Why frozen?

Everyone knows ‘the fresher the better’ is true for seafood, but sadly frozen fish seems to carry a negative stigma, despite usually being the freshest option!

Most fish available at supermarkets has been defrosted to create the illusion of ‘freshness’ before being displayed in plastic for days. By the time it is bought, it has more often than not been unfrozen for a week and sometimes longer.

Unless you have seen your fish landed or are willing to shop for fish at a 4am auction, your best bet for a great seafood experience is to buy quality frozen fish every time.

Food waste in the UK is a massive problem. Full shelves and constant availability of seafood comes at a huge cost. Hundreds of tons of unsold chilled fish are disposed of each year in the UK once it passes its shelf life as it is deemed unsafe for consumption.

This is not the case with frozen fish, which remains safe to eat for months therefore much less is wasted.

 

Many things contribute to sustainable fish, and at Urchin we believe reducing waste is a fundamental aspect.

 

Once safely in your freezer, your Urchin frozen fish is ready when you want it.

Defrosting is as simple as placing your individually wrapped piece of fish in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can cook it from frozen.

Explore mouthwatering recipes to help you eat healthily and build your fish cooking confidence

For a healthy diet, it is recommended to eat at least two portions of fish a week – Urchin’s mission is to help make that easy!

Guidelines for frozen fish success every time: 

  • For best results we recommend you aim to finish your box within a month. At domestic freezer temperatures (-18 C) the reactions which contribute to deteriorating freshness are happening very slowly so avoid leaving fish in your freezer for months on end.
  • Once defrosted, don’t leave your fish in the fridge for days. The sooner you eat it the fresher your eating experience will be.
  • Do expect some liquid appear during defrosting, this is mostly surface moisture. Some fish like Cod are particularity juicy.
  • Seasoning any fish with salt 30 mins prior to cooking will improve the cooked texture and succulence considerably. This is due to the effect the salt has on fish muscle proteins enabling them to retain more moisture.