Salmon Sushi - How-to?

[Pierre]

Hi all,
long time no post. good to see the site strong as ever.

I'm looking for information on making salmon sushi, at home from fresh caught salmon. I've read about need to freeze the fish below 0 degrees for at least 24 hours to kill bacteria. but that all i can find.

Anyone else make their own salmon sushi? what else should i be doing or precautions i should be taking? what parts of the fish are best? bellies meat or filet?

[Cat Man]

Pierre
The first question I would ask (especially since you're on the left coast) is do you prefer wild salmon to farm raised?
Second question, assuming your answer is wild, is which specie do you want to use?
King/Chinook
Silver/Coho
Pink, chum etc..

The freezing of sushi fish (required by FDA for foodservice and retail) has nothing to do with bacteria, but is specifically targeting the killing of parasites.

With wild salmon, there is some small risk of parasites, with farmed Atlantic or King salmon, the risk is significantly lower and it is also more consistent day to day.

A friend of mine in Norway produces a farmed salmon product called Ikirumi.
The salmon is butchered pre rigor (which is very difficult to do) and the flavor and texture is unmatched with any other wild or farmed salmon.
It is only available frozen and because of the pre rigor aspect, you cannot buy a whole boneless filet, either bone in or the filet split down the boneline, into two parts (The shoulder half and the belly half)

In my opinion, the belly (AKA Toro) is by far the best part. It is where you will find the highest fat and marbling and best flavor.

If you buy the bellies alone, you will pay a premium but it's worth it.

Any high fat fish is more freezing friendly than a lower fat content fish so I would recommend a frozen product for both consistency and safety.

The Cat Man

[Pierre]

Cat Man,
thanks for the response. And you are correct, the freezing is a parasite issue not a bacterial issue, i misspoke.

I catch all of my own salmon. here on the west coast, Coho (silver) Salmon is illegal to take, so i'm only dealing specifically with wiil or "free range" as i call it, Chinok (king) salmon. As it's brought onboard it is immediatly bleed out, then gilled and gutted, before being packed on ice. We cannot filet the fish until it's taken off the boat, Dept of Fish & Game law. It is filleted right after we dock. So i'd say it's as fresh as can be gotten anywhere.

Can you ask you friend what steps he take to prepare the fish for raw consumption other than freezing?

thanks

[Cat Man]

Pierre
If you personally caught the fish and you are experienced at proper evisceration techniques, you should be fine.
I am under the impression that this is for personal use and not commercial.

Proper icing etc is a given. And hopefully the harvest wat

Since you caught the fish and did everything right, it's a pretty low risk venture in my mind.

You should be fine with the fresh approach. Just make sure you keep it as close to 32 degrees the entire time and avoid any cross contamination at all costs.

Next time I'm on the west coast, I'll bring some Ikurimi with me and we'll do a side by side.

The Cat Man

[kuan]

Originally Posted by Cat Man

A friend of mine in Norway produces a farmed salmon product called Ikirumi.
The salmon is butchered pre rigor (which is very difficult to do) and the flavor and texture is unmatched with any other wild or farmed salmon.
It is only available frozen and because of the pre rigor aspect, you cannot buy a whole boneless filet, either bone in or the filet split down the boneline, into two parts (The shoulder half and the belly half)

Hey where can we get this stuff over here?

And do you have more info?

[kuan]

Pierre, I would filet, vacuum pack, flash freeze.

Here's the kicker. According to the FDA, you have to freeze at -4F for 7 days or -31F for 15 hours.

FDA/CFSAN Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards & Controls Guidance: 3rd Ed, Chapter 5 - Parasites

[Cat Man]

Kuan
Hallvard Leroy, one of Europes largest seafood producers makes this product.
Ask your distributor if they pull from DOT Foods (which they almost certainly do) as I beleieve DOT carries this item in stock.
You could also sample it in Chicago if you're going to the NRA
With regars to the FDA reg's, since he wants to use the fish for personal consumption, he'snot subject to the FDA reg's.

Personally, I would still freeze it anyway. Especially right now since a bunch of seals are dying from an unknown cause.

Cat Man

[Cat Man]

try this link...
Ikarimi

[Pierre]

Kuan & Cat Man
thanks for the thoughts and good reading. my interest is for personal use, but i'd like to keep myself and my friends out of the hospital. i already make ahi, albacore, and hamachi sashimi and haven't had any problems but i've heard salmon was a whole different kettle of fish. :-)

[redalert]

Hi,

You could always marinate the sliced raw salmon in lime juice, salt and pepper for a few hours before serving.

I dont know that much about the chemistry behind the process but I hear it has the effect of 'cooking' it without actually cooking it.

I guess this takes you away from sushi and more into the realm of 'fusion' food but it may be worth a try.

Iain

[kuan]

Thanks Catman.

Now when you say pre-rigor, you mean while it's alive?

[allie]

I believe he means before it gets stiff. Rigor mortis is that time after death when the muscles are stiff so pre-rigor would mean that window between death and when rigor mortis sets in.

[kuan]

Yep, but, pre-rigor could mean anytime before it sets in, and that includes the time that it's alive.