One of the most popular and loved traditional Japanese dishes is sashimi. Sashimi is raw meat served thinly sliced or into bite-sized pieces. Typically, sashimi is eaten with soy sauce. There are a variety of meats that can be served sashimi style. Chicken, beef, deer, and even tofu skin! However, seafood sashimi is the most popular option, specifically salmon. Salmon is by far the most used fish for this dish worldwide. So today we are going to teach you how to cut salmon sashimi-style at home!
But first, why salmon? Because salmon is packed with health benefits! Salmon, also known as sake in Japan, is a high-grade fish. This means it has high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, tons of vitamin D, selenium, and other vitamins too.
Salmon is actually essential in almost all restaurants offering sashimi and other types of sushi. Chefs and customers love sake sashimi, especially toro-salmon. That’s the fatty part of the fish and is seriously delicious. So, let’s give you some skills to impress your friends for a sushi night. Below you’ll find out how to cut this amazing fish sashimi style!
How To Cut Salmon Sashimi Style at Home
The art of cutting meat has different styles and methods. Depending on your preference, you can cut salmon meat using one of these methods below:
Hira-zukuri
Hira-zukuri is the primary method of slicing sashimi and is best for tuna & salmon. To try this style, slightly angle the knife to the left, draw the knife towards the entire meat, and pull the knife towards your body. The goal is to cut the meat rectangularly with slices 2- to 3-mm thick.
Kaku-zukuri
Kaku-zukuri is another method where thinly sliced fish is cut using the tip of a sharp knife. Angle the knife to the left, slice through the fish using the blade’s tip, and cut slices about 1.5 – 2 cm thick.
Sogi Zukuri
If you want thinly sliced fish, then this method is for you. To try this method, position your knife and tilt it to a 45-degree angle. Then move the blade from right to left. Start cutting by moving the knife towards the left side to create the angle.
Tips for Cutting Salmon Sashimi Style
Are you ready to serve sashimi as your next meal at home? If yes, then here are some tips you should consider!
Choose Your Salmon Carefully
It’s all about high-quality fish and meat when it comes to sashimi. Always be sure to choose fresh, high-quality salmon and make sure that the fillet has a uniform size. BluGlacier salmon is definitely sashimi grade, you can guarantee it will be fresh and tasty. The ideal minimum size is four fingers wide.
For those who plan to entertain a large group, you can also buy the whole side of a salmon. The thick part of the fish is best for sashimi, and you can use the thin side as nigiri. Nigiri is a type of sushi using thinly sliced raw fish over vinegared rice.
Remove The Bones
You want to remove the fish’s pin bones first before slicing to avoid biting on the bones.
Lay the fish flat and locate the pin bones. Once you locate the bones use your kitchen tweezers to grab the tip. Repeat these steps until you remove all the bones.
Hold The Knife Correctly
First, make sure you have a sharp knife. Remember, the way you hold it affects the accuracy and consistency of the way you slice your meat. Here are some things you should consider:
- Hold the fish with your thumb to stop it from moving.
- To handle the blade, use either your index finger or thumb. This allows you to control the angle and accuracy when cutting the knife.
- When holding the fish, curl your fingers inward to form a paw and start cutting.
Tip For Choosing A Sashimi Knife
There are a lot of knives in the market for preparing both sushi and sashimi. So here are the points you need to consider if you want a sashimi knife:
- The length of the blade must at least be 7 inches with no ripped or jagged edges.
- The knife should have a single bevel where the other side should be concave. This is important to reduce drag on the meat when slicing.
- Handles must be really comfortable, so choose a knife that has round wooden handles.
Choose Slice Thickness
Decide how thick you want your sashimi slices. You can do big thick cuts or thin slices. It really depends on how you’re eating the sashimi and what you’re in the mood for.
Cut Smoothly
When you’re cutting sashimi, it’s all about being smooth with the knife. So hold your hand steady, and slice evenly. Try to make your slices one smooth motion. You got this!
Who’s ready to cut salmon sashimi like a sushi chef?
If you’re excited to start serving sashimi the next time you’re craving salmon, keep these tips in mind and tell us how much you enjoyed your new favorite dish at home! We recommend serving Oshen Salmon for your next sashimi meal. Also, check out this amazing yuzu salmon salad if you’re craving sashimi, salad style!
