Can You Freeze Swordfish (Raw)?

Swordfish's dense, meaty structure and meaningful fat content put it in the same shorter 2-3 month freezer category as tuna, reflecting fat's tendency to slowly oxidize during a long freezer stay more than a lean fish's flesh would. As a larger predatory fish, it also carries a mercury consideration worth knowing about separately from storage — a genuine dietary guidance point for pregnant women and young children in particular, distinct from anything about how long it keeps.

Because swordfish steaks are typically sold already cut into thick, dense portions, freezing them individually wrapped rather than stacked together helps them freeze and thaw more evenly, similar to the approach recommended for tuna steaks given how closely the two fish behave in the freezer.

Swordfish steaks are sometimes sold pre-marinated at the fish counter, and a marinated steak generally shouldn't be frozen for as long as a plain one, since the acid in many marinades can start to break down the fish's texture over an extended freezer stay in a way plain flesh wouldn't experience.

Because swordfish is often grilled at a fairly high heat given its dense, meaty texture, a steak that's been frozen and properly thawed still grills well, though it benefits from a slightly shorter cook time than a fresh steak of the same thickness, since the freezing process has already begun softening some of its structure.

See Swordfish (Raw)'s full storage & shelf-life guide →