What is Sushi Grade Fish?
So you are an aspiring sushi chef and you want to make sure that your first sushi dinner with friends at home will turn out no less than spectacular. While it can be expensive you just want to be sure it’s safe to eat raw. So how are you going about it? Can you tell?
You might find fish labeled sushi grade. What does it mean? It means that the fish is of high quality and that it can be confidently eaten raw. For example, tuna. If inspected and graded as Grade 1, it is the best and can be sold as sushi grade fish. Salmon also can be sushi grade fish if it is flash frozen on the boat at the time of catch, preserving its freshness and texture.
Here are a few things to know when buying your sushi grade fish. Even Japanese chefs go by these guidelines.
Be sure you’re in the right place. Seek out a reputable fishmonger or fish market. They must have a high turnover for fish, meaning you always get fresh or newly arrived stocks. They must also have regular shipments, again ensuring freshness. It is helpful that their staff know their fish well.
Make sustainable choices. Be updated and have regional information about supply in your area. Being a responsible consumer helps contribute to healthy oceans.
Ask your seller the right questions. Where did the fish come from? How was the fish handled, was it processed at the store itself? How long has the fish been at the store? Is their equipment sanitized to prevent cross-contamination from fish that are not sushi grade?
Remember that it should be flash-frozen while still at sea which prevents the breakdown of the meat and kills any parasite present. This practise meets the regulatory standard for food safety of fish to be consumed raw.
Use your touch and smell senses. Fresh fish should smell like the ocean. Its flesh should not be soft or flaky. Its color must be vibrant and appealing to the eye. Look for small rectangular saw-cut pieces of the best part of the fish, ideally still almost solidly frozen. There should be no fat, bones or connective tissue in the block of the sawed fish. If you have any doubt of the fish’s quality, take a pass.
Only Sushi Grade Sushi in Lynnwood
Enjoy fresh and tasty sushi at Wild Wasabi in Lynnwood. Be assured that when you eat sushi here, it’s all about quality and freshness because we only serve sushi grade sushi.