This may seem like a stupid question, but it is bugging me nevertheless. If I buy a piece of raw high-grade "Ahi Tuna" at my reliable high-end supermarket, do I use it "as is" for sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare, etc., or do I clean it first by washing it? Does washing it do anything to the flavor of the fish? I ask, because I have seen sushi chefs at sushi bars cutting up a side of tuna, and they don't seem to clean it in any way.

S.K.

Sam K. wrote:

This may seem like a stupid question, but it is bugging me nevertheless.
If I buy a piece of raw high-grade "Ahi Tuna" at my reliable high-end
supermarket, do I use it "as is" for sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare, etc.,
or do I clean it first by washing it? Does washing it do anything to the
flavor of the fish? I ask, because I have seen sushi chefs at sushi bars
cutting up a side of tuna, and they don't seem to clean it in any way.

There shouldn't be any problem with rinsing off a piece of fish if your
tap water is safe to drink. g\It will not impact flavor of the fish. I would
suggest you pat dry the fish with a paper towel.

--
Dan

"Sam K." wrote in message ...
This may seem like a stupid question, but it is bugging me nevertheless. If I buy a piece of raw high-grade "Ahi Tuna" at my reliable high-end supermarket, do I use it "as is" for sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare, etc., or do I clean it first by washing it? Does washing it do anything to the flavor of the fish? I ask, because I have seen sushi chefs at sushi bars cutting up a side of tuna, and they don't seem to clean it in any way.

S.K.

I usually wipe clean/dry with a paper towel.
Occasionally I may rinse quickly in cold water then wipe dry quickly.
Abnd this is with sashimi purchased at Japanese markets.
With fish purchased at high end supermarkets I would definitely rinse
and dry before use.

Musashi

Musashi wrote on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:47:45 -0400:

M S.K.

M I usually wipe clean/dry with a paper towel.
M Occasionally I may rinse quickly in cold water then wipe
M dry quickly.Abnd this is with sashimi purchased at Japanese
M markets.With fish purchased at high end supermarkets I would
M definitely rinseand dry before use.

I don't make my own sushi. Going to a restaurant and selecting
on the spur of the moment is part of the fun. However, a *very*
quick rinse with lemon juice and cold water and then blotting
dry can remove the oxidized amines that may give a "fishy" taste
even to expensive "sushi-grade" fish.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Wilson wrote on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:35:09 -0400:

W sometime in the recent past James Silverton posted this:
?? Musashi wrote on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:47:45 -0400:
??
M S.K.
??
M I usually wipe clean/dry with a paper towel.
M Occasionally I may rinse quickly in cold water then wipe
M dry quickly.Abnd this is with sashimi purchased at
M Japanese markets.With fish purchased at high end
M supermarkets I would definitely rinseand dry before use.
??
?? I don't make my own sushi. Going to a restaurant and
?? selecting on the spur of the moment is part of the fun.
?? However, a *very* quick rinse with lemon juice and cold
?? water and then blotting dry can remove the oxidized amines
?? that may give a "fishy" taste even to expensive
?? "sushi-grade" fish.
W To each his own James, but if I thought I had to do even a
W *very* quick rinse of fish served to me at a restaurant (and
W I'm assuming that you have since you point out you don't
W make sushi at home,) I would 1) not eat it, 2) send it back
W if necessary and 3) if I didn't get satisfaction, not eat
W there again.

W I know that folks nowadays feel at liberty to do almost
W anything they wish when eating out, but I don't choose to
W make a fuss myself. I would simply choose not to eat there
W again rather than embarrass myself or someone else, unless
W the issue was so egregious that someone at the restaurant
W should know about it before I left.

W If I misunderstood your point, let me apologize in advance.
??

No apology necessary but I was talking about fish bought to be
cooked by me!. My reaction to a *slight* "fishy" taste in a
sushi restaurant would probably be to give them one second
chance. I stay away from salmon-skin rolls and eel that always
have a fishy taste to me.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

This may seem like a stupid question, but it is bugging me nevertheless.
If I buy a piece of raw high-grade "Ahi Tuna" at my reliable high-end
supermarket, do I use it "as is" for sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare, etc.,

There shouldn't be any problem with rinsing off a piece of fish if your
tap water is safe to drink. g\It will not impact flavor of the fish. I would
suggest you pat dry the fish with a paper towel.

Yup, this is what I always do with meat or fish.

Also I often thaw for example shrimps in a colander under running cold water.

Jukka

Armadillo wrote:
This may seem like a stupid question, but it is bugging me nevertheless.
If I buy a piece of raw high-grade "Ahi Tuna" at my reliable high-end
supermarket, do I use it "as is" for sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare, etc.,


There shouldn't be any problem with rinsing off a piece of fish if your
tap water is safe to drink. g\It will not impact flavor of the fish. I would
suggest you pat dry the fish with a paper towel.


Yup, this is what I always do with meat or fish.

I do this for chicken and pork, but not so much for beef.

Also I often thaw for example shrimps in a colander under running cold water.

I do that as well.

--
Dan

There shouldn't be any problem with rinsing off a piece of fish if your
tap water is safe to drink. g\It will not impact flavor of the fish. I would
suggest you pat dry the fish with a paper towel.

Yup, this is what I always do with meat or fish.

I do this for chicken and pork, but not so much for beef.

True, if bloody or moist I'll just wipe it.

****

I'm lucky to have a market hall next door with a few good fishmongers. Although they prepare fish by customers request I usually buy whole fish and do it myself (except scaled fillets with skin). After gutting I'll of course wash the cavity with running water, the fillets too if I get messy.

Jukka