how to buy salmon for sushi
and how to eat it raw
hi! happy wednesday!
I shared a recipe for Beetroot Cured Salmon today on my IG, and I got a few questions about how to know that its safe to eat, so I break it all down here!
admittedly, I am very risky with undercooked foods (within reason). I love raw fish, I love runny eggs, rare steak, etc. and I have never had food poisoning or anything of the sort (knock on wood)! I’m a firm believer that your food poisoning you got from a restaurant probably came from cross contamination of chicken with lettuce or something, rather than the sushi. but thats just my opinion!
the below information is from my recipe for Salmon Crudo, so it focuses on salmon, but much of the advice is applicable to other fish. at the end I add some extra information that I learned from The Sushi Guy on TikTok, who has great information about how to make grocery store fish safe to eat raw!
There is a lot of discussion about whether or not the term "sushi-grade" actually means anything or if it is just a marketing ploy. However, we still need to make sure we're taking all the necessary steps to buy high-quality raw salmon that is safe to consume raw.
There is no national or regulated standard for the use of "sushi-grade" or "sashimi-grade," which means there is almost nothing to stop someone from putting that label on sub-par fish.
The best place to start is to find a trusted fish market or fishmonger in your area, that will provide the freshest and highest quality fish. However, a trusted fish counter at a grocery store can still be perfectly safe.
For salmon, farmed salmon (rather than wild caught or freshwater) is actually safer for raw consumption, as the incidence of parasites is much lower in farmed fish due to a more controlled environment.
Additionally, you should find out if the fish had been previously frozen. Contrary to popular belief, you do want to buy previously frozen fish for raw consumption. This is because fish that is flash-frozen just after catching will get cold enough to kill any parasites without denaturing the fish.
My final tip is to thoroughly inspect the fish before eating. Believe it or not, fish parasites are actually very easy to spot. They typically look like a small, thin worm.
As with any consumption of raw or undercooked food, there is always a risk.
Information from The Sushi Guy:
So, the sushi guy buys salmon in the frozen section from places like Costco and Trader Joes, and tried fresh salmon from those stores as well as Sam’s Club, Whole Foods, and more.
He states that the FDA says the requirements for raw fish is that it must be frozen at -4º F for 7 days, however, farmed Atlantic salmon is exempt from this rule due to their controlled diets.
Once he determined the fish has met one (or both) of those requirements, he inspects the filet for bones and then cuts it into large pieces. Then he lays the pieces on a wire rack placed over a sheet tray.
To cure the salmon, he covers the surfaces with salt and sugar, then puts it in the fridge for at least 45 minutes. He gently rinses it off, then either prepares it for eating or he freezes it for later!
Before consuming, he always makes sure to smell it. It should not have a strong “fishy” smell.
For the already frozen salmon, such as the ones from Costco, he creates a saline solution in a bowl, and bathes the frozen salmon for about 30 minutes. He then places it in the fridge in a bag for about 5 hours to continue thawing, and also to create a more firm texture from the salt.
Then he slices and enjoys!