to it when it spoils.
Please use this information as a reference when you buy smoked salmon.
How to Store Smoked Salmon and How Long Does It Keep?
Few people make smoked salmon by hand, so here are some guidelines for storing it commercially.
Unopened Shelf Life
It is stored in a vacuum and refrigerated, and the shelf life is about 3 weeks.
Commercial smoked salmon is always labeled with an expiration date, so please follow the expiration date, not the three weeks after you buy it.
It is important to check the expiration date carefully, because depending on how the salmon is smoked if there is not enough water in the salmon, the shelf life will be extended.
Storage Period After Opening the Package
If there is any leftover after opening the package, put it in an airtight bag and seal it using a straw or something to remove the airtightly.
Store again in the refrigerator. The shelf life is about 3 to 5 days.
If there is likely to be a lot leftover from the beginning, it is better to store it in the refrigerator instead of on the table, which will extend the shelf life from 3~5 days to 5 days.
Especially at Costco, it is recommended to take out only what you are going to eat and store the rest right away, as they come in large quantities.
Please note that this food cannot be used for lunch boxes because it must be kept refrigerated.
A sandwich with smoked salmon, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes is delicious, but it should not be included in a lunch box.
If you must have smoked salmon in your lunch box, there is a small amount of smoked salmon available that can be stored at room temperature, so please look for it and use it.
How to Freeze Smoked Salmon and For How Long?
Smoked salmon can be frozen.
Be careful not to freeze it before it expires or it will be useless.
If you have leftover smoked salmon, put it in an airtight bag so that each piece doesn’t stick together, and seal the bag with a straw to remove all the air.
Place in the freezer on a metal tray and quick freeze.
If you don’t have a metal tray, try folding and laying down a sheet of aluminum foil.
The shelf life is about one month.
If you bought the food but do not have a chance to eat it within the expiration date and it is still in the vacuum pack, you can freeze it as is.
If they are close to their expiration date and are on sale at a discount, you can buy them and freeze them to save money.
The shelf life is about one month after the expiration date.
How Do I Defrost Smoked Salmon?
The best way to defrost smoked salmon is to defrost it naturally in the refrigerator.
You can defrost it naturally by moving it from the freezer to the refrigerator the day before you want to eat it.
The key is to defrost it in the refrigerator because it will be left at room temperature after defrosting.
If you want to eat it quickly, you can defrost it under running water.
What Happens to Smoked Salmon When It Goes Bad?
Smoked salmon is refrigerated, so if you accidentally leave it at room temperature, you may be worried that it will go bad.
It is important to note that smoked salmon changes its appearance and aroma when it goes bad.
When smoked salmon goes bad, it becomes slimy.
When you lift a piece of smoked salmon and it starts to look like natto (fermented soybeans), it is rotten and should be thrown away.
Summary of Storing Smoked Salmon
Refrigerated storage: Place in an airtight bag and seal tightly, removing all air.
To freeze: Place in an airtight bag so that each piece doesn’t stick together, which makes it easier to defrost.
| Refrigerated Storage | Frozen Storage | |
| Before opening | Follow the expiration date | About 1 month after the expiration date |
| After opening | About 3-5 days | About 1 month |
To defrost, defrost naturally in the refrigerator.
A good indication of rottenness is when it is slimy, smells sour, and has turned a dull pink with brownish hues.
If it strings when you touch it with your hand, it is rotten.
The bright pink color of smoked salmon changes to a dull brownish pink.
When you smell it, it will have a sour odor.
It’s easy to identify because it smells sour, not the good smoked salmon smell.
If you smell it before you eat it, it is easy to detect that it is rotten.