TJ's Albacore Steaks for Sushi?

The package says "wild caught product of fiji."

Would you use them? I got a sushi kit and a few books as a gift and
I'm going to take a stab at it. Raw fish kinda scares me.

Thanks for any advice. I gotta go see if I can make the rice now.

Lou

On Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:01:38 -0600, Lou Decruss
<LouDecruss@biteme.com> wrote:

>The package says "wild caught product of fiji."
>
>Would you use them? I got a sushi kit and a few books as a gift and
>I'm going to take a stab at it. Raw fish kinda scares me.
>
>Thanks for any advice. I gotta go see if I can make the rice now.
>
>Lou

Personally, I'd be dubious about it. I've bought sushi grade tuna at
TJ's before, I'd feel better using that.

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 11/20

koko <koko@letscook.com> wrote:

>On Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:01:38 -0600, Lou Decruss

>>The package says "wild caught product of fiji."

>>Would you use them? I got a sushi kit and a few books as a gift and
>>I'm going to take a stab at it. Raw fish kinda scares me.

>>Thanks for any advice. I gotta go see if I can make the rice now.

>Personally, I'd be dubious about it. I've bought sushi grade tuna at
>TJ's before, I'd feel better using that.

Albacore is one of the least interesting varieties of tuna to
eat raw. Furthermore, this fish (assuming it's fresh) is still
perhaps about 5 days old when you buy it from the TJ's.

(But some so-called "sushi grade" tuna is just as old.)

Unless it's starting to putrify, it should be pretty
safe to eat raw -- tuna caught in the deep ocean (and near Fiji
is deep ocean) is not likely to be contaminated with worms and such.
I generally have no qualms eating raw, non-sushi-grade tuna
or mackerel fished from deep waters if it's sufficiently fresh.

But you're much better off with one of the three recognized maguro
varieties: yellowfin (Ahi), bigeye, or bluefin (the bluefin you're not
going to find for cheap).

A good procedure is to try one bite of the raw fish; if it
does not seem okay to eat raw, then cook the rest of it before eating.

(Tangentially: in Hawaii, they sell normal-grade Ahi, sushi-grade Ahi
at a higher price that looks identical, and cheaper pet-food-grade Ahi
that looks only slightly worse.)

Steve

On Nov 22, 4:01*pm, Lou Decruss <LouDecr...@biteme.com> wrote:
> The package says "wild caught product of fiji." * *
>
> Would you use them? *I got a sushi kit and a few books as a gift and
> I'm going to take a stab at it. *Raw fish kinda scares me.

Yeah, the raw fish thing kind of worried me the first time I had
sushi. But I was addicted after that first time.

Sushi: MMMMMMMM!

I'd not make sushi with anything less than sushi grade fish though.
Nothing less! Best if freshly caught, yano?

John Kuthe...

On Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:20:12 -0800, koko <koko@letscook.com> wrote:

>On Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:01:38 -0600, Lou Decruss
><LouDecruss@biteme.com> wrote:
>
>>The package says "wild caught product of fiji."
>>
>>Would you use them? I got a sushi kit and a few books as a gift and
>>I'm going to take a stab at it. Raw fish kinda scares me.
>>
>>Thanks for any advice. I gotta go see if I can make the rice now.
>>
>>Lou
>
>Personally, I'd be dubious about it. I've bought sushi grade tuna at
>TJ's before, I'd feel better using that.
>

Lou doesn't understand what sushi grade tuna is.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:
[snip]
> (Tangentially: in Hawaii, they sell:
> normal-grade Ahi,

Longline caught (usually), pulled aboad dead on the hook, put into ice
slurry when landed.

> sushi-grade Ahi

Landed on the boat alive, bled out and put into an ice slurry within
minutes.

> at a higher price that looks identical, and cheaper pet-food-grade Ahi
> that looks only slightly worse.)

Dead on the hook, line having been set for more than 12 hours (no upper
limit), not chilled properly on the boat.
--
Shaun.

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's
warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchet, 'Jingo'.

~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:

>Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:

>> (Tangentially: in Hawaii, they sell:
>> normal-grade Ahi,

>Longline caught (usually), pulled aboad dead on the hook, put into ice
>slurry when landed.

>> sushi-grade Ahi

>Landed on the boat alive, bled out and put into an ice slurry within
>minutes.

Got a cite for this distinction?

Steve

Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:
> ~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:
>
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>> (Tangentially: in Hawaii, they sell:
>>> normal-grade Ahi,
>
>> Longline caught (usually), pulled aboad dead on the hook, put into
>> ice slurry when landed.
>
>>> sushi-grade Ahi
>
>> Landed on the boat alive, bled out and put into an ice slurry within
>> minutes.
>
> Got a cite for this distinction?

Friends who work tuna boats and know tuna that's worth heading into port
with, rushing to the airport to send to Japan?
--
Shaun.

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's
warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchet, 'Jingo'.

~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:

>Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:

>> ~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:

>>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:

>>>> (Tangentially: in Hawaii, they sell:
>>>> normal-grade Ahi,

>>> Longline caught (usually), pulled aboad dead on the hook, put into
>>> ice slurry when landed.

>>>> sushi-grade Ahi

>>> Landed on the boat alive, bled out and put into an ice slurry within
>>> minutes.

>> Got a cite for this distinction?

>Friends who work tuna boats and know tuna that's worth heading into port
>with, rushing to the airport to send to Japan?

Thanks.

I truly have had (in Hawaii) non-sushi-grade ahi and ono that seemed every
bit as good as any sushi grade. But, landed that morning in most
cases.

Steve

Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:
> ~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:
>
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>> ~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:
>
>>>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>>>> (Tangentially: in Hawaii, they sell:
>>>>> normal-grade Ahi,
>
>>>> Longline caught (usually), pulled aboad dead on the hook, put into
>>>> ice slurry when landed.
>
>>>>> sushi-grade Ahi
>
>>>> Landed on the boat alive, bled out and put into an ice slurry
>>>> within minutes.
>
>>> Got a cite for this distinction?
>
>> Friends who work tuna boats and know tuna that's worth heading into
>> port with, rushing to the airport to send to Japan?
>
> I truly have had (in Hawaii) non-sushi-grade ahi and ono that seemed
> every bit as good as any sushi grade. But, landed that morning in
> most
> cases.

Hi Steve. Yeah, one guy reckons that often the fish that have died on the
hook might only be 5 minutes dead and not deteriorated at all. However the
Japanese fish brokers can spot a fish that hasn't been bled a mile off and
that's the main distinction. Subtle changes to the flesh in the presence of
blood in the time it takes to get from sea to plate. Also, being a 'warm
blooded' fish tuna, especially big ones, can take a while for the temp to
drop right down, even in an ice/salt slurry.

These same guys catch Southern Bluefin as well and just *one* of those,
caught alive, is worth heading straight back to port with. 20 to 35 grand
for one fish (as long as it's in the Japanese fish markets in under 24
hours). Crazy! I mean, thay are big fish and a little goes a long way but
still...

These guys don't go to sea without knowing when flights to Japan are
scheduled and fish around them as much a possible. They'll even use a
helicopter to get the fish from port to the airport if it means the
difference between this flight and the next one in 8 hours or more.
--
Shaun.

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's
warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchet, 'Jingo'.

~misfit~ <sore_n_happy@yahoo-nospam.com.au> wrote:

>Somewhere on teh intarwebs Steve Pope wrote:

>> I truly have had (in Hawaii) non-sushi-grade ahi and ono that seemed
>> every bit as good as any sushi grade. But, landed that morning in
>> most
>> cases.

>Hi Steve. Yeah, one guy reckons that often the fish that have died on the
>hook might only be 5 minutes dead and not deteriorated at all. However the
>Japanese fish brokers can spot a fish that hasn't been bled a mile off and
>that's the main distinction. Subtle changes to the flesh in the presence of
>blood in the time it takes to get from sea to plate. Also, being a 'warm
>blooded' fish tuna, especially big ones, can take a while for the temp to
>drop right down, even in an ice/salt slurry.
>
>These same guys catch Southern Bluefin as well and just *one* of those,
>caught alive, is worth heading straight back to port with. 20 to 35 grand
>for one fish (as long as it's in the Japanese fish markets in under 24
>hours). Crazy! I mean, thay are big fish and a little goes a long way but
>still...
>
>These guys don't go to sea without knowing when flights to Japan are
>scheduled and fish around them as much a possible. They'll even use a
>helicopter to get the fish from port to the airport if it means the
>difference between this flight and the next one in 8 hours or more.

Right.

Of course I no longer eat bluefin, as it is now on the banned list.

As for sushi grade... in California a lot of sushi grade tuna
has passed through Japan, and the fish markets and sushi restaurants
here keep it wrapped up in plastic wrap possibly for days. It may
have desirable qualities that make it subjectively different,
and for some eaters better, than non-sushi-grade tuna but it
is almost always not as totally fresh as you would want it.

But for non-tuna, non-mackerel species I still buy sushi-grade.

Steve