Sushi-grade farmed Kampachi from Hawaii - wonderful both raw and gently cooked.
Seriola rivoliana, as known as almaco jack, are sustainably farmed in Keahole Point at the only open-water mariculture farm in the US. ASC certified
Origin: Baja
Method of Capture: NA
Wild or Farmed: Sustainably Farmed
Method of Capture: NA
Wild or Farmed: Sustainably Farmed
Sustainably farmed under ASC regulations:
ASC certified seriola and cobia farmers work hard to improve standards in their industry, work with their local community, and respect their workers and the environment:
Biodiversity: ASC certified seriola / cobia farms minimise impacts on their neighbouring ecosystem in a number of ways, such as the development and implementation of a biodiversity-focused environmental impact assessment (B-EIA) and ensuring farms are not sited in High Conservation Value Areas (HCVA). Also, acoustic deterrent devices cannot be used on ASC certified seriola / cobia farms. Fish escapes must be minimised and a solid management plan must be implemented to ensure this.
Feed:
ASC certification requires seriola / cobia farms to adhere to strict limits to minimise use of wild fish as ingredient for feed. In addition, the standard requires farms to ensure full traceability back to a responsibly managed source, preferably certified, both for wild fish and soy.
Pollution:
ASC certified seriola / cobia farms are required to measure various water parameters (nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen levels, etc.) at regular intervals and remain within set limits.
Diseases:
ASC certified seriola / cobia farms must adhere to rigorous requirements to minimise disease outbreaks. A Fish Health Management Plan must be developed under supervision of a veterinarian and implemented. This plan details all the steps for biosecurity management. In addition, the use of medicines before a disease is diagnosed (prophylactic use), is prohibited.
Social:
ASC certification imposes strict requirements based on the core principles of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), these include prohibiting the use of child labour or any form of forced labour. All ASC certified farms are safe and equitable working environments where employees earn a decent wage and have regulated working hours.
Firm, white to slightly pink. Blood line should be vibrant red as it turns lightly brown as the fish ages. With a fat content of slightly over 30% (an excellent source of Omega-3 fats), it has a richer flavor and firmer texture than snapper or bass and is closer to Hamachi or Amberjack (which are in the same genus of Seriola) in texture.
Beautiful as sushi or in a carpaccio or crudo, the fat content also makes it a perfect candidate for grilling and searing. To keep the flesh moist and delicate, cook most of the way skin side down then flip the final few seconds but the less time the muscle touches the heat, the better. Like salmon, it really shines when served slightly undercooked in the center.
Store your seafood in the coldest part of the refrigerator at 32 degrees for up to 3 days.
In the refrigerator we recommend removing the fillets from their packaging and wrapping them carefully in 2 layers of paper towels to absorb any moisture and firm the fish up for cooking and consuming.
If you don’t plan to consume the fish within 3 days, simply place in the freezer.
To thaw: place seafood in the refrigerator overnight.
In the refrigerator we recommend removing the fillets from their packaging and wrapping them carefully in 2 layers of paper towels to absorb any moisture and firm the fish up for cooking and consuming.
If you don’t plan to consume the fish within 3 days, simply place in the freezer.
To thaw: place seafood in the refrigerator overnight.
It's a very good question! In general, there is nothing regulatory that either makes something sushi-grade or not. We use our best judgement from being chefs to now being intimately connected to the seafood industry and also being a huge fan of sushi to determine whether or not something is sushi-grade. Some things help us make our decision.
- One might be how the fish was bled. If a fish is not bled properly, it won't be good for sushi. Not because it isn't fresh, but the blood imparts a flavor that is undesirable for raw seafood.
- Surprisingly, most of the fish used for sushi here is previously frozen for convenience. When served raw, the freezing doesn't affect the texture or flavor of the fish very much. However, we prefer tuna that hasn't been frozen.
- Generally, we will recommend something as sushi-grade if we personally know how long the fish has been out of water, how well it eats raw (some fish will never be sushi-grade, because it doesn't have a nice mouthfeel), and how it's been treated after it was caught.