What Sushi Beginners Need To Know When It Comes To Choosing The Right Fish

If you can't resist ordering sushi when dining out, you may be interested in preparing it at home on your own. In this case, fish selection is a huge consideration for both food safety and quality. While not all sushi dishes feature raw fish, those that do offer a fresh, ocean-tinged flavor that so many people can't get enough of. To this end, it's not impossible for sushi newbies to make a good fish selection, provided they have the proper guidance.

In search of further insight, Daily Meal turned to Chef James Dumapit for his professional opinion on making the best fresh fish selection when preparing sushi at home. As a partner at New York City's Bar Miller, Dumapit is quite familiar with the importance of choosing quality fish for sushi. His East Village establishment specializes in omakase, during which chefs choose which ingredients and preparations to serve diners based on seasonal availability and other factors. Thanks to his position, Dumapit has a lot of sage advice to offer novice sushi chefs.

Due to the intimidation factor, some people wonder whether it's worth including raw fish in a sushi preparation when making it for the first time. After all, dragon rolls are incredibly tasty and feature shrimp tempura, battered shrimp fried in oil. However, Dumapit advises first-timers not to rule out raw fish, as he tells us, "The fish is what we're here for, right?"

In this case, the chef recommends focusing on sushi-grade fish, a designation that typically indicates a high-quality piece of seafood expressly processed for being consumed raw. Similarly, Dumapit suggests sticking with fish from reputable sources, meaning grocery stores and specialty shops that know where their products come from and take pains to secure the best possible selections for customers. Dumapit also distinguishes between frozen and unfrozen, and wild and farm-raised fish, which is essential in food safety.

Chef Dumapit says farm-raised fish from a reputable farm is a good bet when making sushi at home. That's because farm-raised fish aren't as likely to contain harmful parasites, unlike their wild counterparts. According to Dumapit, "As a general rule, wild-caught, freshwater fish that hasn't been flash frozen runs the risk of containing parasites." 

Of these fish, Dumapit warns that some types of fish carry a greater risk, stating cod is one that's notorious for carrying parasites. If you're not sure where to start, Dumapit suggests consulting your local fishmonger, a person who has the knowledge and experience to source high-quality fish and seafood from local fishing companies and fisheries. You can sometimes find fishmongers at higher-end grocery stores such as Whole Foods. Some towns and cities also have dedicated fishmongers, and these individuals can answer your questions and steer you in the right direction when choosing fish for an at-home sushi preparation.