If you are a seafood lover, you might have tried ceviche at one point.
Ceviche is a seafood dish usually served as an appetizer and is prepared by marinating the seafood in acidic juice. Either lime or lemon juice is traditionally used.
However, the main reason for concern is that most people who love this dish need help storing it when they carry it out from a restaurant or make it at home.
Hence the question, how long is ceviche good for? You should not leave ceviche out for more than 2 hours. But if you want it to stay longer, it is necessary to put it in the refrigerator.
Below is everything you need to know about ceviche, especially how long you can store it.
What Is Ceviche?
This meal, called Ceviche, is prepared using fresh fruits, citrus liquids, fresh seafood, and occasionally veggies. Without heat, the citrus liquid provides an acid that chemically denaturalizes the fresh fish.
The fresh fish undergoes this process which changes its pink color, translucent to opaque white. The fish is cooked while staying wet, juicy, and deliciously flavorful thanks to the lemon or lime juice blend.
The ceviche flavor is exquisitely fresh, crisp, sour, and acidic. The quantities are not often large but are filled with nourishment, and the greatest way to savor this excellent dish is in a small piece.
It is no news that fresh fish has bacteria and other micro-organisms, so it is paramount to use fine and top-quality ones. As much as it is cooked in an acidic liquid, one must ensure a healthy meal. It is also advisable to use already frozen seafood.
How to keep Ceviche fresh
The first step is to seal the ceviche in a properly sealed container. However, before doing this, the bowl of the just-prepared ceviche is drained of the liquid using a sieve or any suitable instrument.
Place the food in an airless plastic wrap after all the liquid has been drained. To collect the items inside, bang the open wrap on the tabletop.
You must also expel all the air in the container or plastic bag before closing it. This prevents the fish from losing its integrity while being refrigerated.
After doing all these, you can drop the ceviche container at the center of the freezer. This step will help prevent something called freezer burn. One thing that might also be useful is to date the bag or container.
Also Read: How Long Can Sour Cream Sit Out? (Explained)
How Long Can Ceviche Stay in Room Temperature Before Going Bad?
It is a common practice to keep fresh seafood from remaining at room temperature for long, and ceviche is no exception. It takes about 30 minutes to cook the ceviche, but after 2 hours of cooking, the fish could begin to degrade.
The texture starts to change as the acidic juice no longer cooks it. More so, you increase the chances of bacteria developing on your dish at this temperature.
Thus, it is best consumed fresh or kept in the fridge or freezer to prevent the development of bacteria on the dish. What should you do? You can either eat the just-prepared ceviche or put it in the freezer.
How Long Can Ceviche Stay in the Refrigerator Before Going Bad?
While one can decide to shelf their ceviche at room temperature or put it in a refrigerator, keeping it in a fridge if you wait to eat it is advisable.
However, storing the fish in the refrigerator requires completely draining off the liquid. Draining the fluid is necessary for the ceviche to last for two days.
After two days, the juice in the fish causes the fish to disintegrate as the acidic liquid decomposes the fish’s proteins. This will cause the fish to develop a texture that is not appealing to the eyes, hands, and mouth. You sure do not want to eat your ceviche mushy.
They are still work to do before putting your ceviche in the refrigerator if you want it to last for as long as possible. After draining, the fish you keep in an airless wrap or container; will prevent it from moisture and bacteria attacks, which could cause it to spoil faster.
Of course, there is more than one type of ceviche. Let us consider how long a few of your favorite ceviche is good for.
For How Long Should You Store Your Cooked Ceviche?
Cooking ceviche does not require heat; it requires citric juice such as lemon or lime juice and other seasonings and spices.
From what we have seen, it is only reasonable to conclude that cooked ceviche should be stored for up to two days. The acidic juice in the fish will eventually cause the fish to disintegrate and develop a slimy texture, which is very distasteful.
How Long Is Shrimp Ceviche Good For?
As is common with the traditional ceviche, shrimp ceviche can last at room temperature for only a few hours but in the freezer for two days or more.
However, it is recommended not to keep the shrimp ceviche in the freezer for more than 48 hours as the dish has absorbed a lot of the citric juice.
As is common with traditional ceviche, if kept for longer than the required time in any condition, the proteins in it begin to react with acid and break down, making it look inedible.
Also Read: How Long Do Crumbl Cookies Last? (Explained)
How Long Is Salmon Ceviche Good For?
After being soaked in the citric juice, the salmon ceviche would have absorbed a lot of the liquid, and this means that it should not be kept in the freezer for more than two days.
Still, it is advisable only to make the amount of salmon ceviche you need now. Yes, salmon ceviche is best served fresh.
How Long Is Crab Ceviche Good For?
Making as much crab ceviche as can be eaten in a single meal is always a good practice, and the reason is plausible.
The crab in the dish will suffer degradation after a few hours of preparing it, which is caused by the effect of the acid on the crab. With time, the ceviche will suffer degradation in looks and taste.
How to recognize a bad Ceviche?
You are probably wondering how to tell when your ceviche is no longer edible. Read the next few paragraphs and take note of the signs that will tell you that your ceviche is no longer edible.
- Foul smell: When the ceviche goes bad, a foul odor is usually produced, a common foul smell from a cooked fish that has gone bad. This is a result of the reaction of the enzymes that enabled the fish to successfully live in its previous saline habitat, which the bacteria from the air and immediate atmosphere. Of course, once this is the case, it should be disposed properly.
- Color change: The color of a healthy ceviche can quickly change from white to grey; once this happens, it is most likely that your dish is rotting away. It is noteworthy to consider other factors, such as the smell, as the dish’s color can change due to other factors other than rotting. Some of these other factors include the container in which the fish is placed and its previous environment.
- Texture: When the ceviche is fresh, it gives a bouncy feel when touched. However, when the fish goes bad, it loses that bouncy feel and becomes mushy as the surface of the fish loses its integrity to the bacterium feeding on it. When this happens, it becomes obvious that the fish is no longer fit for eating and should be disposed of properly.
- Mold: Molds are micro-organisms that we cannot see with our eyes. However, when molds become obvious to the naked eye, it only means one thing: that it has overgrown. When this is the case, the dish should be properly disposed of as it has become a serious health threat if consumed.
Frequently Asked Questions-How Long Is Ceviche Good For?
How do you know if ceviche is still good?
There are several ways to check the integrity of the dish. However, one credible way which does not involve physical contact with the fish is by its smell. Once it gives off a foul odor, you know it is time to dispose of it.
How long should I marinate ceviche?
While marinating is taken as trivial when cooking other dishes, the time for marinating when preparing ceviche is very important. The fish is meant to cook in citric juice for a minimum of thirty minutes and a maximum of two hours. The time of marinating also depends on the sizes of the pieces. Anything outside the time range aforementioned might yield a different result.
What type of fish is best for ceviche?
Grouper, sole, bass, and rockfish are some suggestions for ceviche. Generally, white fish is a good choice. However, for the best experience, use a firm, lean one. A seafood vendor provides the necessary guide you might need depending on how much knowledge about fish you already have.
Does ceviche taste better the next day?
The best time to eat your ceviche is immediately after it is prepared. Yes, ceviche should be eaten fresh, as the longer it is kept, the more time the bacteria in the atmosphere feeds on it. Also, the acidic liquid with which it is marinated can lead to a breakdown of the fish’s surface.Also Read: Can You Marinate Frozen Chicken? (How It Is Done)
Conclusion- How long is Ceviche good for?
So far, one thing has been made certain: ceviche is not good for long. It is best eaten a few hours after being prepared. It is a healthy practice to eat your ceviche two hours after preparation. However, if you must keep your ceviche for up to 48 hours, the best thing to do is to store it in a refrigerator.
Acidic juice, when added to seafood, helps make a delicious dish. Still, if not consumed on time, the seafood can quickly lose its integrity, and ceviche is no exception. After two hours at room temperature, you expect the ceviche to go bad; the same applies to it after two days of refrigeration. Therefore, the best practice is to eat your ceviche fresh.