Sushi Grade Salmon Saku Block

A neat, boneless, skinless block of Norwegian salmon cut from the back loin, frozen so it's safe to eat raw and ready to slice for sushi and sashimi.

• One saku block from the back loin (choose your weight)
• 120–160g a head for a sushi or sashimi main, 50–60g as a starter
• Defrost in the fridge, then slice across the grain with your sharpest knife

Saku is what sushi chefs call the trimmed, rectangular block they slice from. There's no skin, no bones and nothing to do except slice. The back loin is the thick, even part of the fillet, so every slice comes out the same size.

It may surprise you that salmon wasn't a sushi fish in Japan until the 1980s, when Norwegian exporters set out to change that. It's now about as standard as sushi gets, and this is the same Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Farmed salmon is richer and milder than wild, which is exactly what you want raw.

Fish for eating raw must be frozen first: UK rules say -20°C for at least 24 hours, to deal with any parasites. This block has been, which is why it's safe for sushi at home.

How to prepare it

Defrost overnight in the fridge, still in its pack. Pat dry. Slice while it's still cold, across the grain, in one long stroke rather than sawing. Sashimi slices about 5mm thick; nigiri slices a little thinner and wider.

Questions

Is it safe to eat raw?
Yes. It's frozen to the standard UK rules require for fish served raw.

Is it wild or farmed?
Farmed Atlantic salmon from Norway.

How much do I need?
120–160g per person for a main.

What's the difference from your full-loin saku?
Size. The full loin is a whole loin of 500–700g for a crowd; this is cut into smaller blocks.

What are the allergens?
Fish.

For a sushi night, add a jar of keta salmon roe and our sushi kit.