Thread: Kahawai filets turned white overnight?

Caught and fileted a few kahawai yesterday, but getting home rather late I left the filets in the chilly bin with salt ice slurry overnight. Pulling them out this morning they've turned almost a half cooked white color which I haven't seen before.

Did whatever bacteria from the dirty chilly bin ruin the flesh overnight? Or is it still good to smoke?

If they were still icy cold and don't smell bad, I think they will be fine to smoke. Even if the bin had something nasty in it, there wouldn't be much growth around zero degrees. Personally, I don't like any fish fillets coming in contact with water, even salt ice water.

id say the acidity in the salt cooked them like lemon would.

Is salt acidic?

Was the slurry pink/red? Salt will draw the blood out of the flesh.


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yeah you get that when you leave fish in contact with water
its just soaked up some and let out some blood

where ever you store it next will have a puddle of watery blood as it goes back to equilibrium

Yep it did indeed.

Went and picked up some stuff to make up a brine/marinade so hopefully it draws that up instead!

Salt water and lemon both cook/preserve the fish. it'll be a bit firmer than usual, nice smoked or in a Thai curry

Yeah it will be all good, just sing out if you need help eating them

I think they will be ok to eat safety wise ( since they have been kept cold ).
Although like what was said earlier, next time I wouldn't keep them in a slurry overnight. Chuck them on a plate in the fridge instead.

Slurry is for whole fish temporarily, not filets.

yeah you have basically bleached them - I agree with not allowing water any near my fillets -I simply keep the board clean - interesting yesterday I was getting some Chinese takeaway from my favourite shop and a guy turned up with a plastic tray of hapuka fillets - apparently the shop will batter and cook your fish for you at $1 a fillet - must remember that - I wonder how many others would

One in Whatatane does- makes for a cheap meal

Best batter recipe I've come across. I find it easier and more enjoyable to eat if you cut the fish in to strips rather than cook great big slabs of fillet.

Dredge fish pieces in cornflour, then dip in to batter mix before deep frying in really hot oil.

Batter mix:
1 Cup self-raising flour
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon garlic powder
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Egg
Splash alcohol (e.g. Chinese rice wine)
1.5 cups water

Must you post pics like this