You’ve just bought a huge number of cans of fish sauce, and now you’re wondering: How long will all these food items last in the fridge?
While you’ll definitely want to keep your canned salmon and anchovies for as long as they’ll stay fresh, you may also want to use up some of the cheaper and more perishable items first. Especially if you’re on a limited budget, you may want to consider throwing away those extra-large bottles of soy sauce or oyster sauce after a couple of months, since they’ll probably go bad.
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4-5 Months For Fish Sauce
Based on the best information we can find, we’ve put together a chart to help you determine how long refrigerated seafood products will stay good. We’ve included a few varieties of fish sauce as well as anchovies, but the information should apply to other fishy products as well.
Note that the storage time is highly variable, so it’s best to eat the foods as soon as possible. If you have an extended refrigerator storage time without eating the product, it may go bad. So it’s always a good idea to use fresh foods as soon as possible.
What Is The Best Way To Store Fish Sauce?
The best way to store fish sauce depends on how you’re going to use it. If you’re going to fry up some fish or eat it as an ingredient in a recipe, then you can go with the cheaper, more affordable bottles of fish sauce that you can find on supermarket shelves. These bottles usually have an attached lid that you can seal with a tight-fitting lid or twist-top.
But if you’re going to keep it in the fridge for extended periods of time, then you might want to look for a glass bottle with a tighter seal. Since gas filling the bottle may affect the flavor, you don’t want to use a large bottle, which would result in a lot of space being occupied by gas. Another option is an airtight container, which you can also find in most supermarkets, that you can use to store fish sauce. When you remove the lid, you’ll see that the contents are a solid mass, which are going to stay good for longer periods of time than the liquid form.
If you have a lot of space in your refrigerator, then you can also use the freezer to store perishable food items such as fish sauce. When you’re ready to use it, simply take it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. This will help minimize any unpleasant ice crystals that may form while your food is still frozen. If you do this frequently enough, you may not even need to take it out of the freezer at all, as the ice crystals will be smooth and unappetizing. Just remember that fish sauce will continue to deteriorate even after you take it out of the freezer, so you’ll need to use it soon after buying it.
How Long Does It Take For Fish Sauce To Deteriorate?
If you keep your fish sauce at room temperature, it will begin to break down immediately. According to some sources, this process can take anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks. It really depends on how long you leave it at room temperature and how often you eat it. If you keep it in the fridge, then this process will occur faster. After the initial break down, the fish sauce will continue to deteriorate at an ever-increasing rate until it becomes unusable.
What Can You Do To Increase The Storage Life Of Fish Sauce?
While it’s not recommended that you keep your fish sauce at room temperature for longer than a couple of days, there are a few things you can do to increase its storage life. First of all, you can reduce the amount of light that hits the product. So if you keep your fish sauce in a dark, cool, and clean place, then it will stay fresh for much longer. Second, you can make sure that the can is undamaged and that the contents are still in good shape by looking for signs of rust or corrosion on the exterior of the can. Third, you can remove the label from the bottle so that it’s easier to tell when the product is going bad. Fourth, and quite possibly the best way to increase the storage life of your fish sauce, is by reducing the amount of air that’s trapped within the container. This last step can be done by removing as much of the contents as possible and then carefully replacing it with fresh air. Doing this will cause the contents to become less pungent and more diluted, thus making it last longer.
Keeping It Out Of The Light
As we’ve mentioned earlier, the best way to keep your fish sauce fresh is by keeping it out of the light. This is because the light can cause the sugar in the product to rapidly decompose, resulting in an unpleasant odor that’ll likely overwhelm any other ingredients. So keep your light-blocking containers and lids in a dark and cool place, and away from any sources of direct heat or moisture. Making sure that your fish sauce is always kept in this state of preservation will help make it last as long as possible.
Wash The Can And Its Lid
Washing the can and its lid in warm soapy water can help eliminate some of the odor that the product may emit. Additionally, it’ll clean the product of any oils or other toxins that may cause problems. Just make sure that the water that you use is safe to drink and that it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. If you notice, some cans have a logo imprinted on the lid, which you can use to determine the brand of the product.
Now that you’re equipped with the basic knowledge needed to keep your seafood products fresh for as long as possible, you may want to consider investing in a few of these refrigerators, which you can find at most supermarkets for a fairly affordable price. These appliances will help you save a lot of money and ensure that you have the ingredients you need when you want them. They also make it much easier to prepare meals when you’re cooking for yourself or a small family.