Grouper is a unique fish that can be made into many different dishes. There are two types of groupers that are the most famous, black grouper and red grouper. These flaky fishes are the best when bought fresh, but like most seafood, they can be refrigerated until usage. Generally, it can last for one or two days in the fridge but under proper conditions. It can last longer in the freezer by a few days. Raw fish does not last long in the fridge as it is meant to be eaten fresh. The time that grouper can be kept safe relies heavily on where and how it is stored. It is important to store the fish to extend its shelf life properly, but it also depends on how fresh the fish you caught is. The way that this works is by depending on the bacteria. In the fridge, the bacterial growth is slowed down, so the fish goes bad much slower and so on. However, to get the best effect, the fish should be kept at the same temperature throughout, as fluctuations can also increase the rate at which it gets spoiled.
Shelf life of grouper on the shelf
If you do not refrigerate or freeze the raw grouper, it will go bad very quickly. However, this also depends on the temperature of the surroundings. In winter, the shelf life of grouper may increase by a couple of hours. In summer, the fish will go bad soon. If the environment’s temperature is between 40 F and 140 F, the fish will go bad quickly because this is the danger zone for bacteria to grow. Raw fish cannot be used to cook or prepare a dish if it has been in the danger zone too long because it has gone bad and eating it will cause mild to severe illness.
Shelf life of grouper in the fridge
Compared to the shelf life of grouper on the kitchen counter or in the environment, the fish will last much longer in the fridge. If the fish is fresh, it will go bad quicker than if it has been in the freezer and then got transferred to the fridge. The fish can be stored in the refrigerator for one day after being purchased from the store. This might be longer than the expiry date on the purchased fish, but with proper storage, it will last for this long. To keep it at maximum quality during the storage time, make sure to keep the fish in the original packaging without opening it.
Shelf life of grouper in the freezer
Grouper lasts the longest in the freezer because, in the freezer, the temperature is at 0 C or 32 F. at this stage, the bacteria cannot multiply as they are potentially “dead”. However, the bacteria can spoil the fish after thawing the frozen fish. Technically, you could keep raw fish in the freezer forever, and it will not go bad. However, the quality of fish will degrade slowly with time, and after a while, the fish you use in cooking will not taste great and will be rubbery in texture. The best quality of the fish will be maintained for six to eight months, during which it can be taken out and cooked and flaky and oily. To make the fish last the longest in the freezer, wrap it properly with aluminum foil or some other bag so no air can go inside the bag. It will also prevent frost from developing on the fish, which can ruin the quality of the fish.
How long does cooked grouper last?
This, again, depends on how the grouper is stored. When cooked, it does go bad slower because most of the bacteria stop when the temperature is very high above 135 degrees. However, as the fish is kept without being eaten, it does go bad, so it is important to store cooked fish properly and eat it before it is too late. If it has set out for two hours and been below 140F then you need to throw it away.
Shelf life of cooked grouper on shelf
If the cooked grouper is kept on the table, it can last for a couple of hours. Just like raw fish, it goes bad quickly outside on the table. After an hour or two, the fish will emit a smell, and the texture will not be great. This indicates that the fish has gone bad. Again, it depends on the outside temperature as well. Sometimes, the fish can last longer on the shelf if, after being cooked, it has been covered properly. Regardless, it is best not to take any risk and eat the fish as soon as possible.
Shelf life of cooked grouper in fridge
Once stored in the fridge, the fish will go bad much slower, as you can guess. Inside the fridge, you can expect the fish to last for three to five days. The fish can last longer if stored properly. Inside the fridge, the multiplication of bacteria will slow down greatly.
Shelf life of cooked grouper in the freezer
As you can tell, in the freezer, even the cooked grouper can last forever. However, should it be stored forever as well? Nope, the longer the fish is kept in the freezer, the worse its taste and texture will get to the point where it will be barely edible. In the freezer, the fish can be kept for one month to three months if you do not want the taste and texture of it to go bad.
Conclusion
The shelf life of grouper depends on many things, such as the way it is wrapped and if it has been cooked or not. To make the grouper last the longest, it is best to store it in the freezer, cooked or raw. It is best to eat fresh fish as it will taste the best but sometimes, we do need to store it. Hopefully, you learned how and where to store grouper fish properly when you need to in a way that can make it last longer.
