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I have done my homework and read several reputable sources on this (e.g. this). The consensus on sushi-grade fish seems to be

  1. There is no real "sushi grade". It is a myth.
  2. Follow certain guidelines
  3. Stick to tuna and farmed salmon
  4. Freeze for 7 days at home to kill potential parasites

I just bought some fresh, never frozen farmed salmon, but the label says "not for raw consumption". Can I still use it for sushi/sashimi?

Eddie Kal
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    I think that you're possibly drawing incorrect conclusions from your research . There may not technically be a "grade" of fish for sushi, but there are different processes that are used to reduce risk for fish that's intended to be eaten raw (frozen immediately after catching and/or reduced time from when it's caught to served), and you've bought something that's clearly *not* intended for that. But the good news is that "sushi" includes some cooked preparations, so yes, you could cook it and use it for sushi. But not sashimi. – Joe Dec 07 '20 at 18:28

1 Answers1

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Can I still use it for sushi/sashimi?

Assuming you mean the standard raw-fish preparation method, no.

When the label points out clearly not for raw consumption, believe it or not, it's not even worth the risk.

Take my advice: Make some golden-brown crusted seared salmon!

Anastasia Zendaya
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    +1 but suitable-for-sushi raw fish is so hard to come by outside Japan... – Eddie Kal Dec 06 '20 at 08:15
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    Why? This answer only emphasizes the label but doesn't explain why. – Rob Dec 06 '20 at 10:22
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    As described by Serious Eats [here](https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/05/how-to-prepare-raw-fish-at-home-sushi-sashimi-food-safety.html), the big problem with buying fresh fish and then freezing it at home is that home freezers don't get cold enough to reliably kill off some of the parasites. [The FDA recommends](https://www.fda.gov/media/80777/download) chilling it down to -31f for about a day. They also suggest -4f for a week should work, and this is more in the realm of what home freezers can do, but not all of them, and not everyone has theirs set that low – BThompson Dec 07 '20 at 14:19
  • @BThompson Freezing put parasites to sleep. It's heat that kills them. – Anastasia Zendaya Dec 07 '20 at 14:20
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    @user89857 Whether freezing will kill the parasites or just put them to sleep depends on just how cold it gets. To quote the FDA from the guide I linked, "The effectiveness of freezing to kill parasites depends on several factors, including the temperature of the freezing process, the length of time needed to freeze the fish tissue, the length of time the fish is held frozen, the species and source of the fish, and the type of parasite present." – BThompson Dec 07 '20 at 14:22
  • @user89857 All of which is to say, for the average consumer, your advice to just cook the fish and not chance it is spot on. But if you're very sure about your equipment and willing to wait a week, you *should* be able to safely kill of any parasites at home – BThompson Dec 07 '20 at 14:25
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    @BThompson To be "very sure", you'll also buy fish that *doesn't* explicitly say that it's not for raw consumption. – Anastasia Zendaya Dec 07 '20 at 14:54