Description
Trusting your senses and doing a bit of prep, Costco’s farm-raised salmon can make fresh and delicious sashimi, sushi, or poke.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 lbs Costco farm raised Atlantic salmon (skinless)
- 3 tablespoons fine sea salt
Instructions
- Shop early and inspect the salmon carefully: I like to buy farm-raised Atlantic salmon at Costco in the morning when it’s more likely to be fresh and not sitting in fishy liquid pooling in the package. Look for skinless fillets with a bright, even color. Also, pick a slab without much tearing in the flesh. Tearing tends to happen along the thick center. No tearing usually means less handling and a lower chance of cross-contamination. Even though it’s packaged, you can often still give it a quick sniff. If it smells strongly fishy, avoid it.
- Remove pin bones and slice: Take the salmon out of the package and run your hand along the center to feel for any pin bones. Remove any you find with your fingers or tweezers. Cut the salmon into smaller sections for easier handling. I like to use the belly and top back portions for sashimi and poke. The thick center loin I usually stock away and save for cooked dishes. Rinse the selected sections thoroughly with cold water. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
- Salt cure: Rub the salmon pieces generously with salt on all sides, then place them on a rimmed plate or bowl to catch any liquid drawn out during curing. Cover and refrigerate for 25 minutes. This short cure helps remove any lingering fishy smell and improves the texture. Avoid curing longer than 25 minutes, or the salmon may become too firm for sushi.
- Rinse: After 25 minutes, rinse the salmon under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. You can use it immediately for sushi. If not using right away, wrap it tightly in plastic and store it in a bag or airtight container and freeze for future use.
- Enjoy: Slice for you sushi making needs. Slice into then strips for sashimi and cubes for poke bowls.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: No cook
- Category: entree, side dish
- Method: curing
- Cuisine: Asian, Japanese