does fish sauce get rotten?

FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
edited January 2008 in Strut Central
i'm about to rock some silken in the pan. but i ain't dicked with my fish sauce in a mintue. sure as hall can't smell it to tell. like with chicken.

  Comments


  • waxjunkywaxjunky 1,849 Posts
    Probably not.

  • phongonephongone 1,652 Posts
    Technically, it's already rotten. Fish sauce is just fermented fish extract.

  • Technically, it's already rotten. Fish sauce is just fermented fish extract.

    Kind of like sour cream having a used by date. Sour-er cream? Up until the point it turns to a solid cheesy lump, its still just sour cream.

  • kicks79kicks79 1,344 Posts
    Dude you ever tasted off sour cream? You'd sure as hell know about if you have. I also strongly reccommend not using fish sauce that is really old (longer than a year) Unless you enjoy food poisoning. So not

  • subsub 311 Posts
    Technically, it's already rotten. Fish sauce is just fermented fish extract.

    traditional way to produce fish sauce in south east asia is to put fish in a wodden barel for one year. the part that is liquid after one year of storage is fish sauce...

  • nzshadownzshadow 5,526 Posts
    Technically, it's already rotten. Fish sauce is just fermented fish extract.

    traditional way to produce fish sauce in south east asia is to put fish in a wodden barel for one year. the part that is liquid after one year of storage is fish sauce...

    and it tastes GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD...


  • and it tastes GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD...

    But i keep mine in the fridge to be sure that it lasts a bit longer.

  • tomasltomasl 315 Posts
    Technically, it's already rotten. Fish sauce is just fermented fish extract.

    traditional way to produce fish sauce in south east asia is to put fish in a wodden barel for one year. the part that is liquid after one year of storage is fish sauce...

    ...and the barrels are left out in the sun! It's probably better with time/decay/stink.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    I never taste mines str8 from the bottle. I use it in stirfrys and marinades. Never as a condiment.

  • hemolhemol 2,578 Posts
    I never taste mines str8 from the bottle. I use it in stirfrys and marinades. Never as a condiment.

    Even on bun at the restaurant?

  • AserAser 2,351 Posts
    the dipping sauce for bun isn't straight fish sauce. It's nuoc cham, which consists of...

    1 part lime juice
    1 part fish sauce
    1 part sugar
    2 parts water

    and then add some minced garlic or peppers, etc.

  • nzshadownzshadow 5,526 Posts
    Salmon/Snapper/tuna/whatever

    cut into bite sized pieces.

    fry for one minute in hot wok.

    remove from wok, set aside.

    add to wok: 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup nam pla

    reduce till its sticky and thick.

    pour over the fish.

    garnish with a shredded spring onion and a thinly sliced red chilli

    5 minutes work.

  • subsub 311 Posts
    the dipping sauce for bun isn't straight fish sauce. It's nuoc cham, which consists of...

    1 part lime juice
    1 part fish sauce
    1 part sugar
    2 parts water

    and then add some minced garlic or peppers, etc.

    thats the dip you get when you order fresh spring rolls?

  • Fish sauce is fermented and extremely salty so it will keep very well. It was used as a condiment before refrigeration was invented. Before fish sauce there was Garum, which was even nastier. I seriously doubt it can ever go bad, unless you leave it out for 15 years in the sun. I've used up a huge bottle of fish sauce over the span of 2-3 years with no ill effects.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I just add a few drops to my sauces. I've been using the same big bottle for what seems like 10 years. It lives in the fridge. Maybe somepeople are using some kind of fancy processed dipping sauce they call fish sauce, what I have is like fishy tasting vinegar which gives sauces a savory taste.

    I was using the same bottle of Westichescher sauce for years before I noticed the keep refrigerated warning on the label. I couldn't taste where it had gone bad and I couldn't figure out what ingredient in it would need refridgeration.

    Dont worry about the fish sauce.
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