Sushi is growing in popularity worldwide, and salmon is one of the most common fish used in sushi rolls and sashimi. However not all salmon can be eaten raw in sushi. To achieve sushi-grade quality, the salmon must be handled and prepared in a specific way.
This guide is for people who have never made salmon sushi before. It will show you the most important steps to make sure the salmon is safe to eat raw.
Why Salmon Needs Special Treatment for Sushi
Salmon along with other fatty fish like tuna and yellowtail is prone to parasites. When served raw in sushi and sashimi, these parasites can be transmitted to humans if the fish isn’t treated properly first.
Additionally, the quality and freshness of the salmon heavily impacts its taste and texture when eaten raw. Lower quality salmon isn’t suitable for sushi and will have an unpleasant fishy taste and mushy texture.
That’s why sushi chefs go to great lengths to source and prepare high-quality sushi-grade salmon Let’s look at how it’s done,
Step 1: Source High-Quality Salmon
The starting point for sushi-grade salmon is finding the highest quality fish possible. Here are some tips:
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Purchase wild-caught salmon, preferably from Alaska or the Pacific Northwest. Farm-raised salmon tends to have less omega-3s.
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Buy from a reputable fish market or supplier that specializes in sushi-grade seafood. Ask if they carry sushi-grade salmon.
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Look for salmon that is very fresh, with clear eyes, bright red gills, glossy skin, and no fishy odor.
Ideally, the salmon should be killed and iced immediately, then delivered directly to the fish market. This preserves freshness.
Step 2: Freeze the Salmon
Freezing is mandatory for killing any parasites in salmon to make it safe for consuming raw.
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Freeze at -4°F or below for 7 days minimum. This temperature and duration kills parasites.
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Use a very cold home freezer or ask the fish supplier to freeze it for you.
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Cut the salmon into portions before freezing for easier defrosting later.
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Freeze salmon in air-tight plastic wrap or bags to prevent freezer burn.
Step 3: Defrost and Prepare the Salmon
Once frozen for 7+ days, the salmon is ready to be defrosted and prepped:
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Defrost salmon in the fridge overnight. Don’t defrost at room temp.
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Pat dry with paper towels. Moisture ruins texture.
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Remove all bones, scales, and pin bones using tweezers.
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Slice thinly and evenly using a sharp sushi knife. Clean cuts are key.
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Portion salmon and return uneaten portions to the fridge.
Step 4: Handle Salmon Safely
To keep defrosted salmon in sushi-grade condition, it’s vital to handle it with care:
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Keep chilled below 41°F until eaten. Avoid room temperature.
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Use within 2 days max for best quality and safety. Freeze again for longer storage.
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Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards/utensils.
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Clean hands, utensils, surfaces thoroughly before and after contact.
Follow sushi restaurants’ lead by focusing on impeccable freshness, hygiene, temperatures, storage times, and preparation. This produces the highest quality sushi-grade salmon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh, unfrozen salmon for sushi?
It’s risky. Unfrozen salmon may contain parasites, making it unsafe to eat raw. Always freeze salmon first for sushi.
Is previously frozen grocery store salmon ok?
Yes, if frozen solidly at -4°F for 7+ days previously by the supplier. Check first and defrost properly at home.
What’s the best way to slice sushi-grade salmon?
Use a sharp sushi knife to slice salmon paper-thin. Cut with the fish’s grain for clean slices.
Can I marinate sushi-grade salmon?
Yes, but avoid strong-flavored marinades. A touch of soy sauce and sake allows the fresh salmon flavor to shine.
How long can I store leftover sushi-grade salmon?
Consume sushi-grade salmon within 2 days max. To store longer, re-freeze at -4°F until needed again.
Is farm-raised salmon ok for sushi?
Yes, as long as it’s high quality and frozen properly to eliminate parasites beforehand. But wild salmon is preferable.
Master Sushi Skills with Salmon
Follow these simple steps for salmon and you can craft beautiful sushi creations at home. Slice up your sushi-grade salmon and enjoy it in hand rolls, nigiri, or sashimi with confidence.
With high-quality salmon and careful handling, you can achieve the fresh flavor, silky texture, and safety standards for raw fish as the top sushi restaurants do. Now get ready to impress your friends with your own homemade sushi night!
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.
“Sushi-Grade” and “Sashimi-Grade”
Officially, the terms “sashimi-grade” and “sushi-grade” mean precisely nothing. According to Yuji Haraguchi, owner of the sashimi-focused fish shop Osakana in Brooklyn, he used them for advertising when he was a sales rep for True World Foods, a wholesale fish distributor. In 2004, the company wanted to get more customers from places other than Japanese restaurants. Haraguchi’s job was to get other restaurants to serve raw fish besides tuna to their customers. “The phrase “sushi-grade fish” worked really well to get people to buy, but I had to make sure they knew what they were getting and give them accurate information,” he says. Davis Herron, who runs the retail and restaurant division at The Lobster Place fish market in Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, agrees: “It’s just a marketing term that doesn’t mean much when it comes to eating raw fish.” “.
Sushi and sashimi were used for this reason, which makes sense since a lot of Americans eat raw fish at Japanese restaurants. Its the “grade” portion that is entirely misleading. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades beef, but there is no national organization that grades fish. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) puts out advisory guidelines that explain how to handle different kinds of fish that are meant to be eaten raw. However, those guidelines are not meant to judge the quality of the fish like marbling judges the quality of beef; they are only meant to show how safe the fish is to eat raw. If a piece of fish is marked “sushi- or sashimi-grade,” it means the seller thinks it is safe for you to eat raw. The claim is only as trustworthy as the fish market that makes it.
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