Sushi Grade Fish

Sushi is healthier than a lot of other food and a delicacy around the world. It does not contain a lot of oil, it is rich in protein, and it simply tastes amazing. Moreover, there are so many different types of sushi to try. However, it is quite daunting when you don’t know what fish to buy.

If you have decided to make sushi at home, then you should pay attention to a few things. Firstly, you have to get the sushi rice right. You cannot make sushi with just any rice. You need to use short-grain rice to get a sticky texture. Secondly, you need to get the fish right. You cannot just use any fish for your sushi. It has to be something called “sushi grade” fish. Sushi is made with fresh raw fish; hence it is very important to make sure you have the correct type of fish for your sushi. The fish gives sushi the punch of texture and taste.

What is “Sushi Grade” Fish?

The best type of sushi comes with fresh and raw seafood. You cannot just take a fish out of water and eat it straight away. The fish most likely contain worms or parasites! Salmon is a parasitic fish and you cannot eat it raw, which is why it has to be frozen before you can consume it. You do not need to concern yourself regarding parasites when you buy a pack of sushi grade fish.

You may have heard the term “sushi grade fish” before and think that it is an actual product people look for at fish markets. It’s actually just a marketing term; there is no such thing as sushi grade fish. Fishermen do not catch sushi grade fish. The fish you eat at sushi restaurants have to be (and are hopefully) flash frozen. What this means is that the fish has to be frozen immediately when captured in the water and frozen on the boat. This is done to eliminate most, if not all, the parasites on the fish that can cause health concerns. This is what is meant by sushi grade fish.

If you walk into a store and find a pack of frozen fish labeled as “sushi grade” you will know that fish will be perfect to use for your sushi night. Although there is no official regulation on this term, companies still market their fish as sushi grade to get the average consumer who knows nothing about sushi to buy their product.

How to Buy Sushi Grade Fish

You should not buy anything, especially food, blindly. Even though your pack of raw fish says it is sushi grade, you should still need to do your due diligence and follow a few things just to be cautious:

Visually check the fish: Use your senses when buying a fish. If a fish has clear and bright eyes, it is a fresh fish. As a general rule, if the fish looks like it can be thrown back in water to save its life, it’s a pretty fresh fish! Beware, if it’s still moving, it probably hasn’t been flash frozen and thus, not good for sushi
Smell the fish: A raw fish which has been sitting around for a while is bound to smell bad. Stay clear away!
Touch the fish: A fresh fish should have its color intact with bright red gills and shiny scales. In addition, a fresh fish will have a slippery and moist skin; the older the fish, the drier it will be
Go to a reliable place: Do not just buy anything off the rack. You might just buy it off someone who sells it for a cheaper price, but you should not aim for just any lower price. Go to a reputable fish market. Buy it off a fish monger who sells off fish very quickly and can answer all your questions. If fish looks bad, consider going to a new market where regulations are more satisfactory
Ask questions: Where was the fish was caught? When was it caught? What does it tastes like? How did it take to process? Also ask if it can be used for sushi – this is because sushi contains raw fish and the fish monger will tell you if the fish is meant to be cooked to remove parasites or if it is parasite-free and ready to eat raw
Befriend the fish monger: If you eat sushi regularly, this may work out for you. A little chit-chat can go a long way. He may give you the freshest fish to eat to make you come back for more! There might even be local fish delicacy you never thought of eating besides the typical tuna and salmon that your fish monger can recommend