Who are frozen fillets for?

Anyone planning ahead for Easter meals

You want to keep plain fillets in the freezer for a meal you’ll cook, rather than choosing a ready-to-serve tin. The pack size should suit the meals you have planned and the space available in your freezer.

Anyone who wants to cook from frozen

Picard’s product information says its fillets can be cooked straight from frozen. If that suits the way you like to cook, check the cooking methods given for the product you buy.

Anyone who pays attention to labelling and storage

You want to be able to check the species and fishing area, then transport and store the fish without breaking the cold chain.

What should you check before buying?

If you’re making a hot meal with frozen fillets, first check that the pack fits in your freezer and contains enough portions. Then read the cooking instructions and the label. If you’re looking for something to keep in the cupboard instead, compare tins separately: their preparation and storage instructions once opened are different.

Factor What to check Who it matters to
Pack size and storage Compare the net weight, number of fillets and space available in your freezer. The Picard pack featured contains four pieces weighing 600 g in total. If I’m planning several meals, I want a pack I can use without refreezing fillets that have thawed. Around 24% of consumers would put pack size and storage at the top of their list.
Cooking Read the cooking methods and instructions for the specific product you choose; Picard says its fillets can be cooked from frozen. On the day, I want to go straight from the freezer to a hot meal without having to plan ahead for defrosting. Easy cooking would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers.
Cold chain Plan how you’ll transport the frozen fish and follow the temperature and date shown on the packaging. Do not refreeze a product that has thawed. If it’s a long journey home after shopping, I want to be able to keep the fish cold until I put it away. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise storage above all else.
Traceability Check the product name, species and fishing area. The DGCCRF lists these among the details that must be provided for relevant unprocessed seafood products. Before choosing between two packs, I want to know what fish I’m buying and where it comes from. Around 18% of consumers would put checking the label first.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Mistaking tinned fish for frozen fillets

    A ready-to-eat tin can be served as a starter or kept in the cupboard until it’s opened. It has different preparation and storage instructions from frozen fillets that need to be cooked.

    If you’re planning a meal with cooked fillets, look specifically for frozen mackerel fillets. If you choose a tin, read the ingredients and the instructions for storing it after opening.

  • Choosing a pack without checking the fillets

    The Picard pack featured contains four skin-on fillets weighing 600 g in total. The overall weight alone won’t tell you whether the fillets are right for your recipe or the portions you want to serve.

    Check the net weight, number of pieces and whether the skin is on before planning your menu.

  • Assuming cooking will make up for a break in the cold chain

    Anses reminds consumers that histamine, which can form if fish such as mackerel is stored incorrectly, is not destroyed by cooking or freezing.

    Pick up frozen food at the end of your shop, use an insulated bag if needed for the journey and put it away promptly, following the instructions on the packaging.

  • Planning your meal around a product listing

    The Carrefour Classic’ listing describes 500 g of skin-on frozen fillets, but says they’re unavailable through its online grocery service. A product listing alone isn’t enough to plan on buying them for Easter.

    Check availability at your local store before choosing a specific product for your menu.

Brands to compare

Picard

Picard offers a 600 g pack of frozen skin-on mackerel fillets under product reference 019190.

  • The product listing describes four pieces that can be cooked from frozen, making it easier to plan a hot meal.
  • Check that the pack size and skin-on fillets suit your recipe, and follow the storage instructions on the pack.

Carrefour Classic’

Carrefour’s listing describes 500 g of frozen skin-on mackerel fillets, species Scomber scombrus, caught in the North-East Atlantic.

  • The pack size, species and fishing area make it possible to compare the details shown with those for other fillets.
  • Carrefour says on this listing that the product has been discontinued and is unavailable through its online grocery service. Check local availability before planning to buy it.

Saupiquet

The Saupiquet product featured by Auchan is a multipack of three 120 g tins of plain grilled mackerel fillets, not a pack of frozen fillets.

  • This format is suited to serving as a starter or keeping in the cupboard until opened.
  • According to Auchan’s listing, once opened the product should be kept between 0 and 4 °C and eaten within 48 hours. It isn’t suitable if you need something to store in the freezer.

Joybuy products related to this topic

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How should I store frozen fillets after shopping?

Put them in the freezer as soon as possible, following the temperature and date shown on the packaging. For the Picard fillets featured here, the instructions are to store at -18 °C until the date shown and not to refreeze after thawing. Plan your journey home so the cold chain is maintained.

Can you cook mackerel fillets without defrosting them?

Yes, for the Picard fillets described here: the product information says they can be cooked from frozen. Cooking methods and times are specific to this product, so follow the instructions on the pack you buy.

What should I look for on the label?

For unprocessed fish fillets covered by French labelling rules, the DGCCRF lists details including the commercial name, scientific name, production method, fishing area or country of farming, and fishing gear category. These details help you compare products without confusing the species or origin with the brand name alone.

Does freezing make mackerel safe to eat raw?

Don’t assume a frozen fillet is ready to eat raw just because it has been frozen. For raw fish, Anses recommends freezing at -18 °C for at least seven days. It advises pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and young children not to eat raw, smoked or undercooked fish.

Why does mackerel need to be kept cold if you’re going to cook it?

According to Anses, histamine can form in fish such as mackerel if it is stored incorrectly, and it is not destroyed by cooking or freezing. Cooking the fish for your meal does not replace the need to maintain the cold chain during transport and storage.