If you’ve been eating good quality fish made for sushi, you know the pleasure of this prized ingredient. From sushi to sashimi to platters, raw fish can be a fresh and delicious addition to dinner. But anyone who has eaten bad raw fish knows that it can be dangerous to your health. Between the nausea, sweating, and other not-so-great symptoms, suffice it to say that the consequences will be the same no Beautiful. Good news: This doesn’t have to be your destiny if you’re looking for the best quality fish to make for sushi.
You might be asking yourself now,Wait, wHat means sushi grade And how can I tell if raw fish is sushi class? That’s a great question. We spoke with Kate Kuo, sushi chef and owner of Zilla Sake Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, and John Burrows, technical director of seafood at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute in Juneau, Alaska, to help us break down the difference between sushi-based fish and seafood. raw fish, and share more information about the best places to buy raw fish, as well as all sorts of other details to keep in mind while buying, storing, and handling raw fish to better keep you and your family safe.
First, what is sushi fish?
“Sushi grade” and “sashimi grade” are more marketing terms than a formal set of authoritative guidelines. Burroughs says that these words do not have “much meaning in the context of treatment or dealing”. “In general, there is no special treatment outside of absolute adherence to best practices for time and temperature control.”
However, many brands and vendors use “sushi grade” as a means of rating fish that are safe and can be eaten raw. Sushi fish tends to be very high quality fish, and the grade of sushi often indicates that you can consume uncooked fish without worrying about getting sick or dealing with foodborne illness.
Where can I buy sushi fish?
“People ask me this all the time, especially when they want to make sushi or eat at home,” says Ko. And the first thing I always tell them is please Don’t go to a regular grocery store and grab any random piece of salmon from the display and eat it raw, because there is a difference. Obviously, I’d hate for people to do that and then get sick.” Instead, Ko recommends finding a specialty market, fish market, seafood market, Asian specialty market or high-end grocery store — somewhere you can go where you trust people. Behind At the table and you could ask them, “Can this be eaten raw?” If the response is confident, “Yes,” that’s a great sign. If you feel a little hesitant or if the answer is “I don’t know,” it’s not worth changing.
Those who live on the coast tend to have more options available than those who live in landlocked areas, of course. However, there are seafood delivery services that ship fresh, high-quality fish all over the country. “You can also order seafood online directly from Alaskan fishermen,” Burroughs says. “If you do, it will arrive frozen at your door. However, if it arrives slightly thawed but still cool, it’s best to use it up in a day or two, just don’t refreeze it.”
How do I know if a fish is sushi?
“The best approach is to ask the fishmonger or fisherman about the quality itself, specifically how the fish was stored and transported,” says Burrows. most fish He should He explains that they are frozen (or have been previously frozen). “There is nothing more important to maintaining quality than temperature control. Freezing locks in the nutrients, flavor, and quality present at the time of processing. For sushi grade freezing, one should freeze at -4°F or less for 7 days, -31°F or less until solid and then store for 15 hours, or -31°F or less until solid and store for 24 hours at -4°F or less.”
Coe agrees that there is no clear indication other than asking someone if this type of fish is okay to eat raw. However, she does have some tips that can help. As with how you measure any meat, take a look at the color. When a piece of meat begins to deteriorate due to oxidation, you will notice a change in colour. Depending on the type of fish, the color will change in slightly different ways. Then, the really important step is to give the fish a whiff. “When the fish starts to go bad, it starts to smell like something you don’t want to eat. In fact, it’s kind of an instinct that says, ‘I’m not sure if this is good or not.’ Trust your gut.”
Quick note: The USDA and FDA do not provide clear criteria for defining the grade of sushi (FDA). Do Share rules for freezing fish to help get rid of parasites). “Unlike other proteins such as beef, there is no single regulatory authority for seafood quality grading,” says Burrows. So, one more reason to make sure you are buying your fish from a reputable place!
What is the best way to store sushi fish?
“If you plan to consume raw fish at home, you should try to ensure quality is maintained by ensuring a quick return to cold temperatures and immediate use once thawed if previously frozen,” says Burrows. This means prioritizing getting those fish into the fridge The Basic Law Once you get home from the store.
An ideal scenario would be to prepare and serve (and eat) raw fish as quickly as possible, Ko says. If you won’t get your fish in a day or two (which is fine), she suggests taking the fish out of its original packaging, wrapping the fillets in parchment paper or sandwich wrap with a layer of paper towels, then wrapping the whole thing in plastic wrap. Once it’s wrapped, you can put the fish in the refrigerator on top of an ice pack.
“The colder you keep it, the better,” she says. It is very important to keep the fish at an appropriate and safe temperature to prevent bacterial growth. After all, you don’t want to spend the time (and money!) getting the right kind of fish, only to have to throw it away – or accidentally get sick.
Now that you know which fish is suitable for sushi, you’re ready to make one of our favorite recipes: Poke tuna bowl.
Note: While this article is about fish for sushi, we are talking exclusively about fish — no shellfish or mollusks (such as lobster, shrimp, oysters, and oysters), which come with their own set of rules.
Deputy Food Editor
Trish (he/she) is the Deputy Food Editor at Good housekeeping, covering everything food-related, from cooking trends and delicious recipes to top-tested kitchen products and grocery finds. She has over a decade of experience writing about food for GH, Women’s health, protection, red book, woman’s DayDaily Meal and Food Network. When she’s not at the supermarket or trying a new recipe, you can find her at the beach, in her backyard, or on the couch—usually with a glass of wine in her hand.