How Long is Ceviche Good For? (Explained)

Are you looking to know How long is Ceviche good for?

Ceviche, in all its deliciousness, is prepared from raw fish. So, it would help if you put extra care when storing it. You must also be prepared to consume it immediately to avoid it going bad.

The longer you keep ceviche, the mushier it becomes. It happens because the acid molecules keep absorbing the fish protein.

Although the acidic juice slightly cooks the raw fish, it does not mean you should be sloppy about its storage.

So, how long is ceviche good for? This guide tries to be comprehensive enough to provide you with the details you need to know about ceviche and how long you can keep it.

We are sure you would want to know how long to keep your ceviche fresh and what to do to make it happen. Please, keep reading to discover the secret and the best way to preserve it.

What Is Ceviche?

Ceviche is prepared with raw fish, fresh fruit, citrus juice (lime or lemon) and vegetables (optional). Although it is considered cooked food, the raw fish did not pass through heat.

It is best prepared by letting the citric acid in the dish cook the fish. The process of cooking the fish is known as chemical denaturing. The cooking process changes the fish from translucent or pink to opaque white.

While making sure the fish retain its moisture and essence, the citrus juice pleasantly cooks the fish.

When cooked, ceviche comes out delightfully clean, spicy and light with an acidic taste. Even though the dish is nutritious, it is best enjoyed in smaller portions. It would help if you also were careful with the quality of fish you use in making ceviche. This is because the bacteria or parasites in the fish are not killed through the chemical process. The citrus juice only act on the fish.

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Best Practices in Storing Ceviche

To retain the nutrition and freshness of the ceviche, you should serve it almost immediately after cooking it. Only let the fish sit in the fish for the required amount of time.

Also, note that the longer the fish stays in the citrus juice, the more it cooks. To avoid cooking excessively or tending towards spoilage, you should eat it within 30 minutes. However, if you can’t, keeping it for two hours is still harmless.

But suppose you want to save the ceviche for a more extended period. In that case, you should pour enough citrus juice, place it in an airtight container, and preserve it in your fridge. To freshen it before eating it, you can tip some citrus juice on it.

Ensure the container is airtight to prevent moisture or bacteria from getting in touch with it. A way to double-preserve the fish is by tightly wrapping the container or bowl with a plastic wrap.

How Long Does Ceviche Last At Room Temperature?

Since the fish is raw, you don’t have to let your ceviche sit a long time at room temperature. Although the fish needs only 30 minutes to cook, you should not let it last two hours at room temperature before consuming it.

As you leave the fish inside the juice, it will keep marinating. However, after two hours, it will start changing the texture. This change will also affect the taste of the ceviche. Besides, when you leave it for this long, you make room for bacteria to feast on it.

Like we have pointed out, citrus juice does not destroy the bacteria and parasites in the fish while cooking it. Therefore, you must take extra care not to leave it for long at room temperature. Thus, the earlier you consume the ceviche or put it in the refrigerator, the less your possibility of catching a foodborne disease.

How Long Does Ceviche Last in the Fridge?

Storing your ceviche in the fridge is safer than any other medium, especially at room temperature. If you preserve it well, it can stay up to two days in the refrigerator, but not longer. However, to keep the fish fresh, drain the liquid completely. If the fish sit long in the water, they will break down and become slimy or mushy. The acid in the citrus juice will react with the fish protein to break it down.

Again, suppose you are preserving the fish in the refrigerator. In that case, you must ensure to put it a sealed container or any container tightly wrapped in plastic bag. The aim is to keep air, moisture, or bacteria from entering the container and spoiling the ceviche.

When thoroughly wrapped, you can keep the fish in the fridge for around two days. This will keep it fresh and flavored.

How to Know if Ceviche has gone Bad

You must look for sure signs to know if your ceviche is no longer fit for edibility. Hence, if you keep it t room temperature or in your fridge longer than necessary, you can still know if it is gone bad or is still fresh. There are several signs to help you identify that. One of them is that you will notice the sogginess of the fish.

Here, the citric acid keeps disintegrating the fish protein as long as it stays in the juice. It softens the fish and makes it unfit for your health. At this point, you are left with only one option. And that is to discard the fish.

Another sign to look out for to know if the ceviche has become stale is by checking the fish’s smell. You will notice a strange emanating from the fish. When that is the case, you should do away with the ceviche. Besides, the citrus juice may mask the ceviche to prevent the smell from being strong. Nevertheless, it will always go off if the fish goes bad.

If you could not notice the smell and mistakenly bite off the fish, you should stop eating it. Hence, it is best to throw it away. Another reason to discard the spoilt fish is that the bacteria and parasites in the fish do not die from the effect of the citric acid. And so, it can quickly multiply and harm your body if you eat ceviche.

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Can you freeze Ceviche?

You don’t have to freeze your ceviche to retain its freshness. However, if you must do so, you will have to drain the juice from it. After that, put the ceviche in a plastic bag, expel the air and seal the bag. Then, you can store it in the freezer.

The implication of freezing the fish is that the flavor and texture may be adversely affected. However, it will still retain its freshness. To help the situation, you should leave it in the refrigerator to defrost. Then, add some citrus juice to make it tastier. Finally, allow the fish to marinate for a few minutes before eating it.

Another way to keep your fish fresh is by freezing it before including other ingredients in the dish. If the fish is not so new or is of lower quality, it is good to freeze it before using it for ceviche. The freezing process will help to prevent the bacteria and parasites from multiplying.

Frequently Asked Questions – How long is Ceviche good for?

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Conclusion – How long is Ceviche good for?

Ceviche is as good as you can keep it fresh. It is not meant to stay for long before eating. And so, ensure to marinate it for half an hour and eat it. But if you must keep it longer, take it to the fridge. At room temperature, it should not stay longer than 30 minutes. Another way to derive the nutrient is to top it on your salad or make tacos or tortillas.