Lol. Such a good point. According to Red Boat, who answered lots of questions on Amazon, it doesn't go bad, but they say refrigerate for long term storage or it loses it's flavor profile.
We reached out to BLiS on your behalf, and they let us know that the fish sauce is safe to use well past the expiration date, as it is a fermented product. Our contact said she would feel safe using it at least 2 years after, if not longer!
Fortunately, once you begin using it, you'll probably find ways to add it to many more dishes than you expected...some of my favorites are below in a collection I started for myself:
https://food52.com/collections/1412616-what-would-you-do-with-fish-sauce
@Lauren, did the contact say anything about refrigeration?
My Viet mother never refrigerated the fish sauce, always kept it at room temp in pantry cabinet. But I have seen and heard advice that one should always refrigerate fish sauce so that it doesn't "go bad". Can't recall that fish kept at room temp ever went "bad" or developed weird/off flavors or odors.
Half pint, my Red Boat says refrigerate after opening, so I do. It only has anchovy and sea salt. It seems like between the fermentation and salt, it would be fine, but maybe it's also to slow/stop the fermentation which is why I refrigerate my sauerkraut and Kombucha. I also refrigerate my special artisan soy sauce and tamari.
@HalfPint, she didn't—but I've read many places that it's not necessary (similar to your experience), and some other places that it’s recommended. Some cooks seem to find it crystalizes in the fridge, depending on the brand, but other people prefer it in there just to really stabilize the temperature it's kept at. I do know that some high-quality fish sauces, such as Red Boat (BLiS’ quality falls into this category as well) do recommend keeping it in the fridge—so I'd say it wouldn't hurt, and the crystallization isn't the end of the world, if it happened at all.
That would be a sell-by date or 'best buy' date for retailers inventory management purposes, not to advise consumers. If you store it in the fridge after opening, it should last long past February 2016.
A couple years ago the NYTimes ran a great recipe for Vietnamese flank steak that, as I recall, uses quite a bit of fish sauce. I've also used the marinade with grilled salmon. Just search for Vietnamese flank steak.
It's good in a meat marinade if you are looking for a Thai/Vietnamese flavor. 2 tbs Fish sauce, 3 tbs honey, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp lemon grass, tbs soy sauce makes a great marinade for chicken or pork on the barbecue.
That's a pretty quick expiration. Fish sauce is used in small quantities. I've had my Red Boat for at least 4 months and it says "best before 10/2017". Does yours actually expire? Here are a few of my favorites.
http://paleoleap.com/korean-style-chicken-wings/
Per Michael Ruhlman's suggestion, I have been experimenting with adding fish sauce when I would normally add salt. It works great with meat, eggs, bitter greens, vinaigrettes, grains, etc. Not just for Asian food. Just keep it near the stove and it will go in no time.
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Fortunately, once you begin using it, you'll probably find ways to add it to many more dishes than you expected...some of my favorites are below in a collection I started for myself:
https://food52.com/collections/1412616-what-would-you-do-with-fish-sauce
Have fun cooking with it!
My Viet mother never refrigerated the fish sauce, always kept it at room temp in pantry cabinet. But I have seen and heard advice that one should always refrigerate fish sauce so that it doesn't "go bad". Can't recall that fish kept at room temp ever went "bad" or developed weird/off flavors or odors.
These recipe suggestions sound great though!
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015080-vietnamese-steak-with-cucumber-salad
http://paleoleap.com/korean-style-chicken-wings/
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/thai-chicken-with-hot-sour-salty-sweet-sauce
http://www.onceuponachef.com/2014/07/thai-minced-chicken-lettuce-cups.html
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016865-vietnamese-lemon-grass-beef-and-noodle-salad-bun-bo-xao
http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2007/07/lemongrass-chil.html
I'm hungry now. :)