# Sushi question



## QuinnQuiver (Mar 2, 2013)

*I have an expanded question that relates to this Q&A I found online when I was searching for if you can make sashimi or sushi from frozen Salmon. Salmon is expensive so I'll wait 1-3 days for a response before trying this out.*

Here is the original Q&A I found(followed by my actual question)


Q:

*Can you make sashimi from frozen salmon and how?*

I buy frozen salmon in individual filets and usually bake it. Was interested in different recipes

A: *You can only make sashimi or other 'uncooked' preparation of fish & seafood if it is sushi- or sashimi-grade fish. 
The handling of the fish and the actual meat is a better quality and less likely to make you sick from no-heat preparations.
That said, assuming you have sushi-quality fish, you would first defrost it. There are 2 safe ways to do this.*
1. in the refrigerator for about 4 hours or until defrosted. 
2. run the tightly-saran-wrapped fish under cold water for about 2 hours or until defrosted. 
You have defrosted sushi-quality fish. Now what?
Sashimi means "without rice" so the preparation is simple. 
with the filet on the cutting board, slice the fish against the grain  (the white lines of fat and connective tissue) on a 45 degree angle. You  want thin slices no more than 1/4" thick. 

Now for my question(s):
What makes something sushi or sashimi quality fish?
Is the only thing that makes something considered sushi or sashimi quality because of the fact that they don't really smell or taste fishy? I have defrosted salmon before in attempt to make sushi but after smelling the defrosted fish there was no way I was going to use that as sushi.
If the fishy smell is the only difference between "fishy store bought salmon" and "sashimi-quality salmon" I thought hey what if I search google for "what you can use to get rid of the fishy smell and taste out of fish"...and I got an answer on multiple sites: anise oil is the best for getting rid of fish smell...other sites said vinegar is effective too.

So this is what I am thinking of doing in 1-3 days as an experiment unless someones responds and says there is other factors besides getting rid of the fishy smell in "fishy store bought salmon" in order to turn it into "sashimi-quality salmon":
Mixing a 2-3 cups of water with 2-3 tablespoons of rice vinegar and a 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of anise(or with a couple of star anise if I can ever find them at the grocery store) and dipping some defrosted salmon fillets in the mixture for 20-30 minutes(in a fridge with the coldness setting almost to the max)....Think that would be effective?


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## Andy M. (Mar 2, 2013)

If the fish smells bad.  It's not really fresh.  Killing the smell doesn't make it fresher.

"Sushi/sashimi grade" is a marketing term.  There are no specifications that define it.  

If fish is freshwater fish, it should be frozen for three days and defrosted before use.  This is done as fresh water fish can carry parasites.  The parasites are killed off by freezing.

Don't buy fish if it smells fishy.  Fresh fish should smell like the sea, not like fish.  Is should be moist and firm.


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## QuinnQuiver (Mar 2, 2013)

*RE: sushi question*



Andy M. said:


> If the fish smells bad.  It's not really fresh.  Killing the smell doesn't make it fresher.
> 
> "Sushi/sashimi grade" is a marketing term.  There are no specifications that define it.
> 
> ...



Thank you very much for the response. I didn't mean it smells bad or rancid. I meant like those frozen salmon fillets you get at the grocery store in a bag(Maybe you don't buy these since you live by the ocean??). They smell a little fishy after they are defrosted..(these are what I was going to try and turn into a sashimi-quality fish by marinating them in that mixture) ...on the other hand every salmon sashimi or sushi I have had at a restaurant does not have a single scent or taste of fish in it(yummy and delicious and melt in your mouth goodness)


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## Andy M. (Mar 2, 2013)

QuinnQuiver said:


> ...They smell a little fishy after they are defrosted...



My point is that if they "smell a little fishy" they're not fresh.  Washing off the smell doesn't make the fish fresher.


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## Addie (Mar 2, 2013)

Whether you live near the sea or not has no bearing on the subject. We have three coastlines in this country. With overnight delivery guaranteed, there is no reason that there should be a fishy smell on any seafood product. Fresh seafood has no odor!  Folks in the most northern parts of Minnesota or North Dakota should be able to obtain fresh seafood if they are lucky enough to have a fishmonger in their area. They may pay dearly for it, but it depends on how much they love seafood.


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## taxlady (Mar 2, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> My point is that if they "smell a little fishy" they're not fresh.  Washing off the smell doesn't make the fish fresher.


And there is no excuse for frozen fish to smell "fishy". It should have been frozen on the boat, right after it was caught and be really fresh.

I buy frozen salmon and if it smells "fishy", I don't buy that brand again. BTW, I use commercially frozen salmon to make gravad laks, which is not cooked, so the freezing is necessary to assure a lack of live parasites.


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## CharlieD (Mar 2, 2013)

I buy frozen salmon filets from Sam's club and Costco all the time, when I defrost it there is no fishy smell. Fresh fish, really doesn't smell fishy as is was pointed above.


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## CharlieD (Mar 4, 2013)

Reading this thread remionded me that i have not made sushi in a while, so yeterday I cooked a cup of rice, used one of those frozen filets from Sam's and made bunch of different rolls, to mi kids surprised, they loved it. Thank you for bringing this up.


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## no mayonnaise (Mar 4, 2013)

You also want to cure the salmon a bit before consuming for sushi.  It's been a while since I last made it but I remember coating the salmon in sugar and salt, wrapping tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerating  for a while,  then rinsing all the cure off before serving.  Tastes a lot better and it's a lot more firm too.


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## Andy M. (Mar 4, 2013)

no mayonnaise said:


> You also want to cure the salmon a bit before consuming for sushi.  It's been a while since I last made it but I remember coating the salmon in sugar and salt, wrapping tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerating  for a while,  then rinsing all the cure off before serving.  Tastes a lot better and it's a lot more firm too.



Curing salmon for sushi is an option, not a requirement.


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