Sushi Grade?

[grumblebee]

Hey everyone...

So I know that it's best to buy "sushi grade" fish when making sashimi/sushi. I was just wondering though, what makes a fish "sushi grade"? If a person was to use a very fresh cut of salmon from a reputable shop would it be considered sushi grade even if it wasn't labeled as such?

Also, I'd like to try making gravlox/lox. Is there a certain kind of salmon cut that is better for this? Do I need to use sushi grade salmon or does it not matter due to the brining process?

Sorry for so many questions... I've just been curious about this for awhile!
Thanks.

[ironchef]

Sushi/sashimi grade not only refers to the freshness of a fish, but also the health and vitality of the fish, the quality of the meat, etc. For example, you could have two tuna side by side. Both could be eaten raw as sashimi. But only one of them could have the quality of meat that could be labeled and qualified as sashimi grade.

For gravlax, a designated sashimi grade is not needed. But you'd still want to start off with a quality product.

[BreezyCooking]

My parents have been making their own gravlax for themselves & guests for many years. I'll be speaking to my mom this week & will ask her their criteria for the salmon they buy for it.

[grumblebee]

Thanks for your help you two. I look forward to hearing what your mom says about the gravlox BreezyCooking. I love it and have wanted to make it for ages...

[BreezyCooking]

I didn't forget about you Grumblebee!!! Just received mom's Gravlax recipe in the mail today. Here it is:

3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons white peppercorns, crushed
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries, crushed
1 large bunch dill (about 3 ounces)
Two 1/2-pound center-cut salmon fillets in 2 equal pieces
1 tablespoon cognac, akavit, or vodka
Black bread
Mustard

In a small bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and allpsice. Chop the stems and leaves of the dill. Lay a peice of the salmon, skin side down, on a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap both fillets. Sprinkle the fillet with half the spice mix, moisten with half of the liquor, and cover with all the chopped dill. Cover the second fillet with the spice mix & remaining liquor. Sandwich the 2 fillets together, flesh side to flesh side, and tightly wrap in the plastic wrap. Make sure the fillets are held tightly closed with a good seal.

Place the wrapped salmon on a plate and weigh it down with a 1-pound can or weight. (My mother uses a brick wrapped in foil.) Place in the refrigerator. Ever 12 hours or so, open the package and baste the fish with the liquid that has formed around it. Let the salmon cure for at least 24 or up to 36 hours.

When the salmon is ready, scrape the dill mixture off with a spoon and refrigerate the fish until ready to serve. To serve the gravlax: slice thin pieces at a 45-degree angle with a long sharp narrow knife. Lay the gravlax out on a platter and serve it with black bread and a bit of mustard. The gravlax will stay fresh for a week wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator.

[grumblebee]

Sorry, I did not see this until just now... Thank you so much, Breezy! I'm really looking forward to making this.

[BreezyCooking]

Hey, no problem. I had to wait for my mom to mail it to me anyway. At her age she doesn't like to give recipes over the phone - too afraid she'll leave something out - so prefers to mail them to me.

[osowakki]

finding sushi grade fish isn't easy.. I buy my sushi fish in a certain place where I know exactly when they get the fish.

still you might find this article helpful:
Sushi for me - Sushi University - Choose a good fish

it might help you in you next sushi fish shopping.

[dergyll]

I have some Asian markets near my house that sells these "made-for-sushi/sashimi" fillet fish. They're usually pretty expensive and does not yield a great quantity of food...but the sushi maker there told me that those fish are like some high-"grade" fish that makes great sushi.

Derg

[BreezyCooking]

Although I haven't tried any of them yet, there are also a number of online fish purveyors that supply sushi/sashimi-grade fish, marinated/cooked sushi fish, etc., etc., that look very interesting. Here's a few of the websites I've saved that look good. Like I said, I haven't purchased from any of them yet, so can't comment on them personally, but they're still a fun read.

Catalina Offshore Products

Pacific Rim Gourmet - Pacific Rim Gourmet

Sushi Foods Co. - The highest quality seafood, sushi products, and catering.