Albacore sashimi question

So looks like I'll be going on my first albie trip next week.   Not trying to jinx myself before I catch anything, but just curious about eating it raw.  Do you guys typically freeze the fish then eat raw or is it safe to eat raw without freezing first?  Wondering if I need to be worried about parasites and such.

Also, which part of the fish in particular do you guys prefer to eat or just anywhere is good?

Hey Won,

You can eat it fresh right after you catch it. The best part is right behind the pectoral fin.
Grew up eating albacore and tuna raw all my life, no freeze.

Get some!

From what I hear, all palagics are safe to eat raw  without freezing

Take out the heart out of your first albacore and eat it while it's still beating.  Gives you good luck for your next fishing trip.

Rey

Take out the heart out of your first albacore and eat it while it's still beating.  Gives you good luck for your next fishing trip.

Rey

Just do it. Don't question it.

When I lived in Hawaii I would marinate chunks of albacore fresh in soy sauce and chilis. Basically just buy a large soy sauce empty some out and stuff it with chilis. Sashimi is flash frozen to kill the parasites. Ice heard from many Hawaiians that most fish is more firm and better as sashimi after a freeze.

Take out the heart out of your first albacore and eat it while it's still beating.  Gives you good luck for your next fishing trip.

Rey

Just do it. Don't question it.

Hahaha...this one of those, "lets see if he does it" pranks?     


Thanks for all the feedback guys.

Hey Won,

You can eat it fresh right after you catch it. The best part is right behind the pectoral fin.
Grew up eating albacore and tuna raw all my life, no freeze.

Get some!

I will definitely try the meat behind the pectoral fin!  Thanks for that tip Joe.

Hey Won,

You can eat it fresh right after you catch it. The best part is right behind the pectoral fin.
Grew up eating albacore and tuna raw all my life, no freeze.

Get some!

Yup, there is a sliver of meat that is slightly different color/texture than the surrounding meat that runs from right behind the pectoral fin across the top of the belly.  You get some of the greasy goodness from the belly, but a richer texture.

There is a trick I learned for setting up the strips nicely.  Albacore being a someone fragile meat doesn't always hold up well when cutting.  When you get sushi tombo, it is often times seared ever so slightly on the outside to hold it together (and give a bit of "presentation").  Searing over fire is not always easy or even.  An alternate way is to dip the strip in a pot of boiling water, just a few seconds to grey the outside.  It has the same effect as searing and is easy and even.

Mmmm ... making me hungry.

-Allen

Take out the heart out of your first albacore and eat it while it's still beating.  Gives you good luck for your next fishing trip.

Rey

Just do it. Don't question it.

Hahaha...this one of those, "lets see if he does it" pranks?     


Thanks for all the feedback guys.

Nope, its real.
Having never been on a tuna trip, I've not eaten a heart but the few hardcore YF tuna  guys I know of have ALL eaten them as a rite of passage into the world of tuna fishing. Word is it tastes like chewy tuna go figure .

I had plenty of raw albacore at Albion and I'm still alive.
You'd think I'd be dead because it was DA BOMB!!!!!!

Just do it. Don't question it.

Yeah Won, C'mon DO IT!! Do IT.

Just do it. Don't question it.

Yeah Won, C'mon DO IT!! Do IT.

 

Mmmm, Albacore is my favorite sashimi. It is tricky to cut, some of my peeps freeze it and cut it while it's defrosting. A wicked sharp sashimi knife with a chisel grind helps too. A big pot of rice, daikon oroshi, wasabi with a little lemon/shoyu, some homemade skimono and GTFO of my way...

Freeze it for a day. Why take a chance on any hidden surprises?