halibut and seabass sashimi experiment

Is there a particular part of the fish that is recommended for sashimi (i.e. belly or collar)?

No belly, no collar. More chance of worms. I use the upper part of the fillet or the tail end of the fillet. Bellies are for grilling. You want clean cross sections for sashimi.

All this talk about WSB sashimi makes me feel bad that I did not get any this year!   

Rey

I should be trying barracuda soon so I will post the results of that experience. During the fillet I thought it would make great sashimi by the texture and firmness of the meat. Wormy yes but I have the proper freezer for that and a well trained eye.  

As far as bellies and collars some swear by them but I haven't had the best of luck.  I prefer whatever I can cut into nice thick sections of meat without any tendon running lengthwise in the piece. Took me awhile to learn but always cut sashimi against the grain and slightly frozen for best results.

As a side note I tried cabezon and the flavor was amazing. Texture was OK but the strong nutty flavor was stunning. Also properly handled mackerel are great tasting as well. Very similar to albacore tuna. The key is to bleed and gut the macs immediately and have ice ready to put them in once they are bled. Properly handled they aren't mushy but they do deteriorate very fast in comparison to other fish.   

After some discussion on the water one day about how good Sea Bass sashimi I decided to give it a try. I pulled some of the frozen stuff out and semi-thawed it. I just have to say it was off the hook and some of the best sashimi I have ever had

Ha Ha awesome man that is very cool. If you think that is good then try some unfrozen next time. Off the hook good! I can't speak to the safety aspects of this but I can say it is crazy good fresh and unfrozen.

I will eat a little WSB, a lot of albacore and a taste or two of salmon raw. I wouldn't give it to my kid that way but have no problem eating it myself.

-Eliot

http://www.foodjimoto.com/2011/06/white-sea-bass-sashimi.html

Dam it looks good. I am going to give it a try.

Are the worms in halibut or WSB harmful to humans, or is it just the thought of consuming live fish parasites?. Can these parasites transfer to humans or are they killed by stomach acids? I have eaten halibut, salmon and trout right off the fillet board. I asked a fish pathologist in august if freshwater trout flesh had anything that would transfer to humans and he said no. Tapeworms in trout are confined to the gut. What is the real risk?

I've read that those curly little worms we find in halibut and rockfish can make us sick and can even burrow into our stomach lining, but that ultimately they will die and pass through us and we'll be fine. Not sure if the stomach lining thing is true or if there are lasting effects from it.

I pull them out of raw fish before I cook it and try to pull them out even when cooked, but if they're dead they're just protein.

just an update.  After freezubg at -44 for 24 hours and candling before and after:

We have now tried a bunch of new varieties and thus far found that cabs and kelp rockfish are our favorites of the RCG complex.  Monkey face eel has a funky texture that would make great ceviche.  Both white and blue ling are a bit chewy but taste fine.  Blue ling is particularly cool.
 

still have to try coppers and verms.