Fish for sashimi at home?
Discussion
Anyone done their own tuna / salmon / other raw fish at home?
Did a bit of reading - seems I just need to tell the fishmonger I am eating it raw. Freezing kills bacteria etc.
Anything else to worry about?
Probably get some from a Chinese supermarket (yes, I know Chinese and Japanese isn't the same...).
Did a bit of reading - seems I just need to tell the fishmonger I am eating it raw. Freezing kills bacteria etc.
Anything else to worry about?
Probably get some from a Chinese supermarket (yes, I know Chinese and Japanese isn't the same...).
Freezing might kill some bacteria (but not necessarily all) and won't kill bacterial spores. Bon appetit!
I think the important thing is just to get it fresh as - from the fishmongers hours after it comes of the boat is ideal. I do love a bit of sashimi when I'm in the right restaurant.
I think the important thing is just to get it fresh as - from the fishmongers hours after it comes of the boat is ideal. I do love a bit of sashimi when I'm in the right restaurant.
Mastodon2 said:
Freezing might kill some bacteria (but not necessarily all) and won't kill bacterial spores. Bon appetit!
I think the important thing is just to get it fresh as - from the fishmongers hours after it comes of the boat is ideal. I do love a bit of sashimi when I'm in the right restaurant.
And look out for parasites!I think the important thing is just to get it fresh as - from the fishmongers hours after it comes of the boat is ideal. I do love a bit of sashimi when I'm in the right restaurant.
Yes, all the time!
If you have a good fishmonger, go early and explain it is for sushi, anyone decent will only sell you what is fresh enough to eat raw.
Japanese, and so possibly by default some other Oriental food shops, will have 'sushi grade' fish in the freezer. Defrost and use straight away.
I've done both and ironically the frozen stuff is usually better
If you have a good fishmonger, go early and explain it is for sushi, anyone decent will only sell you what is fresh enough to eat raw.
Japanese, and so possibly by default some other Oriental food shops, will have 'sushi grade' fish in the freezer. Defrost and use straight away.
I've done both and ironically the frozen stuff is usually better
Cheers all.
I tried a search and nothng came up - but I knew some of you foodies will know the score.
I think the point with freezing it (from a US FDA point of view) is that at sub 20 for over X hours, it kills lots of bad stuff.
Anyhoo, oriental supermarket it is. If not there, fish market in Leeds.
If not there - just go to a restaurant...
I tried a search and nothng came up - but I knew some of you foodies will know the score.
I think the point with freezing it (from a US FDA point of view) is that at sub 20 for over X hours, it kills lots of bad stuff.
Anyhoo, oriental supermarket it is. If not there, fish market in Leeds.
If not there - just go to a restaurant...
Having recently bought a Sushi kit online i was gutted at the avilabilty of Sushi grade fish. I have seen it advertised in Leeds market - ive been sold too many "fresh in this teausday" stinky crabs to trust these sources howeather.
Where do the restraunts get gear from? I'm drawing a blank online??
Where do the restraunts get gear from? I'm drawing a blank online??
I should add that I don't have a good feel for exactly how risky eating unfrozen sashimi is - we all know that if we followed the strictest, most risk-averse medical advice, we would have our meat well done and our eggs hard boiled and would miss out on some of the greatest food experiences there are. Personally, I would be happy to eat fish which had not been frozen - I wouldn't turn down the chance to eat a bit of mackerel straight off the hook - but I probably wouldn't make a habit of it.
Well, having been asked where the place in New Malden was, and not having been able to find it on the web, I decided to pay a visit at lunchtime to check it was still there. It was, so this was my lunch today...
Middle-fatty tuna, salmon, turbot, sweet prawns on egg omelette and seaweed salad. Absolutely gorgeous, and nice and filling - each of those chunks was about twice the size of a usual restaurant sashimi. Not cheap at £14, but certainly a lot cheaper than it would've been in a restaurant.
The shop in question is Atari-Ya, between Kingston & New Malden.
Middle-fatty tuna, salmon, turbot, sweet prawns on egg omelette and seaweed salad. Absolutely gorgeous, and nice and filling - each of those chunks was about twice the size of a usual restaurant sashimi. Not cheap at £14, but certainly a lot cheaper than it would've been in a restaurant.
The shop in question is Atari-Ya, between Kingston & New Malden.
Official advice to businesses is to freeze all fish to be used for sushi and sashimi in the UK. Some areas enforce it, others do not. I know for a fact that Atari-Ya use fresh finfish where allowed and when available. On the dish above, the salmon and turbot will be farmed so no risk of parasites will be present. All prawns (ebi) will be frozen. Kensington & Chelsea is one authority that insists on frozen fish. The problem with the advice (freeze to a core temp of -20 for a minimum of 24 hours), is that this is not really the best way to ensure top quality fish. For the best sashimi grade fish (and tuna in particular) you want to source so-called "superfrozen" fish, which is quickly frozen to temperatures of c. -60C using liquid nitrogen. The speed of freezing does not allow the breakdown of cell walls (typical in slower freezing processes), which allows the fish to retain it's structural integrity (and thus mouth feel). The obvious issue with superfrozen fish is that it's very rare to find freezers capable of maintaining -60C outside Japan.
As otolith has said, freezing is designed to kill parasitic worms, although none are harmful to humans. Any decent sushi/sashimi place will "candle" their fish during processing - basically filleting and trimming their fish on a light table to see the worms against the transluscent flesh (which is standard indutry pratice for most wild fish subject to worms, sold in UK supermarkets, too).
As otolith has said, freezing is designed to kill parasitic worms, although none are harmful to humans. Any decent sushi/sashimi place will "candle" their fish during processing - basically filleting and trimming their fish on a light table to see the worms against the transluscent flesh (which is standard indutry pratice for most wild fish subject to worms, sold in UK supermarkets, too).
Edited by Goughie on Saturday 16th June 04:16
We are not a viable host for these worms, however consuming them can still be harmful;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisakis
They get 2-3000 cases a year in Japan. Farmed fish fed on processed pellets tend not to be infected, even when kept in cages at sea, but farmed fish fed raw wild fish (eg bass) are at at risk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisakis
They get 2-3000 cases a year in Japan. Farmed fish fed on processed pellets tend not to be infected, even when kept in cages at sea, but farmed fish fed raw wild fish (eg bass) are at at risk.
Kermit power said:
Well, having been asked where the place in New Malden was, and not having been able to find it on the web, I decided to pay a visit at lunchtime to check it was still there. It was, so this was my lunch today...
Middle-fatty tuna, salmon, turbot, sweet prawns on egg omelette and seaweed salad. Absolutely gorgeous, and nice and filling - each of those chunks was about twice the size of a usual restaurant sashimi. Not cheap at £14, but certainly a lot cheaper than it would've been in a restaurant.
The shop in question is Atari-Ya, between Kingston & New Malden.
That looks superb! Middle-fatty tuna, salmon, turbot, sweet prawns on egg omelette and seaweed salad. Absolutely gorgeous, and nice and filling - each of those chunks was about twice the size of a usual restaurant sashimi. Not cheap at £14, but certainly a lot cheaper than it would've been in a restaurant.
The shop in question is Atari-Ya, between Kingston & New Malden.
I make sushi/sashimi once a month or so and I just buy the tuna and salmon from the local fishmonger, i've not once had a problem. In the past, I've used fish from supermarket fish counters before and again, without any issue.
I think you can get too hung up on this kind of thing but ultimately, it's down to you.
I think you can get too hung up on this kind of thing but ultimately, it's down to you.
otolith said:
We are not a viable host for these worms, however consuming them can still be harmful;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisakis
They get 2-3000 cases a year in Japan. Farmed fish fed on processed pellets tend not to be infected, even when kept in cages at sea, but farmed fish fed raw wild fish (eg bass) are at at risk.
No bass farm in their right mind feeds their fish on whole fish - not if they want to make a profit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisakis
They get 2-3000 cases a year in Japan. Farmed fish fed on processed pellets tend not to be infected, even when kept in cages at sea, but farmed fish fed raw wild fish (eg bass) are at at risk.
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