You probably notice sushi tuna comes either in a vibrant red colour of a dull brown colour. Salmon is less obvious, but you can get a beautiful popping orange or a white-pinkish colour. Why is this?
Tuna
When it is just caught and still very fresh, its color is a bright and deep red. This hue is so striking that it can almost seem unreal. The reason for this intense color is due to the oxygenated blood in the tuna.
However, as tuna ages, the color of its flesh can change from red to brown. This is because the oxygen storing myoglobin in the flesh breaks down and loses its oxygen, which causes the meat to become darker in color. While brown tuna is still safe to eat, it does not look as appetizing as fresh tuna. This difficulty remains when we freeze tuna, so we don't store tuna that often. In our kitchen, we marinate the brown tuna with flavour to mask the colour.
Salmon
A freshly caught salmon also has a beautiful color, but it can vary depending on the type of salmon and its fat content. Salmon obtains its distinct pink colour from its diet containing the pigment astaxanthin. This colour is brought out as a popping orange hue in the trout “salmon” species due its lean meat.
Atlantic salmon, on the other hand, has a creamy pink color, especially in the females towards spawning season. The creamy hue is due to the presence of fat in the fish's flesh. Farmed salmon naturally has a high fat content, but during Autumn males tend to have better colours than females for this reason too.
Lastly, the pigmentation is also influenced by freshness and machine cut. A salmon meat that has been in contect with moisture (from a machine cut) or lost its freshness will become slightly dull, and the fine white fibres in the meat will be less distinct.
Sushi grade fish is an essential ingredient when creating sushi. When we receive our raw half sliced Salmon, the first thing we do is cut it into smaller chunks and freeze it as quickly as we can. I'll pass down the knowledge of our sushi chef Tonton on how to preserve fresh fish.
Scottish farmed salmon is considered sushi grade without freezing. This is because parasites in Scottish farmed salmon is low, making it safe to eat raw. When it comes fresh, it usually lasts around 5 days when stored correctly.
How do you determine if the salmon you have is fresh? A fresh fish barely has any fishy odor. If it smells and liquid has been seeping out, it is likely not fresh. Another way to tell is the firmness of the meat. With rough handling (Don't flex the salmon meat!) and age, the body of the meat separates by the white lines.
Once we cut the salmon into smaller chunks, it is time to wrap the meat. Wrap the salmon with paper first, then a disposable J-cloth to prevent condensation and freezer burn. This will help maintain the salmon's delicate flavor and texture.
If you plan on using the salmon within a few days, store it in a sealed container or wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator. But if you need to store it for longer, it is best to freeze it. To freeze it quickly it is best not to pack the wrapped fish in a single solid chunk. The salmon will will be pretty much fresh for a very long time if you ignore texture change from the gradual freezer burn. When we want to use it, ideally defrost it overnight so that the meat fibers will equally thaw.
While it is possible to defrost using the microwave in an emergency, we have ended up with frozen and semi-cooked salmon this way so I wouldn't recommend it.
Bob, the fat local cat died mid-March. He was greedy, demanding, and a beloved cat by the locals.
Although he died of old age, even towards the end he lived his fat life to the fullest, demanding food from every business and people. What made him special? He talked like a human being. He was a pet cat that will cry as if he was being starved. The owner fed him proper food, but he also enjoyed all other meat, including catching live mice. He will sit and wait for hours in a spot until someone feels sorry for him.
Bob did not stay loyal to any human, and if you tried to stroke him, he would only tolerate it if he believes food will be waiting down the line. Kids were not permitted to pet a proud cat like him, or else he would walk away carrying his chubby belly.
