# Freezing Pompano



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Posting this here, as I thought it would get more eyeballs, but if it needs to be moved to the Cooking section, so be it...

I have always been under the impression that you could not freeze Pompano.
That if you froze them, the meat would deteriorate, become mushy, and just wouldn't do well.

Last week I was walking the aisles of my local Asian market and looked down into the frozen fish boxes and there was a box of beautiful frozen Pompano. 
They were all 2-3 #ers, and absolutely gorgeous. 
They had to have had a box of 50 of them easy, and were priced at $5.99 a pound. 
Except for markets right down near the coast, I've never seen Pompano for sale, and I've never seen it frozen.

Does anyone out there have any experience freezing Pompano? 

Interested to hear your replies.

TjB


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

I have frozen pan size pompano in water for ~2 months and were fine. But that was fried. Never caught enough big ones that I had to freeze. Do you think these were real, "our" pompano? $5.99 sounds mighty cheep. good fishin! glenn


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

I freeze mine in water with no issues. Have had them after 5-6 months and while not quite as good as fresh they were fine as frog hair.....


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

The seafood man in Publix said they don't sell pompano anymore be cause they coast too much. Two years ago they were $18.00 a pound. We never ever bought or froze pompano. When I lived in Venice FL.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

I have seen similar prices at my local Asian market. Dirt cheap and they were frozen whole gutted Florida pompano.


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Asians fish for them illegally a lot down in Florida. They would be 18 a pound if they where legal. I vacuum seal and freeze them all the time and they taste just fine.


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## MikeDE2NC (Jan 21, 2016)

AbuMike said:


> I freeze mine in water with no issues. Have had them after 5-6 months and while not quite as good as fresh they were fine as frog hair.....


Why do do freeze the fish in water? Curious. That would seem to bring on freezer burn quickly vs a vacumb sealed fish. No? Interested on how that would work better
Thanks, 
Mike


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

MikeDE2NC said:


> Why do do freeze the fish in water? Curious. That would seem to bring on freezer burn quickly vs a vacumb sealed fish. No? Interested on how that would work better
> Thanks,
> Mike


Freezer burn happens from air contact. By freezing in water air can't contact the food, therefore it can't freezer burn.


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

That might just be the answer to why the woman that runs the shop could not tell me where they were caught, and who sold them to her. I thought $5.99 a pound was pretty cheap too.
But they were just loose in the box, no wrapping on them at all.
But good to know on the sealing and freezing. 
I'm buying a Sous Vide cooking device in the Spring, and that will necessitate a vacuum sealer, so it looks like I'll have more use for it than I thought.
Thanks Guys!



bronzbck1 said:


> Asians fish for them illegally a lot down in Florida. They would be 18 a pound if they where legal. I vacuum seal and freeze them all the time and they taste just fine.


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

That $$$ is what I seem to remember when I saw them for sale as well.
And that is a fine looking Pompano there Andy.



andypat said:


> The seafood man in Publix said they don't sell pompano anymore be cause they coast too much. Two years ago they were $18.00 a pound. We never ever bought or froze pompano. When I lived in Venice FL.
> View attachment 17448
> View attachment 17449


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

And actually, I take back the "no wrapping" thing.
I just remembered that I had taken a quick picture w/ my phone.
They were in plastic bags, but not tightly wrapped at all, and had a bit of frost on them.
They also did not appear to be gutted.
TjB


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

tjbjornsen said:


> View attachment 17465
> 
> 
> And actually, I take back the "no wrapping" thing.
> ...


That's how the ones I've seen are done. Might not have been gutted, been a while.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

Pompano are one of the only fish I will freeze without filleting. Trout, flounder, reds, mahi, tuna, wahoo,etc,etc ....I will freeze after filleting and skinning. With pomps I just cut off the head and tail, trim the fins, gut and clean well, then freeze. If you are going to eat them fairly quickly I don't think you need to freeze them in water, I have done it both ways. If you are freezing without water, be sure to pat them dry after cleaning to help avoid freezer burn. I just wrap them in aluminum foil with a little butter, salt and pepper and bake them....man, they are so good. After cooking the skin will peel right off to reveal the meat. I don't eat the skin but I'm sure it would be fine...no scales, very smooth, clean skin....similar to sardines.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

We have a big Asian mart nearby, and boy do they have a crazy variety of food available. They have a lot of different species of live fish in tanks, but I wouldn't eat one unless I was REALLY hungry. Some have sores, the water looks funky, the smell is funky....kinda disturbing imo....no offense intended. Just weird.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

I freeze my Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) in water and they are very delicious! Even after six months.

Here in Savannah there is a chinese buffet that has "Pompano". It tastes just ok, but I'm certain its not the Florida Pompano we catch, but is some kind of imported fish (Trachinotus auratus) most likely this:

http://www.cport.net/product/view/pompano

At 5.99 a lb the "pompano" in question can't be the real thing illegal or not. 

The 20 currently recognized species in this genus are:

Trachinotus africanus J. L. B. Smith, 1967 (southern pompano)
Trachinotus anak J. D. Ogilby, 1909 (oyster pompano)
Trachinotus baillonii (Lacépède, 1801) (smallspotted dart)
Trachinotus blochii (Lacépède, 1801) (snubnose pompano)
Trachinotus botla (G. Shaw, 1803) (largespotted dart)
Trachinotus carolinus (Linnaeus, 1766) (Florida pompano)
Trachinotus cayennensis G. Cuvier, 1832 (Cayenne pompano)
Trachinotus coppingeri Günther, 1884 (swallowtail dart)
Trachinotus falcatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (permit)
Trachinotus goodei D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1896 (palometa)
Trachinotus goreensis G. Cuvier, 1832 (longfin pompano)
Trachinotus kennedyi Steindachner, 1876 (blackblotch pompano)
Trachinotus marginatus G. Cuvier, 1832 (plata pompano)
Trachinotus maxillosus G. Cuvier, 1832 (Guinean pompano)
Trachinotus mookalee G. Cuvier, 1832 (Indian pompano)
Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (pompano)
Trachinotus paitensis G. Cuvier, 1832 (Paloma pompano)
Trachinotus rhodopus T. N. Gill, 1863 (gafftopsail pompano)
Trachinotus stilbe (D. S. Jordan & E. A. McGregor, 1899) (steel pompano)
Trachinotus teraia G. Cuvier, 1832 (shortfin pompano)


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Commercial operations are able to flash freeze fish, which means they hold up better and last longer. I fish further north so any pomps I catch are eaten in a day or two. But freezing any fish should only be done in vacuum sealer bags or in ziploc bags with a small amount of salted water and all the air squeezed out. Freezing fish in whole pieces by themselves usually leads to freezer burn and crappy taste.


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

tom - i've seen those pomps at that market, frozen whole and NOT gutted (!!!), pkus when i have looked at them real closely in the past at that place the fins were a little off and made me think that they were not fl pomps but must be some closely related species. that place sells all kinds of illegal fish, have seem under slot reds for sale there.

to answer ur other question, still no fsa 13' yet....all my $$$ is going towards fly rods recently but u should pick one up down there...can never have enough pomp rods IMO


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

If redfish are farm raised they can sell in markets and restaurants. I use to order this. This was the Wed. special in a Venice FL. restaurant called Cedar Reef Seafood. Redfish over black beans and rice.






There is no commercial fishing for redfish in FL. Has to be farm raised.


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

I'm guessing Fatback just hit the nail on the head concerning the source of what I saw in my local market.
Thanks Man!
TjB




Fatback said:


> I freeze my Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) in water and they are very delicious! Even after six months.
> 
> Here in Savannah there is a chinese buffet that has "Pompano". It tastes just ok, but I'm certain its not the Florida Pompano we catch, but is some kind of imported fish (Trachinotus auratus) most likely this:
> 
> ...


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Greg,
I was wondering if you were going to chime in.
I usually don't even bother looking around at that stuff in the back because I never really buy frozen fish. 
Interesting about the Reds. That is a shame, I thought they were more on the up and up than that.

I have to be down in FL in a couple of weeks and I might give the fellow that sells those FSA rods a call and see if I toss one for a while out on the beach. 
I'll report back.
TjB





greg12345 said:


> tom - i've seen those pomps at that market, frozen whole and NOT gutted (!!!), pkus when i have looked at them real closely in the past at that place the fins were a little off and made me think that they were not fl pomps but must be some closely related species. that place sells all kinds of illegal fish, have seem under slot reds for sale there.
> 
> to answer ur other question, still no fsa 13' yet....all my $$$ is going towards fly rods recently but u should pick one up down there...can never have enough pomp rods IMO


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

Hey trbjornsen, I'm thinking about getting one of those FSA rods all so. If you get a chance to toss one I'd appreciate a quick review. I'm looking at the thirteen hd. I have not seen anyone say anything negative about Steve's rods.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

andypat said:


> If redfish are farm raised they can sell in markets and restaurants. I use to order this. This was the Wed. special in a Venice FL. restaurant called Cedar Reef Seafood. Redfish over black beans and rice.
> View attachment 17471
> There is no commercial fishing for redfish in FL. Has to be farm raised.


 Meant to say the restaurant in Venice is called Cedar Reef Fish Camp, NOT Cedar Reef Seafood.


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## BreakTime (Sep 9, 2012)

I've grilled Pompano that we caught at the OBX and I took home frozen. I thought it was pretty tasty.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

I think farm raised fish farming has a lot of value and merit.....takes a lot of pressure off of natural stocks, but I just don't trust southeastern Asian and Chinese farming practices, especially fresh water species. I have heard too many references to the heavy use of antibiotics used to avoid disease in the the fish being farmed. Could be misplaced paranoia, but once that bug settled in my brain I have a hard time shaking it.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

ncdead said:


> I think farm raised fish farming has a lot of value and merit.....takes a lot of pressure off of natural stocks, but I just don't trust southeastern Asian and Chinese farming practices, especially fresh water species. I have heard too many references to the heavy use of antibiotics used to avoid disease in the the fish being farmed. Could be misplaced paranoia, but once that bug settled in my brain I have a hard time shaking it.


 I agree. There is ways to check if the fish are farm raised in the USA. If they are USA farm raised the restaurant or place you buy it, they will tell you, or have a USA sign, or label.


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## kbueno1 (Jun 3, 2015)

ncdead said:


> I think farm raised fish farming has a lot of value and merit.....takes a lot of pressure off of natural stocks, but I just don't trust southeastern Asian and Chinese farming practices, especially fresh water species. I have heard too many references to the heavy use of antibiotics used to avoid disease in the the fish being farmed. Could be misplaced paranoia, but once that bug settled in my brain I have a hard time shaking it.


An interesting read: http://www.amazon.com/Four-Fish-Future-Last-Wild/dp/014311946X
Contains some insights on farm-raised fish, amongst other hot topic issues around natural fish stocks.

Regards,
KBueno


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Kbueno,
You beat me to it, I was going to post the same thing.
Read that book and you will change your mind about farming fish anywhere.

You think it will take the pressure off of ocean stocks? Think again. 
For every pound of Farmed Salmon sitting in the case at your local supermarket, it takes 4 pounds of fish, in the form of food, to produce.
That is not a sustainable equation.

I believe it was that book that made the case that Barramundi was the only "farmed fish" that was sustainable because it was the only one that could survive and grow when fed vegetable-based protein sources.
But good luck finding it anywhere.

OK, 
Soapbox Vacated... Sorry

TjB




kbueno1 said:


> An interesting read: http://www.amazon.com/Four-Fish-Future-Last-Wild/dp/014311946X
> Contains some insights on farm-raised fish, amongst other hot topic issues around natural fish stocks.
> 
> Regards,
> KBueno


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