Everyone writes about how long smoked salmon lasts. Almost nobody writes about the rest — the jerky, the straws, the dried squid sitting in the back of your fridge. So here is the full picture, from a smokehouse that makes all of it.
The label always wins. If the date on your package disagrees with anything below, trust the package
Smoked delicacies
Tanned Salmon, Smoky Velvet, Bellies
Keep them refrigerated at 32–39°F. Sealed, they hold for up to three weeks. Once you open the pack, eat within three to five days
Fatty cuts like bellies are the most sensitive. Air is what dulls them — that rich, buttery edge fades within days of opening, long before the fish goes bad. If you are not finishing a pack in one sitting, press the air out and reseal it
Cured and dried
Jerky, Bites, Straws, Smelt
These are far more forgiving. Properly refrigerated, they keep one to three months, and some of the fully dried items last longer still
The reason is simple: drying removes the water that spoilage needs. That is also why a dried piece feels firm rather than soft — it has less moisture to work with in the first place
The freezer
Most of our products freeze at 0°F for up to two months
The part people get wrong is thawing. Move it to the fridge and let it come back slowly, overnight. Rushing it on the counter or under water wrecks the texture — the fibres release moisture too quickly, and what you get back is mushy rather than firm
How to tell when something has turned
Smoked fish does not always announce itself. Trust these three:
- Smell. Sour or ammonia-like means done. Smoke and salt should be the only things you notice
- Surface. A slimy or sticky film is a clear no
- Colour. Dulling and greying, especially at the edges, is the last warning
When in doubt, throw it out. Fish is not the thing to gamble on
A note on ours
We vacuum seal everything the day it leaves the smokehouse, and it ships cold — packed with frozen gel packs inside an insulated box, at 32–39°F the whole way. That is why the clock above starts when the box reaches you, not when we made it
