Fresh Tuna

[cheesecake17]

I'm looking to make a dish with seared tuna. I'd like to buy sushi grade tuna, since it'll be mostly raw. Anyone know where to get sushi grade tuna in Brooklyn or Manhattan?

Thanks!

[cheesecake17]

Shoprite had previously frozen yellowfin tuna. Is this the right type? They also had another type of tuna, shinguard (?) tuna that was frozen.

[ferret]

Yellowfin is also known as ahi and is commonly used for seared tuna. The other one, I'm guessing is shiro maguro, also known as albacore, although some people also refer to escolar as shiro maguro.

As far as previously frozen, that's what most people refer to when they say "sushi grade", but as I pointed out above it's not so necessary with tuna (but if it was frozen soon after it was caught it's likely better than one sitting around for a few days).

As for eating with your conscience, yellowfin is less "endangered" than bluefin, but it's "at risk" for what that's worth.

In any case, given your choices, go yellowfin.

[cheesecake17]

Thanks.. I'll pick up the yellowfin next time I'm there. From what I understand, Shoprite prints 'previously' frozen labels if the fish was frozen at all... it could be frozen soon after it was caught or frozen in the store

[vallevin]

When we lived in Pittsburgh the instructions were
A) Go when it is quiet
Ask the counter to 1) sharpen their knife, 2)wash down the cutting board with hot water and b) cover the cutting board to 2 sheets of the paper used to wrap the fish and cut on that.

Remember to thank profusly. Although as I writing this, I wonder about your local Shoprite...ours in paramus does kosher sushi and has a fish department, so maybe the Shopright in Brooklyn can be helpful.

[cheesecake17]

The fish counterpeople in Shoprite in Brooklyn are really nice, but I've never been happy. I'm not really a fish person, but my husband is, and when I do cook it I'm looking to get the highest quality. My mother, however, swears by the fish at Shoprite. I'll be there tonight to pick up a few things... maybe I'll stake out the fish counter and ask.

Thanks! I never really thought of Shoprite.

[KosherChef]

Whatever store you go to, ask the fishmonger for grade A tuna center cut. This will be the best he has. There absolutely are different grades of tuna. Check it for firmness and smell. It should not be mushy, it should be firm. It should have almost no smell. It wont be cheap.

[koshergourmetmart]

when we lived in sharon, ma,we would bring our own knife/cutting board to legal seafood and have them cut a whole fish up for us into fillets.

[ferret]

Tuna can range from 100 to several hundred pounds (to more than half a ton, actually). Hard to find a cutting board that size..

[KosherChef]

actually there are many varieties of Tuna that do come much smaller. What is important is to try to stay away from varieties such as Big-eye and Bluefin as they have been overfished.

[ferret]

While there are many varieties of fish called "tuna" those used for sashimi or sold fresh are the larger ones (smaller are canned).

[ferret]

"Sushi grade" doesn't have an official definition. The best you can expect is that it designates that it's been previously frozen (a necessary step for some fish to ensure the absence of parasites). Tuna is relatively free of parasites (salmon, on the other hand, should never be consumed raw unless it has been previously frozen).

The key to tuna is cut and quality. For a seared tuna look for a tuna loin cut at least 2" in diameter. Much of the "sushi garde" tuna that I see is frozen in small blocks that are fine for slicing into sashimi but are too thin for searing.

[sanekosher]

Don't know yr standards re fish & kashrut, but I'd try Fairway or Citerella. (THINK fairway is under R. Marmelstein)

[MMRuth]

I would buy it at Citarella, rather than Fairway, for this purpose.

[cheesecake17]

I've bought it from Fairway before, but can't get there this week. And FYI Fairway is under R Marmelstein

Which Citerella locations have kosher fish?

[elansey]

The fish counter is under R Marmelstein's hashgacha? In all Fairways?