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How Long Can Smoked Salmon Stay In The Fridge?
To put it simply, smoked salmon can be stored in a fridge for up to one to two weeks only; a very short shelf life. After this, it is not recommended to keep it in the fridge. You can move it into the freezer for storing it for a longer period of time.
Beyond that point, quality diminishes, but you will still be able to eat your Smoked Salmon, since a frozen smoked salmon can remain fresh for an unlimited time. If you buy packaged salmon, but you decide to have some later, you can store in a refrigerator up to seven days. For example, if a package says that the smoking salmon will keep 2-3 weeks if not opened, you may want to hold onto it for an extra 2-3 days.
If you do eventually make the preservation, smoked salmon probably will last about 2 days out of the fridge. Then, simply place the bag in the freezer, and you can expect the vacuum-sealed smoked salmon to remain edible for even a week.
As for the opened bags of smoked salmon, it will keep fresh for between five to seven days in the refrigerator, and one month in the freezer. An opened, vacuum sealed package of smoked salmon kept in continuous refrigeration will keep one week. Unopened vacuum-sealed warm-smoked salmon will last in the refrigerator for two weeks, provided it is within its expiration date and kept refrigerated all of the time.
| Salmon | Shelf Life (refrigerated 32-34°F) |
| Smoked salmon (opened) | 2-3 days |
| Smoked salmon (opened, vacuum sealed) | 1 week |
| Smoked salmon (unopened, vacuum sealed) | 2 weeks |
| Honey smoked salmon (unopened) | 2-3 weeks |
How long a re-refrigerated vacuum-sealed hot-smoked salmon stays safe and delicious depends on whether it is past its expiration date, is still sealed or has been opened, and has been kept refrigerated or has been moved to and from the refrigerator. For normal, unpacked salmon, you should eat within a week after you open it, regardless of what its expiration date is. If you store an unopened package in your fridge, it should be good for up to 2-3 days after itssell-by date. If this salmon is close to or past its date on the label by one to two days, taste before serving.
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Look at the date on the label, and if it is well past it, or if you opened the package more than 5-10 days ago (depending on the variety), throw out spoiled salmon. If your salmon looks fine, does not smell bad, but is way past the date, do not even think about looking at it again–just throw it out right away. Of course, salmon is more likely to stay good for several days after the sold-by date, depending on the shelf life overall. The fish may technically get moldy, but only after you open the package and store it for at least ten days.
If it is not, or it simply does not taste like smoked fish, then it is likely to be a shoddy product, or at the very least, it is past its prime. If something is off, or just does not smell like smoked fish, it is either bad, or at the very least, it is past its prime.
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Remember, aroma is one of the factors that makes a meal great, so if it is not there, then this salmon is definitely not going to taste all that good. Please remember that smell is one aspect that contributes to food flavor, so if it is off, that salmon definitely will not taste that good. While fresh salmon should produce a soft, appealing fishy aroma, salmon that has been damaged will create a strong, pungent fishy odor.
If salmon is caught on smoke with no adequate brining or cooking procedures, the fish may be breeding grounds for pathogens. You can store salmon indefinitely, but it takes its toll on both flavor and meat texture. Because bacteria can multiply quickly at room temperature, eating salmon that has been sitting outside for long periods of time may be hazardous. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture says, salmon may be left out for just two hours before it is unsafe to eat.
Smoked fish can last for 21 days when kept refrigerated, and indefinitely when frozen to 0 degrees F. Smoked fish products purchased from Pure Food Fish Market will last for two days outside of the fridge and up to three weeks inside. Of course, your typical smoke-cured salmon will last for around 21 days ([KSS]), but there are also other options, such as Honey Smoked Salmon, which can last for 90 days without opening ([HSF]). There is also Sea Bears Smoked Salmon, which claims to have a shelf life of 4 years, provided that the pack stays sealed ([ SB]) – though I would be pretty hesitant about keeping this one around that long.
While mold is rare for salmon, it still may occur if you leave it exposed to open air for a week or longer, even with the package kept refrigerated. You can freeze the spoilt salmon, either whole, if still unopened, or divided into portions and frozen in quart-sized freezer bags. You can also freeze opened salmon up to three months – either in its original packaging, or divided in freezer-weight bags. If your smoking fish is still vacuum sealed, and you anticipate eating all of it in just a couple days after it is thawed, you can freeze it intact.
If open, transfer the smoked salmon to freezer-safe Ziplock bags, making sure you press all of the extra air out before placing it into the fridge. Even though the packed salmon was exposed to air when you opened the packages, the vacuum seal will pull out air again, thereby stopping aerobic bacteria from working. This means it is best to get the salmon safely into your refrigerator in the 30 minute window immediately after leaving the store.
Even if bacteria does begin growing on your cold-smoked salmon, it does not get to the point that you could harm yourself if you eat it right away or within that allotted time. While there is a very good chance that nothing is wrong with salmon; it is always better to be safe than sorry. After all, if your salmon costs so much, there is every reason to try and salvage as much as you can should the worst happen. Smoked or baked hot salmon from the Kipper, or salmon, freezes very well, and you can keep them frozen in a sealed container for up to six months, or while vacuum-sealed.
Can you eat smoked salmon after 5 days?
Store-bought smoked salmon keeps for a few days after the expiration date. You have roughly 5 days of storage after you open the package, and if you’re lucky, up to a week. Of course, don’t expect the fish to remain quality for more than a day or two if it has already beyond the written expiration date.
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How long until smoked salmon goes bad?
Keep smoked salmon packages in the refrigerator and tightly wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil once they have been opened to extend their shelf life. An unsealed box of smoked salmon will keep in the fridge for approximately a week if stored properly.
Can I eat smoked salmon after a week?
In reality, it depends on whether you have opened its package. Smoked salmon can be kept for up to a week after its expiration date if the package is unopened. However, notwithstanding its expiration date, standard unpackaged salmon should be consumed within a week of opening.