sushi

[top_notch]

Never eaten steak Tartare, but when we butcher an elk, i'm eating that raw, right as we are cutting it. Delicious!

 

[flushcut]

I like sushi every now and again, but I just can't get past the texture of urchin it's a little snot like, tasty, but snot like.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Gee, I like urchin, but have never thought of it with that descriptive. I don't know if they serve it this way in the states, but some sushi is lightly grilled and raw in the middle. It adds another dimension. Yellowtail is another of my favorites, one of the oilier species. I agree about the Giant Tuna, those magnificent fish have been hit way too hard. I'd like to see a moratorium put in place to leave them alone for ten years. I don't think it could happen though, too much business enterprise going on with that species. The big factory ships have really hurt the population, not the guys going out alone after them in small boats, where even one large fish brought in every couple weeks more than pays the bills and is considered reason to celebrate.

 

[top_notch]

I'd like to see a moratorium put in place to leave them alone for ten years. I don't think it could happen though, too much business enterprise going on with that species. The big factory ships have really hurt the population, not the guys going out alone after them in small boats.

I hear ya, Can't one of those fish be work something like $10,000? With that much money at bat, seems like it would be hard to curb the slaughter.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Jeff, there still are guys out of our northern ports here that hand line for the giants, then they will let the winch take over when they have a hookup. It's rather dangerous in those small boats, both managing the boat and dealing with what may be a couple hundred pound fish on the line. Especially in rougher seas, one can easily get tossed overboard. Secretive fishing methods are well guarded, and someone got the bright idea to send an electric current down the long steel leader to help shock the fish into submission, and now it's pretty standard for the lone guys. As you say, one fish can easily bring ten grand to the guy that catches it, but after having gone through the wholesaler and on to the restaurants, the total funds coming in from that one fish might amount to ten times that amount. The factory ships with all the sophisticated gear, they just cream those fish when they find them. I've seen them unloaded in quantity frozen rock hard. Pretty sad....

 

[top_notch]

I've seen some neat videos of the sushi chefs at the fish market bidding on the fish, if I remember correctly they cut a steak off the tail of the fish to see the fat structure, which has tons to do with the value of the fish. I also heard something lately about trying to farm the fish at sea with huge holding pens, but the amount of food those things eat is astronomical. I'm sure the quality would greatly diminish with farming.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Ocean fish farming is a big deal in these parts, but the Tuna has been a very difficult species to figure out, and a lot has gone into developing a method. It's a type of fish that has to continually be moving to survive. I think they have made progress and there might be some operations going now. In the markets here, they sell both fish that were caught in the open sea, and farm raised. Which it is gets indicated. The taste is generally thought to be better with the naturally occurring fish, and they are more expensive. Also, it's a known fact that fish farming has it's dark side, where things like growth hormones are put into the feed to increase the rate of maturity.

 

[lumberjack]

One bad thing about sushi.
It has all but wiped out the Tuna.

I've never had it and never wil.
There is no force on earth that could make me eat raw fish. Yuk!

Sushi doesn't equate to raw fish like I thought 8 years ago. It can be raw or cooked meat, and at least in the south, fried after it's rolled.

 

[top_notch]

Sushi doesn't equate to raw fish like I thought 8 years ago. It can be raw or cooked meat, and at least in the south, fried after it's rolled.

Yup, one time in Gainesville, FL I went to this horrible China Buffet and they had rolled sweet potato pieces into the rolls because it looked like salmon...dirty south!

 

[FireFighterZero]

I had sushi one time. I was visiting Seattle and my wife and buddy drug me to a sushi joint. I was pouting because I had not gotten to pick the restaurant the whole time. I was informed that I could have a burger or some cooked fish, but I ordered the most fishy thing I could. They were rolls with fish and fish eggs in the middle with several types of raw fish on top. It was not a good experience, but I would try it again, I guess because I am dumb.

They used to serve raw hamburger in the bars as a special treat up here in Montana. Hamburger on a plate with a plate of raw onion and crackers. Sometimes a basket of raw eggs would be produced to crack into a glass of beer.

 

[Burnham]

Carl's right, just because it's sushi doesn't mean it's raw.

 

[Limbrat]

I had never eaten raw fish until Jay turned me on to it this year. I've tried several species now, with snapper, grouper and redfish being my favorite so far. He told me to just chunk up the fillets, add a little soy and wasabi and voila! He was right. Now all I need to carry on the boat for lunch is a little tube of wasabi, a bottle of soy sauce and a fillet knife. It doesn't get any fresher than that either, sometimes still quivering! I swore I'd never eat raw fish either but now I'm hooked.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I'm glad that you enjoy it, Ray. I wonder if the people on the fishing boats that stay out for months get tired of eating it, maybe are dying for a steak and argue if it is better than ribs. Sushi dishes weren't very creative beyond the various types that were originated and pretty much stayed the same over the years, then it became popular in the west and whether it was the chefs or the customer's suggestions that came up with new types, some of those ideas made it back over here, probably Japanese that went to sushi joints in the states and tried something with a funny name, then told about it when they returned home. You couldn't get a person here to touch an avocado with a ten foot pole, but now they are eating it, at least the ones that don't say that it tastes like bad cheese.

 

[Husabud]

Mmmmm! Unagi! I love Sushi. Raw Elk is one to add to you list now! Thanks Jeff, good to read you again!
Tucker lets go!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Unagi (eel), are another on the, "It was nice when they were around", list. The ones we see now are mostly raised in China. They used to occupy the rivers in mass numbers, but too good eating for their own survival. Some specialty places are around, that is all that they serve. They can do something with the bones that makes them crispy and tasty and a good accompaniment to a beer, while you are waiting for the grilled eel. Probably a good shot of calcium in the bones. My only complaint about those places is that they tend to be pretty smokey inside.

 

[Tucker943]

I love sushi. Not all of it, but I have my favorites. If it has salmon in it, I'll feed it to a bear. That's all that crap is good for. Tuna, I prefer raw, and at most, pan seared or grilled on each side for a few seconds. Steak Tartar? Absolutely. Only reason I grill steaks is to keep my grill from rusting. Raw elk? If I ever shoot an elk, I'll eat its asshole raw right on the spot just to prove my joy.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I never heard of anyone that doesn't like Salmon, but I guess it is possible. Speaking of, fish farms have been doing some interesting cross breeding here with trout, coming up with a species that they call "Shinshu Salmon", Shinshu being the name of our area. Though the photo looks like Salmon flesh, it is a cross breed between Rainbow and Brown trout, and the color is natural somehow. It tastes much like Salmon, maybe a little milder. I like it raw or barbecued especially. A bud has a fish farm, he lays it on me sometimes. I want to try smoking it, no doubt it is good.

 

[Jed]

Crayfish? Or sushi?

Ohhh, my dear Butch... sushi of course... How could anyone who could even make a pretense to the redneck stripe disapprove of crayfish. However, humble northerner that I am: I'll confess that I've never actually eaten crayfish.

 

[Jed]

Jay: I dislike salmon, but force it down because my wife says that it will cure my depression. It seems to work, but I can never be sure that I am not just confusing its benefits with that of alcohol.

 

[woodworkingboy]

She might be right, Jed. How many Alaskan bears have you ever seen sitting around looking depressed? I'll bet not many.

 

[FireFighterZero]

What about Halibut? I have not heard of that being eaten raw. I bet it would be good. All the salmon we get up here is frozen. The Hutterites tried a salmon farm but were lied to from the previous owner and it took twice as long to get the fish to market. We do get some ok frozen stuff. EVERY restaurant I have been to in this area over cooks the fish. Yuk.

I would like to try sushi again.

 

[Limbrat]

Jim, I tried raw flounder, a smaller cousin of the halibut. I had great hopes because flounder is one of my favorite fish broiled, fried, or stuffed but imo it wasn't very good raw.

 

[Chris E]

I tried gravlax and love it, its salmon cured with salt/sugar/herbs, found it superior to smoked salmon. I find it very hard to believe people can hate on seafood. oh well, more for the rest of us.

 

[Al Smith]

I never tried sushi nor will I .Salmon is too "fishy" for me but I like salmon patties .Steamed crayfish I dearly love with plenty of Old bay seasoning .You gotta have plenty of cold beer to eat spicey steamed crayfish .

 

[woodworkingboy]

I don't think flounder is regarded as a good one for raw consumption. One reason that fish gets "fishy" is that it isn't fresh.