# I want to make my own sushi but... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878 "2008-03-19T01:01:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solkoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@solkoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solkoe)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/1 "2008-03-19T01:01:51Z")
where do I get the fish? Do I get it from the fish counter at my grocery store? Can I trust that fish to be edible raw? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/2 "2008-03-19T01:11:16Z")
If you Google “sushi grade fish”, the topic is fairly well covered although there is a lack of consensus on some types of fish and how they are preserved. Many home sushi makers get their fish from specialty seafood stores if you have any of those where you live or simply a Whole Foods type specialty gourmet supermarket. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/3 "2008-03-19T01:13:32Z")
Probably a question that would be location dependant. For instance I know a couple of Asian fish markets. But since you are “not far” I couldn’t tell you if it will help you. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/4 "2008-03-19T01:21:37Z")
If you have Costco near you, they have good frozen sushi-grade ahi tuna (you don’t want to eat any fish raw if it hasn’t been frozen unless you caught it yourself). Defrost it under running cold water in your sink for 20 minutes or so, and there you are. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/5 "2008-03-19T02:54:57Z")
Out of curiosity, what’s the difference between regular and “sushi grade”? If I bought tuna directly from a fresh fish market, is there anything “not sushi grade” about it? ---
**Author:** ![Blueapple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blueapple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueapple)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/6 "2008-03-19T03:26:32Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] If you Google “sushi grade fish”, the topic is fairly well covered although there is a lack of consensus on some types of fish and how they are preserved. Many home sushi makers get their fish from specialty seafood stores if you have any of those where you live or simply a Whole Foods type specialty gourmet supermarket. [/QUOTE] Whole Foods might not be the best place to get your first. While they offer very high quality seafood items, sushi-grade fish needs to be frozen. Most fish (and no meat) at Whole Foods is frozen, so technically it cannot be recommended for sushi. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/7 "2008-03-19T03:30:35Z")
I live on the ocean so I just go to the seafood place at the harbor where the fish was brought in that morning. It’s the same place where the sushi restaurants get their fish. They recommend the best fish for sushi that they have that day. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/8 "2008-03-19T15:55:09Z")
Sushi-grade is a mostly made up term. It’s not regulated by any governing body public or private, so every wholesaler and retailer has its own definition. The best way to get good fish for sushi is to find a reputable fishmonger and develop of relationship with him/her. Finding a good fishmonger isn’t always easy of course. Ask friends and family, post to message boards specific to your area, and try asking the chef at your favorite sushi restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/9 "2008-03-19T18:50:39Z")
The practical difference is freshness. Your regular supermarket fish would not be the best choice for sushi and could possibly make you ill. Also, any filet could be just the “good part” of an otherwise less than totally healthy fish. Unethical, yes, but hard to detect. Thus if you catch it yourself or deal with reliable sources you’re safer. Freezing kills a lot of dangerous stuff that could be lurking therein, including parasites. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/10 "2008-03-19T20:31:54Z")
[QUOTE=ntucker] Out of curiosity, what’s the difference between regular and “sushi grade”? If I bought tuna directly from a fresh fish market, is there anything “not sushi grade” about it? [/QUOTE] I wouldn’t eat any tuna as sushi unless it looked like really nice tuna. I wouldn’t eat the cheap frozen ahi you get from Trader Joe’s as sushi, for example. It might be safe, but it probably wouldn’t taste that good. Any ahi you buy should look like something you might get at a sushi bar. Slightly less nice ahi is going to be a lot better if you cook it than if you make inferior sushi with it. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/11 "2008-03-19T23:15:43Z")
I stick to smoked salmon and vegetarian sushi, myself. Artificial crab is another option for the non-purist. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/12 "2008-03-20T00:09:41Z")
I do my own sushi sometimes for parties and such, as most of the dopers have mentioned find a good local fish market. If you wanna be not so sneaky, find a sushi bar and try and hit an “off peak” hour. Most of the staff at a sushi bar are pretty chatty, and would probably happily tell you where they get their fish. Most of the restaraunts in my area get fish [here](http://americanfish.com/contactus.html) from the fresno store called central fish. The fish counter is quite a sight and rarely is there fewer than 8-10 people waiting and or being helped. They also have a simple restaraunt attached with incredible food even though it looks a little shabby. ---
**Author:** ![Thorium\_Indium\_Potassium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c2a13f/32.png) [@Thorium\_Indium\_Potassium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thorium_Indium_Potassium)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/13 "2008-03-20T01:35:30Z")
[QUOTE=Blueapple] Whole Foods might not be the best place to get your first. While they offer very high quality seafood items, sushi-grade fish needs to be frozen. Most fish (and no meat) at Whole Foods is frozen, so technically it cannot be recommended for sushi. [/QUOTE] Our Whole Foods will occasionally have sushi-grade ahi. They keep it separate and only offer it as sushi-grade the day it arrives. I’ve also been told that Dean and Deluca will keep some of their sushi-grade fish aside if you talk to the sushi chef person. Obviously finding a fish monger is the best option, but I still haven’t found one in my new city, so Whole Foods keeps me supplied. Enjoy! Homemade sushi is the best. If you have never tried it before, make a roll with ahi tuna and mango. It’s to die for. ---
**Author:** ![Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olive_The_Other_Reindeer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-my-own-sushi-but/441878/14 "2008-03-20T02:24:07Z")
[QUOTE=ntucker] Out of curiosity, what’s the difference between regular and “sushi grade”? If I bought tuna directly from a fresh fish market, is there anything “not sushi grade” about it? [/QUOTE] According to Hubby, sushi-grade fish has a higher fat content. Also, for fish to be used for sushi, it’s usually prepared by being frozen at 0F or lower for a minimum of 3 days before using. Olive