ᐅ How to Store Sardines (fresh, cooked, or canned) •【 2024 】

You must store sardines in cold, so you can keep them in the fridge for 1 or 2 days or freeze them for 2 to 3 months.

If you want to know how to preserve sardines properly, continue reading.

How to keep fresh sardines in the fridge

First, you must learn how to choose sardines to check their freshness level and determine whether they are worth storing in the fridge.

They are fresh if the sardines have shiny skin and maintain their elasticity (their skin returns to its original shape after sinking a finger). In addition, if their eyes are bulging and clean, they are fresh.

Besides, it’s essential not to break the cold chain, so buy fresh sardines at the last moment. You can ask the seller to put some pieces of ice in the bag with the sardines, or you can take a cooler to put them there on the way home.

Now that you’ve made sure your sardines are fresh, you can store them as follows:

Step 1: Clean the sardines.

This is the first thing you should do with fresh fish before storing them: remove them and remove the head, tail, and guts. Make sure you get rid of the spines they have in the center.

Then, wash the sardines with water and lemon. Drain them and dry them a little with paper towels to eliminate excess moisture.

Step 2: Place the sardines in an airtight bag.

Put the sardines inside an airtight bag, and before sealing it, try to get all the air out first. If you have equipment to vacuum seal the bag, use it. This way, your fridge won’t smell fishy.

Step 3: Put the sardines in a bowl of ice.

Place a layer of ice in a bowl, put the sardines on top, and then cover them with more ice. You can cover the container with plastic film for better results.

Step 4: Store the sardines in the fridge.

Place the container in the coldest area of the refrigerator, away from foods that absorb odors easily. Thus, you can store sardines in the fridge for 1 or 2 days. [1]

How to freeze sardines

Can sardines be frozen? If you have bought fresh sardines but do not intend to eat them soon, storing them in the freezer is your best option.

Step 1: Clean the sardines.

First, remove the scales, cut off the head and tail, and remove the guts and central spines. Then, wash the sardines with water and lemon, drain them, and dry them with paper towels; otherwise, due to excess moisture, too many ice crystals will form that will ruin the consistency of the sardines.

Step 2: Wrap the sardines.

Wrap the sardines with cling film and add another layer of aluminum foil. That way, you will prevent burns caused by freezing. You can wrap several pieces of sardines simultaneously; place them side by side without piling them up.

Step 3: Bag the sardines.

Put wrapped sardines inside an airtight, freezer-resistant bag or container.

Step 4: Write the storage date of the sardines.

Place the storage date of the sardines on the bag or container, and if you do not want to scratch them, stick a label, or put a little tape on it and write the date on top.

Step 5: Store the sardines in the freezer.

In this way, the sardines will remain frozen for 2 to 3 months. [2]

When you need to thaw them, transfer them to the fridge one night before, where they will last 24 more hours.

You could also thaw the sardines in a bowl of cold water for 30 or 40 minutes or cook them directly frozen. But keep in mind that sardines cannot be re-frozen.

How to preserve cooked sardines

If you have leftover some sardines you cooked, you can keep them in the fridge or freezer as follows:

Step 1: Wait for the sardines to cool.

Leave the sardines at room temperature until they cool completely, but do not let more than two hours pass. If you fry them, put them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

Step 2: Place the sardines in an airtight container.

Put the sardines inside an airtight container. If you have fried them, you should line the container internally with absorbent paper, then cover it well.

If you want to freeze cooked sardines, you could also use airtight bags, but, in any case, you have to be freezer resistant.

Step 3: Write down the date of preparation of the sardines.

(Step recommended in case of freezing) You can put a label on the container with the date of preparation of the sardines, or you can stick a little tape and write the date on top.

Step 4: Store the cooked sardines in the fridge or freezer.

Place the cooked sardines in the coldest part of the fridge for 3 or 4 days. On the other hand, if you keep the cooked sardines in the freezer, they will keep for 3 or 4 months.

To reheat the sardines, put them in the oven at 390°F (200°C) for 5 or 10 minutes. You can also use an air fryer for 5 minutes or the microwave, in batches of 30 seconds, at medium power until ready.

If you want to defrost the cooked sardines, leave them in the fridge overnight. However, you can reheat them directly frozen, which will only take a few more minutes.

How to preserve sardines in oil

One option that improves sardines’ flavor and helps prolong their shelf life is using oil.

For this recipe, you will need 500 grams of sardine fillets, 250 milliliters of oil (preferably olive oil), 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, an onion, bay leaves, lemon slices, peppercorns, and salt.

Step 1: Clean and cut the sardines.

Start by cutting the head and tail of the sardines, then chop them in half and remove the viscera and thorns, leaving a kind of fillet. Wash them with plenty of water.

Step 2: Cook the sardines in oil.

First, sprinkle the sardine fillets with a bit of salt. Then, put them in a pot or pan, with the onion cut into juliennes, crushed garlic cloves, three bay leaves, and ten peppercorns.

Cover all ingredients with oil, turn on the stove at medium-low level, and let cook for 5 or 8 minutes. The idea is not to fry them but to cook them a little; when bubbles begin to appear, turn off the stove.

Step 3: Transfer the sardines to glass jars.

Wait for the sardines to cool before transferring them to glass jars or jars with an airtight or screw lid (these containers must have been sterilized previously for 10 minutes in boiling water).

Do not fill completely; leave one finger free. Add the sardines with everything and spices to continue adding flavor. Clean the mouthpiece of the bottle before closing tightly.

Step 4: Vacuum-seal the canned sardines.

In a tall pot with a thick bottom, put a clean mesh or dishcloth at the bottom, and place the jars with the sardine far enough apart so they do not collide.

Add water, you can cover the jars or not, then turn on the stove to the maximum, and when it starts to boil, lower the intensity, and let it cook for 20 or 30 more minutes. Due to pressure, the jars will be vacuum sealed.

Turn off the kitchen and wait for the water to cool before removing the jars with tweezers. Leave the jars with the canned sardines in a place where the sun does not hit for 6 hours.

Step 5: Write the preparation date.

Tape a piece of tape to the jar and write the date of preparation on top or put a label on it.

Step 6: Store canned sardines.

The ideal will be to keep the canned sardines in the fridge, in a cool part, but not too cold. This way, sardines in oil can last between 8 and 12 months refrigerated if the jar remains sealed.

Once you uncap the jar, the canned sardines will remain in good condition inside the fridge for 3 or 4 days. If you skip the vacuum sealing step, canned sardines can be in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks.

How to preserve pickled sardines

A marinade is another incredible recipe that gives flavor and extends the shelf life of sardines. For 500 grams of sardine fillets, you will need several cloves of garlic, four bay leaves, a sprig of thyme, sweet paprika powder, 100 milliliters of sherry vinegar, oil, flour, and salt.

Step 1: Clean and cut the sardines.

To obtain the fillets of the sardines, cut the head and tail, chop them in half, and remove the viscera and thorns. Then, wash them with water.

Step 2: Fry the sardines.

Sprinkle the sardine fillets with a bit of salt, then flour them a little. Meanwhile, add a splash of oil to a pan and heat it over medium heat. Brown the sardines on both sides for 3 minutes.

Put the fried sardines on a rack or absorbent paper and wait until they cool.

Step 3: Prepare the vinaigrette.

In another pot, pour a cup of oil, garlic cloves chopped in half, bay leaves, and thyme. Turn on the stove over low heat and let cook for 10 minutes.

After that time, add the vinegar and half a glass of water, cover the pot, and continue cooking over low heat for half an hour. Add the sweet paprika, stir, and add the sardines. Keep cooking for another 10 minutes.

Step 4: Transfer the pickled sardines to glass jars.

When the pickled sardines cool, transfer them to glass jars or jars with an airtight or screw cap; these should have been previously sterilized for 10 minutes in boiling water.

Do not fill the jars completely; leave between one finger free. Add the sardines with everything and spices to continue adding flavor. Clean the bottle thoroughly before closing.

Step 4: Vacuum-seal the canned sardines.

To make them last a little longer, you must vacuum seal the jars as follows: put a clean rack or kitchen cloth at the bottom of a thick-bottomed high pot, arrange the jars with the pickled sardine on top, but take care that they are far enough apart to prevent them from colliding with each other.

Add water and cover the jars with it. Turn on the kitchen to the maximum, and when it breaks the boil, lower the intensity and boil for 20 or 30 more minutes. Due to the pressure, the jars will be sealed, expelling all the internal air.

Turn off the stove and wait for the water to cool before removing the jars with tweezers. Leave the jars where the sun does not hit for 6 hours.

Step 5: Write the preparation date.

Put a label on the bottle or attach a piece of tape, and there, you write the date with a marker.

Step 5: Store the sardines in vinegar.

If you keep the jar sealed with the pickled sardines in the coldest area of the refrigerator, they will keep for 10 or 12 months, but after you uncover the jar, they will only last about 3 or 4 days in the fridge.

How to preserve canned sardines

For many people, buying sardines in cans is more common and even convenient since they do not live near the sea or do not like to clean them, or it is cheaper.

The way to preserve the cans of sardines is simple: you just have to put the can in a dark and cool place, which can be in a place in your pantry or even in the fridge.

While the can of sardines remains sealed, it can be at room temperature or refrigerated until the expiration date, which can be 3 to 5 years.

Once open, transfer the sardine to an airtight container (if it is better glass) and place it in the coldest area of the refrigerator, you will be able to store the canned sardines for 3 or 4 days in the fridge. [3]

You can also freeze canned sardines after removing them from the can. Just put them inside a bag or resistant container, write the storage date, and put it in the freezer. In this way, the canned sardines can be frozen for two months.

How do you know if the sardines got bad?

When sardines get bad, they will show one of these signs:

Mold: if sardines appear some fluff or with white, blue, green, or dark spots, it is because they developed mold; therefore, their meat is contaminated, and it will not be safe to eat them.
Bad taste: If the sardine you stored tastes terrible or weird, spit it out and don’t keep eating it; throw it away instead, or you could become intoxicated.

Lousy smell: if the sardine starts to smell rotten, it has spoiled, and you should discard it immediately.

How long do sardines last?

Product	Duration
Fresh sardines in the fridge	1 – 2 days
Fresh sardines in the freezer	2 – 3 months
Cooked sardines in the fridge	3 – 4 days
Cooked sardines in the freezer	3 – 4 months
Sardines in oil in the fridge (sealed)	8 – 12 months
Sardines in oil in the fridge (open)	3 – 4 days
Sardines in oil in the fridge (without sealing)	2 – 3 weeks
Pickled sardines in the fridge (sealed)	10 – 12 months
Pickled sardines in the fridge (open)	3 – 4 days
Store-bought canned sardines at room temperature (sealed)	3 – 5 years
Store-bought canned sardines in the fridge (open)	3 – 4 days
Store-bought canned sardines in the freezer (open)	2 months

What is the best way to store sardines?

Fresh sardines keep better in the freezer for the simple fact that you keep them for longer than in the fridge.

Cooked sardines are best kept in the fridge because they risk losing their flavor in the freezer the longer they spend frozen, in addition to their texture usually changing a little when reheated.

Canned or pickled sardines, if you vacuum seal them, can last a long time, which can be an excellent option for you as this recipe adds a lot of flavors.

The cans of sardines can be stored at room temperature for a long time as long as you keep them sealed.

To learn how to store other types of fish or seafood or anything in general, you can check on this website since I have a long list of topics on food preservation that can be very useful. In addition, I regularly update information and add new topics.