Sashimi salmon without commercial freezer??

[Dave S]

I was cutting up a slab of chinook from the freezer the other day, and it looked to good not to have some sashimi. I don't have a commercial freezer so it wasn't really sashimi grade salmon. This is what I was able to find out regarding sushi grade salmon. Does anyone have anything they can suggest for a rec fisher like myself to achieve sushi grade fish without a commercial freezer?

The question of what is sushi grade fish comes up a lot and no one seems to accurately answer that question. After some research I am now able to provide information as to the [COLOR=#058E63 !important]guidelines[/COLOR] and regulations that are followed in the seafood industry in terms of serving raw seafood. As for micro standards for sushi or sashimi grade seafood, I have spoken with many in the seafood industry who supply ‘sushi grade’ fish for [COLOR=#058E63 !important]sushi and sashimi[/COLOR] served at restaurants and they all give me the same answer… they do not know of any regulations from either the FDA or any other agencies regarding ‘sushi grade’ seafood, which is why suppliers have set up their own micro and chemical parameters for their [COLOR=#058E63 !important]products[/COLOR]. A personal search of FDA [COLOR=#058E63 !important]documents[/COLOR] turns up the same results, no clear standards as to what makes fish ‘sushi grade’ or ‘sashimi grade’ and no definition of the term. The only concern any inspectors have is referred to as the parasite destruction guarantee, which is accomplished by ‘freezing and storing seafood at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours’ which is sufficient to kill parasites. The FDA’s Food Code recommends these freezing [COLOR=#058E63 !important]conditions[/COLOR] to retailers who provide fish intended for raw consumption (for further information, please visit the FDA website). I know that is a mouthful, but it’s the facts. Other than a few specific organisms of concern for some seafood, sashimi standards are set as any other ready-to-eat item, e.g. sushi. This means that, aside from the FDA recommendations and local [COLOR=#058E63 !important]Health Department[/COLOR] [COLOR=#058E63 !important]requirements[/COLOR], there are no laws or recommendations for "sushi/sashimi grade" fish. It is no more than a marketing term.

 

[tubber]

Both my freezers and my fridge freezer are -5 to -10F. One is 30 years old and the other is the new small upright Danby from Costco. Fridge is 16 years old.

 

[Dave S]

Both my freezers and my fridge freezer are -5 to -10F. One is 30 years old and the other is the new small upright Danby from Costco. Fridge is 16 years old.

Maybe i have been mislead to believe that my freezer would never be able to get cold enough. Guess it's time to get a thermostat for the freezer.

 

[Sharphooks]

Your main concern is parasites as you probably know. Salmon have them, as do blackcod and turbot. You could book your catch into a commercial cold storage (one constructed in the last decade) ---they have "short hold" accounts if you wanted to just store the catch short term.

Once they're dead, they're dead

I'm not sure how toxic or nasty the parasites are to begin with, though it would be a nauseating exercise to try and find out the hard way

 

[Rockfish]

Have eaten a lot of salmon Sashimi from my home freezer for many years. It has been vacuum packed and then kept in the Freezer for a least 4 months and up to 8 months. I have not had a concemrn about the quality and enjoy it. If you can’t reach super low commercial temps. then longer time seems to help; at least that is my theory. So far no tapeworms or other parasite problems.

We also make Ikura (salmon eggs) and those also are frozen even after being treated with salt and sometimes rice wine and/or rice wine vinegar. Prefer the flavor with just the salt. Be careful with Chinook as it is common for them to have tapeworms in the digestive system and they can be transferred to people. Remove the eggs first, don’t put them down on the cleaning bench if you are going to eat them as Sashimi, same goes for flesh. Try and remove the digestive system all in one piece without opening it up if you are going to be using that fish for Sashimi then wash you hands well before grabbing some finger food. That’s my theory for reducing risk.

 

[tubber]

UPDATE! My one week old upright freezer from Costco died today. It worked great for 6 days. Not sure if I'll swap it for the same or get a refund and buy someone's old used freezer with better parts and thicker copper lines.

 

[Kildonan]

My Bro bought one of those Costco upright jobs and he bad mouthes it a lot. LOL

 

[Big Green Machine]

My chest freezer, puke green in color, purchased by my parents in 1975, still works great!

 

[CIVANO]

I use an indoor outdoor thermometer to check the temp. It fluctuates from -5f to +4F. I was told an easy way to check the temp in a freezer is to put cooking oil in a jar and you can check it with an instant read thermometer after it reaches its lowest temp.

 

[profisher]

They have cheap thermometers at Russell Foods meant for freezers...just place it inside.

 

[Samnjoe]

We eat salmon sashimi fresh unfrozen same day.
Never a problem.
Best is feeder chinook, never river fish.
Also make ceviche from fresh black rockfish same day we catch it.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

pretty sure the acid in the lemon&lime juice kills any parasites in the ceviche , not sure i would trust the same day sashimi though, might be playin Russian roulette with your digestive system there...

 

[Samnjoe]

We have been doing it for years but now you have me thinkin.
I have a buddy who trains federal meat inspectors.
I will ask him and let you guys know what I find out..

pretty sure the acid in the lemon&lime juice kills any parasites in the ceviche , not sure i would trust the same day sashimi though, might be playin Russian roulette with your digestive system there...

 

[Dave S]

Turning summer chinook into fall sushi night! So good!
You're looking at: salmon sashimi, california roll, spicy salmon roll, spicy california roll, salmon and avacado roll, california roll.

Really liked the spicy mayo- 3 parts japanese mayo to 1 part sriracha sauce.

 

[Sculpin]

Nice rolls Dave. The little one seems to like em too .

 

[sly_karma]

Nice work Dave! I was reminded of this thread today at work when we were discussing where to locate and what electrical needed for a super-low temp freezer in a salmon hatchery lab. It maintains at temps of -80, the biologist lady didn't say if that was F or C, but does it really matter? So maybe I could drop off fish in there for a few days?