Does Salmon Sashimi Taste Good? Everything You Need To Know
Salmon sashimi has become wildly popular in recent years, with its bright orange slices gracing plates at sushi restaurants across the globe. But does this raw fish delicacy actually taste good? In this article, we’ll uncover everything you need to know about salmon sashimi – from its flavor profile to proper preparation techniques. Read on to find out if this trendy fish dish is worth the hype.
What Is Salmon Sashimi?
Salmon sashimi is simply raw salmon that has been sliced into thin pieces and served on its own, without rice. It originated in Japanese cuisine, where fresh fish is sliced artfully to showcase its pristine flavor and texture
The term “sashimi” refers to any raw seafood or meat sliced into thin pieces. Salmon is one of the most common types of sashimi thanks to its rich, fatty texture that melts in your mouth when fresh.
In Japan, only farmed salmon can be served raw in sashimi. Wild salmon contains parasites and bacteria that make it unsafe to consume raw. Salmon sashimi as we know it today became popular only in the 1980s once farmed salmon became widely available.
Other popular sashimi ingredients include tuna, snapper, scallops and octopus. But creamy pink salmon sashimi remains a favorite at sushi bars for its luscious mouthfeel and versatility
What Does Salmon Sashimi Taste Like?
The flavor of salmon sashimi depends greatly on the freshness and quality of the fish. When optimally fresh, it should taste clean, mild and sweet. Think of the ocean, with very little fishiness.
When you eat good sashimi salmon, the smooth, velvety texture makes the delicate, slightly sweet taste stand out even more. There are also subtle grassy notes that complement the soft flavor.
The fish melts on your tongue, releasing a burst of savory richness. Its softmouthfeel is almost creamy. This velvety texture comes from salmon’s highfat content compared to white fish.
Less fresh salmon develops a fishier taste and smell. It also loses its silky texture, becoming chewy or mealy.
The type of salmon affects the color and flavor too. Wild sockeye salmon has a deep red color and more pronounced flavor than many farmed Atlantic salmon varieties.
Overall, properly prepared salmon sashimi is mild, refreshing and dissolves delicately on the palate. It’s light enough to enjoy on its own, yet substantial enough to feel satisfied.
How To Eat Salmon Sashimi
Part of salmon sashimi’s appeal lies in its pure, simple preparation that allows the pristine fish to shine.
Salmon sashimi is usually served with just a few accoutrements:
- Soy sauce for dipping
- Wasabi
- Pickled ginger
You can dip the salmon lightly in soy sauce seasoned with wasabi. The heat from the Japanese horseradish cuts through the fish’s oiliness. Take a small bite of pickled ginger between pieces to cleanse your palate.
Other delicious ways to enjoy salmon sashimi include:
- Gunkan style: salmon draped over a ball of sushi rice wrapped with nori
- Aburi style: lightly seared with a blowtorch
- Chopped salmon tartare with avocado and sesame oil
The silky texture also makes salmon sashimi perfect for cutting into strings and tossing into salads. Try pairing it with fresh greens, edamame beans, and a ginger dressing for a delicious fusion dish.
How To Buy Salmon For Sashimi
Not just any salmon makes good sushi. Here’s what to look for when buying salmon for sashimi:
-
Sashimi grade or sushi grade salmon. This refers to fresh, high-quality salmon safe for eating raw. It should be clearly labeled by the fishmonger.
-
Color: Look for bright reddish-orange or pink flesh without brown spots. Dull or pale color is a sign of age.
-
Smell: Should smell mildly like the ocean without any fishiness or ammonia notes.
-
Texture: Flesh should look glossy and firm, not mushy. Press it gently and it should bounce back.
-
Packaging: Salmon for sashimi always comes packed on ice, never just sitting on the ice itself. This keeps it chilled without getting soggy.
-
No gaping slice marks: Clean, long cuts along the side mean less oxidation. Jagged slashes expose more surface area to air which causes off-flavors.
For top notch sashimi, it’s best to buy a whole fresh salmon side and slice it yourself. Otherwise, look for thick salmon steaks or fillets from a trusted fishmonger.
Pre-sliced salmon sashimi packs are riskier, since you can’t assess the raw fish upfront. Go for vacuum-sealed packs without discoloration or excess liquid, and check expiration dates carefully.
How To Prepare Salmon Sashimi
Start with a pristine salmon fillet to showcase its subtle flavors at their best. Here’s a simple way to prepare salmon sashimi like a pro:
-
Rinse the fish under cold running water and pat very dry with paper towels. This prevents cross-contamination and removes surface bacteria.
-
Lay the salmon skin-side down on a clean cutting board. Carefully slice away any small bones or bloodline sections.
-
Slice the salmon against the grain into 1⁄4 inch thick pieces. Cut at an angle for wider pieces if desired.
-
Arrange slices neatly on a serving platter. Decorate with grated ginger, wasabi, sliced scallions or shiso leaves if desired.
-
Serve immediately and enjoy! Salmon sashimi is best eaten fresh.
For even more flavor, you can try “shio-zuke” style salmon sashimi. Rubbed with salt and sake, it firms up the texture and draws out moisture for a concentrated savory taste.
The trick is starting with the highest quality salmon you can find and handling it minimally to prevent contamination. Work quickly, keep your knife sharp and the fish chilled right up until eating for irresistibly delicious salmon sashimi!
Health Benefits Of Salmon Sashimi
Beyond its melt-in-your-mouth flavor, salmon sashimi also packs some impressive health perks. Here are some of its top nutrients and benefits:
-
High in protein to satisfy hunger and build muscle. More filling than plant proteins.
-
Rich in omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA that are anti-inflammatory and benefit heart health.
-
Excellent source of B12, an essential nutrient, especially important for those avoiding red meat.
-
Contains decent amounts of potassium, selenium and magnesium.
-
Low in mercury compared to larger fish like tuna.
-
Easy to digest and unlikely to cause fish allergies when very fresh.
Of course, culinary-grade raw salmon needs to come from reputable sources to avoid any parasites. But when handled properly, salmon sashimi offers a very nutritious choice.
Potential Risks Of Salmon Sashimi
While delicious and nutritious when sourced well, there are a few health risks to consider with raw salmon:
-
Parasites. Wild salmon can contain worms like Anisakis when raw or undercooked. Farmed sashimi-grade salmon is safer.
-
Bacteria. Raw seafood always carries a slightly higher risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses compared to cooked. Make sure your salmon was previously frozen according to FDA guidelines to destroy any potential pathogens. Purchase sashimi-grade fish from reputable vendors.
-
Allergies. Some people may react to proteins found in raw salmon. Discontinue eating it if you notice any itching, swelling or difficulty breathing.
-
Mercury levels. Larger, long-lived fish accumulate more mercury. Salmon has lower levels than many fish but it’s still smart to enjoy a variety of seafood.
-
Sodium content. Dip sodium levels can be high in soy sauce. Opt for low-sodium soy or ponzu sauce instead.
Pregnant women, elderly people, those with weak immune systems and young children should take extra care and avoid raw seafood. For most healthy adults, the risks can be easily managed through safe handling practices.
The Verdict On Salmon Sashimi
When prepared with prime fresh fish, salmon sashimi is a sublime treat for the senses. Its satiny, fragrant texture provides a decadent showcase for salmon’s mildly sweet flavor. The vibrant orange slices pair beautifully with Japanese accents like wasabi and soy.
Beyond sheer indulgence, salmon sashimi offers nutritional virtues like protein, omega-3s and essential vitamins. Sourcing high-quality sashimi grade salmon and careful handling mitigates any risks.
If you love silky, rich raw fish, salmon sashimi’s luscious mouthfeel is irresistible. Its versatile flavor also excels in cubed poke bowls or draped over rice and nori as gunkan nigiri.
Next time you spot it on a sushi menu or behind the fish counter, consider taking home some salmon sashimi. Taste the
Beyond the Safety Basics
Haraguchi’s idea of what makes a fish sashimi-grade at Osakana depends on both how safe it is and how good it is. First, Haraguchi does not source any farmed fish. He stays away from farm-raised fish because it tastes more like fat than fish because of the food it was fed. He instead gets wild fish from the area, and his suppliers know that he plans to sell the fish as sashimi. This means that Osakana can get very fresh fish that has been handled in a way that keeps the flesh from getting too bruised. The trade-off is that Haraguchi and his staff—and their customers—have to be flexible, depending on whats available.
The fish Osakana receives is never allowed to stay whole overnight. Instead, it is scaled, gutted, and de-headed; carefully washed in running water; and filleted. To make the skin of some fish edible, it is treated in other ways. For example, the skin of Spanish mackerel is torched, and porgy skin is blanched in boiling water in a process called yubiki. Other fish are just skinned. The fillets are then left to dry naturally in a refrigerator that keeps the temperature and humidity at a certain level to lower the amount of water in the meat. This process is sometimes called “aging.” “Getting rid of the water is clean, and it makes the fish taste better,” Haraguchi says, adding that “many people mistakenly pack fish right after filleting it, and there’s a lot of water left over, whether it’s from the fish itself or the water used to clean it.” ” After the fish has sufficiently dried, its frozen in a super freezer to kill parasites. It’s important that the food is fresh, but how it’s handled before it gets to the customer or table is even more important, says Haraguchi. “.
The results speak for themselves. Osakana has a variety of fish for sashimi that you don’t usually find at other fish markets. On a recent visit, I saw porgy, sea trout, tilefish, and Spanish mackerel. The fish flesh is also different: it’s a little darker, firmer, and drier in the mouth, and the flavor is a little stronger. To see if this was true, I ordered a whole Spanish mackerel from Osakana. The shop gutted, de-headed, and cleaned it, but didn’t change anything else about it. (This is a service Osakana provides to any customer, given advance notice. ) I filleted the fish myself and sliced it up into sashimi. Even though it was very fresh, the Spanish mackerel sashimi from the store’s display case, which you can buy in blocks or already cut, is much better.
What the FDA Guidelines Mean (and Why Tuna and Farmed Salmon Are So Common)
Different states have different rules about selling fish that can be eaten raw, but all of them say that FDA guidelines are the best. The main difference is whether those guidelines are followed. It is important to note that the FDA guidelines have been made law by both the New York City Department of Health (which oversees restaurants in NYC) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (which oversees fish markets all over the state). These suggestions are mostly about stopping the growth of harmful bacteria (more on that below), but they also have strict rules for getting rid of parasites.
Herron describes those specifications this way: “Any wild fish except tuna species—bigeye, yellowfin, bluefin, bonito/skipjack—those wild fish need to be frozen for specific periods of time at specific temperatures to get rid of parasites.” The exact temperatures and times can be found on the FDA website, but suffice it to say that those temperatures, reaching as low as -31°F (-35°C), are well below what a home freezer can reliably produce and maintain, which is why it isnt advisable to try this at home. Sushi restaurants and fish markets use whats called a “super freezer,” which is exactly what it sounds like: a freezer that maintains super-cold temperatures. (Osakanas super freezer, for example, maintains a temperature of -60°F/-51°C.)
This FDA table shows the risks of different types of live parasites in fish. The data is a bit confusing, though, and it’s more of a warning about the dangers of mislabeling fish than a useful list of which fish should be frozen before being eaten raw. As Herron says, the FDA doesn’t require fish to be frozen for long periods of time. However, large species of tuna are exempt because they are often eaten raw and parasite infections are rare in this species. Aquacultured fish, like salmon, are also exempt as long as the feed they are fed is free of parasites. To follow FDA rules, all other types of fish must be frozen at those temperatures, even if the table doesn’t say that it has a parasite risk. This is because “these fish may have a parasite risk that has not been identified if they are not normally consumed raw or undercooked.” “.
It’s a paradox: the FDA won’t say that a fish is safe to eat raw without freezing because it doesn’t have any parasites on it unless that fish is eaten raw without freezing enough times to show that it is safe. Luke Davin, the general manager of Osakana, says that this standard means that “deviating from [the FDA’s] freeze it all approach puts the burden of testing and proof on the processor.” He says that most, if not all, fish markets don’t have the tools to thoroughly check the fish they get for parasites. The easiest solution, then, is simply to freeze everything.
What Types Of Fresh and Frozen Salmon Can You Eat Raw? Walmart? Whole Foods?
FAQ
What does salmon sashimi taste like?
Is salmon sashimi nice?
Is salmon sashimi safe to eat raw?
What is the Flavour of salmon sashimi?
How do you know if salmon is good sashimi?
In Japanese supermarkets, salmon is often displayed with the chiai side down, so you can judge the quality by looking at the block from the side. Fish used for sashimi is sold in blocks called “saku”. The saku of sashimi-grade salmon differs in the shape depending on the part of the salmon. The characteristics of each part are as follows.
Sushi vs Sashimi: Which is healthier?
Sashimi is fish based and is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Sushi on the other hand have more calories and carbs than sashimi. Sushi is high in carbs because of the rice content. Raw or vinegared fish is used in sushi making it rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Both dishes are safe to consume, but it is not advised for pregnant women and those with compromised immune system because of raw sea food. Raw sea food may contain harmful microorganisms which may cause diarrhoea, vomiting and allergic reactions.
Can you eat salmon sashimi?
Since sashimi is basically thin slices of raw fish, you have to make sure that the salmon filet is fresh and safe to eat. The best thing to do is to buy sashimi-grade fish, which can be found in chains like Whole Foods, but any Asian store will also have it. Sashimi-grade fish should be cleaned and ready for slicing after it is unpacked.
What is salmon sashimi?
Salmon sashimi is a simple Japanese dish made up of delicious slices of raw salmon served with a dipping sauce such as soy sauce. If it’s your first time trying sashimi, salmon is a great option due to its silky melt-in-mouth texture and fresh flavour. To enjoy it safely, we use farm-raised salmon fed a special diet that is extremely fresh!