Safety Notes on Working with Raw Salmon
In the video I mentioned that you want “sashimi grade” salmon, but actually, that is not a real grade as determined by any governing body. But I said this to make sure that you stop to question the safety, that you don’t just buy any old fish at the supermarket without first checking that it is safe to eat raw. You can read more about raw fish safety in this Serious Eats articlebut here’s my summary for you.
Fish can be made safe for eating raw by freezing at a very low temperature (much lower than your home freezer so don’t try to DIY this) so that any parasites are killed. Farmed salmon is usually free of parasites, but parasites aside, it can still be contaminated with pathogens during the handling and butchering of the fish. So it’s important to buy from a supplier who will handle your fish with care and cleanliness, here are some tips for deciding where to buy your raw fish from.
- If possible, buy from a vendor who specializes in seafoodrather than a generic grocery store. Not only do fish tend to be fresher from these places, you can talk to the vendors directly to ensure that the fish you’re buying is safe for eating raw.
- Look around the shop for clues of cleanliness: the vendor should have a shop that is clean, doesn’t smell fishy, and staff should practice safe handling practices such as wearing gloves and cleaning work surfaces regularly.
- One easy option is to buy sashimi from your trusted Japanese restaurant. It’ll be more expensive than buying from a fishmonger, but you’ll at least be sure it’s safe, and you don’t have to cut anything!
And once you bring the fish home, now it’s YOUR turn to make sure you handle it with cleanliness and care! Here are some tipes:
- Make sure you wash your hands properly, with soap, before handling the fish.
- Use a fresh, clean cutting board and knife to cut the fish.
- Keep your fish in the fridge until ready to useand eat it soon after preparing.
- To thaw frozen salmon, wrap it in paper towel and allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. Thawing in the fridge ensures that the fish never reaches “dangerous” temperature (room temp) as it thaws, and the paper towel will help absorb the excess liquid that comes out.
