Using Costco FROZEN Salmon for Sushi

Welcome to my channel! In this video, I'll show you how to transform frozen salmon from Costco into mouthwatering sashimi. With just a few simple steps, you can create restaurant-quality sashimi right in the comfort of your own home.
I'll guide you through the entire process, from selecting the perfect frozen salmon at Costco to expertly slicing and serving it as delectable sashimi. You'll be amazed at how easy and delicious it is!
The saline solution I use is 3% (30g salt and 1000g water), but it's very flexible. Go for the saltiness of the ocean and you can't go wrong. I use tablesalt as it's readily available, but purists will recommend kosher or sea salt.
Whether you're a sashimi enthusiast or a curious foodie looking to try something new, this video is for you. Join me as we unlock the secrets of turning frozen salmon into exquisite sashimi that will impress your family and friends.
Don't miss out on this culinary adventure! Hit that play button and let's dive into the world of Costco's frozen salmon turned into sensational sashimi. Remember to like, comment, and subscribe to my channel for more tasty recipes and cooking tips!
Thank you for watching, and I can't wait to hear what you think of this delicious sashimi recipe. Enjoy!
#sushi #thesushiguy #salmon #sashimi #japanesefood #cooking

[@BT-vh4lz]

🍣.🍣.JUST TRIED IT!!!!!!! 🍣.🍣. I bought the exact frozen pack as you, though I didn't see the date in the individual packet. I just let it stayed in the freezer for a bit, soaked it in salt, put it in the zip-loc bag in the fridge overnight. IT came out DELICIOUS!!! No smell, firmed, shiny, doesn't feel slimy. I bought wasabi and soy sauce and INHALED the salmon sashimi. I'll update you if I croak or not. Thank you!!!!!!!!

[@photogami]

Haha I'm glad to hear it! Yes please keep me posted :D

[@BT-vh4lz]

@@photogami I'm alive!!! No vomiting or throwing up. I got a little 30 min tummy ache, but nothing happened afterward. I can't believe it bc my stomach is very sensitive and I had food poison from sashimi in restaurants before (twice!!) that I almost missed a flight and went to the hospital. This is awesome!! I also tried it a 2nd time and it works!! Maybe I'll try the previously frozen/ fresh salmon in the counter next. Thank you!!!

[@ShagmireGigity]

@@BT-vh4lzthank you for actually posting the update, glad it worked! I’m gonna try the same thing this week! Recently got a Costco membership and this same bag of salmon

[@bennyleeofcharlotte]

thanks for making homemade sushi achievable!

[@photogami]

Thanks for watching!

[@nickreyes7976]

GF showed me this and I thought it was too good to be true. We made some poke bowls with avacado, cucumber, green onions, radishes, drizzled with spicy mayo. Gonna be a staple part of the diet soon! Thank you!

[@oNorw]

Honestly this could be a “game changer” for me since I’m not a fan of cooked fish but sushi, sashimi and so on is something I would eat often if it was cheaper and this seems like a great way to do it. There are no Costco’s in Norway but it’s not to hard to find fish here.

[@photogami]

It's been so nice to always have some fillets on hand! Thank you for your comment and for watching It's truly a small world, the back of the bag says it is imported from Norway 😁

[@oNorw]

@@photogami still it’s probably cheaper than buying it in Norway haha! But it should be pretty safe to buy similar ones here then since it also can be fresher (to an extent and depending on what type I buy)

[@calvinm99]

​@@oNorwgo for anything certified farm raised on parasite-free food or flash frozen and you should be good

[@samlikezham]

Seriously thank you so much for this knowledge. We’ve been eating sashimi at such an affordable price now.

[@photogami]

Glad it was helpful!

[@strobeeboy]

Gotta say this is a terrific video, dude. Very informative and helpful. Making something delicious and healthy like sushi more accessible is always a huge dub. Also nice references to other KZbinrs.

[@Julie_b33]

I got to try this! It tasted just as good as the stuff I buy from the shop, although my sashimi slicing skills need a lot of work.

[@photogami]

I'm glad to hear it! And me too on sashimi slicing 🫡

[@ClassyJohn]

hey, use long strokes. Don’t do a sawtooth cut

[@photogami]

And yes, that is SteveMRE and Max!

[@dixieslat8757]

I love making sushi at home but it’s so expensive. Thank you for helping me make it more often!!❤

[@Coryn101]

Great video on how to prepare this! Super smart to add the FDA references, people aways seem to get to caught up on if its safe or not. Enjoy your trip! Im looking forward to some restaurant shorts you may or may not post, haha 😊

[@photogami]

Ace! Thank you very much and for your feedback. I'm glad it helps clarify things about food safety (Which is super important for me!) I should be able to post some of the travel stuff, see you around

[@rjelm2062]

I notice it seems you use the wet brine for these pre frozen portions but a dry brine for the fresh. Is there a reason to prefer a certain method and is it dependent on whether you buy the fish frozen? I assume even most farmed salmon in the US was previously frozen (I could be wrong) so thawing the frozen portions and dry brining will get a similar result but would love to hear your thoughts!

[@photogami]

Hey sorry for the late response! You are correct, you can use either technique for both types. Wet brining for frozen also kickstarts the thawing process so I prefer that efficiency

[@rjelm2062]

@@photogami no problem! And sorry for my even later response to your response, I am not good with KZbin notifications haha Ironically I am currently trying the dry brine method with farmed frozen salmon that I previously thawed as I type this. I am doing it with poke however, which I think is a bit more forgiving when it comes to texture but will be sure to try some pieces as sashimi as well. I love your channel by the way, it gave me the confidence to start preparing raw fish at home.

[@the3rdid485]

​@@rjelm2062Just in case you actually see this how did that work out? I had this exact question. Because I really like that in the dry brine they use sugar I feel like that adds a little bit of extra flavor. Curious if it does or not and how it turned out for you!

[@the3rdid485]

@hunterham9414 Haha if at all. KZbin notifications for comments are soooo unreliable sometimes lol.

[@rjelm2062]

@@the3rdid485 haha sorry about that - you are right - I never seem to get the notifications for some reason. But luckily I remember the result - mostly since I’ve done it since then haha. There was no problem using the dry brine on the thawed fish. Of all the variables I’ve played with, the one that made the biggest difference is the quality of fish (I like bakkafrost, but not super cost effective, though still cheaper per pound than a sushi restaurant) and the serving temperature. My refrigerator is pretty cold, so even when I did everything right, my sashimi didn’t taste as good as even grocery store takeout. Letting the temp come up a bit (but within food safety standards) made a massive difference

[@ClassyJohn]

i am going to try this

[@timothycantwell5786]

Are you defrosting it before you brine it, or is it frozen when it goes in? It looks pretty rigid going in, but much more flexible coming out. Super stoked to try this! 👍

[@photogami]

Frozen into the brine! Let me know how it goes ☺️

[@OrangeChonk]

I was about to ask the same question. Thanks for answering!

[@jarednifong5615]

I did this tonight and it was fire 🔥

[@giansantiago8308]

how do I know if costco's freezers are set to -4 degrees like the FDA says? Usually most freezers are at around 0! Does that not really matter too much?

[@jaymiles3875]

Google and I'm sure if Costco says it's in the negative, then it's in the negative

[@Landbeorht]

Can't wait for the historic MRE sashimi

[@photogami]

100 year old salmon MRE

[@Luxlifewithchristian]

This man sacrifices his stomach for our entertainment, and I appreciate his sacrifice much

[@jotilochun80]

No way! I’m trying this!

[@chiangogo]

straight from frozen is such a great trick, going to try this tomorrow.

[@photogami]

I hope it went well! It saves so much time and is probably my go to these days

[@chiangogo]

@@photogami it worked perfectly, although mine didn't defrost completely in the 30 minute soak. i might consider leaving it on countertop before curing more in the ziplock

[@photogami]

@@chiangogo glad to hear that! Yes the 5 hr phase in the fridge should take care of the last of the frozen parts Doing the defrost before the wet brine should work well too

[@fryeday]

I have to admit, I did not expect to see Max Miller make a tap tap and you miss it cameo.

[@photogami]

tap tap

[@allyacosta9513]

Can we just use normal salt and water? Or does it have to be the ingredients u put up there? Luv ur vids btw

[@asparagusmousse]

Hey, I'm really interested in trying this but how confident are you in these being compliant with the FDA requirements? The excerpt you showed in the video specifies that fish or salmon sold for raw consumption has to meet those guidelines, but the Costco salmon from this video is not sold for raw consumption unless I'm mistaken. Are you sure that this is safe?

[@balloonpoop]

I don't think it is... There is something called "sushi grade" and not all fish is sold at this standard.

[@sethmaginnipig1801]

@@balloonpoopfor the love of god sushi grade isn’t a real thing. Watch more of his videos

[@NathanNguyen126]

What purpose does the saline solution serve other than seasoning and firming?

[@photogami]

You've nailed it - the wet brine is for texture, flavor, and it also treats the fishiness

[@IvyCatholic]

Just tried this and ran into two things that happened to me that I thought I'd share: 1. After removing from the fridge after 3.5 hours, my salmon was still fairly "frozen". 2. A taste, and it tasted just like undercooked salmon - fishy type of taste, not super smooth. BUT after I gave a more thorough "dry patting" (like, really drying it up), the taste improved immediately. I've decided to reput in salinated warm water now to thaw it out some more, and then will do a SUPER DRY PAT... like multiple times. Almost squeezing the salmon Hoping this works and im not ded tomorrow.

[@seattlediamonds823]

Did it help?

[@blakeangell385]

Sooo?

[@PWCDN]

ded

[@jabhatta]

Hi - could you elaborate a) When you first bought the frozen salmon from Costco - did you then go ahead and freeze it for 7 days or did you skip this step entirely ? b) In order to be EXTRA SAFE - i plan on freezing Costco Salmon for 2 weeks. Is that EVEN MORE safe ? c) When preparing the saline solution -- how do you know, how much is 30 grams of salt ? I don't have measuring scales.

[@photogami]

Hi there! sorry for the late response: a) No, I use it right away because farmed salmon are exempt from the freezing rule to begin with b) Yes, if your freezer is set for -4F it would be extra safe. However if the fish is already colonized by bacteria, I'm afraid cooking will be the only way to make it safe (same risk with all raw foods) c) The saline solution is *very* forgiving -- go for the saltiness of the sea and you can't go wrong

[@mooko85]

Do you need to rinse it after putting it in the salt solution? Is it going to taste salty if you don't rinse it?

[@photogami]

no rinse, at 5 hours after patting dry the wet brine won't penetrate the skin

[@vincepetitjean]

Could you let the fish sit overnight for maybe 12 hours after the wet brine? Or would that be too long?

[@Strawberrybih]

Is it okay to leave it in the fridge for longer than 5 hours? And can it be ate the next day or does it need to be eaten immediately?

[@ClassyJohn]

i am not sushi guy but i would say that you should eat within 24 hours or per the instructions of the specific frozen salmon package you’re using because this is unfortunately old salmon so it deteriorates much quicker upon thawing (compared to fresh salmon). But don’t take my word for it, follow FDA guidelines

[@hemaloveseating1816]

Wow. I will try this for sure. It seems very safe. Should I be concerned even for 1 percent ? Please advice.

[@ashoween8728]

Enjoy your trip!

[@photogami]

Thank you! 🙏🫶

[@pencilcheck]

does this safety apply to all market? like farmer's market? I got the fish packaged and seems to be sealed.

[@nathanho8965]

How long do I need to defrost it before I put it into the saline solution and also I was wondering if it doesn’t pass the smell test, should I not eat it as sashimi?

[@photogami]

that's the great thing about this technique - it goes directly into the saline bath frozen and yes, while the smell test won't catch every spoilage, if it doesn't pass i'll cook it

[@dxidaniel]

How come in your other videos you use “sashimi grade” salmon despite the costco version being way cheaper?

[@photogami]

Good question -- these costco ones while they taste great and meet the FDA requirements (in regards to parasites), are not great for cutting for sashimi style. Whereas for sashimi since I'm cutting perpendicular to the fish either is just fine. I'll do a follow-up video on this as well

[@louiel.3184]

Does the water need to be purified? Or could i use tap water?

[@mrsayao]

The frozen salmon I purchased today only have a best by date on the individual packaging, a little more than a year out, how do I know they followed the same freezing criteria?

[@boucher4343]

@photogami can this be used for nigiri or just sashimi? Love your videos by the way. I’m going to try this for the first time!

[@photogami]

Yes you can! It won't look very pretty, but it'll taste fine

[@betsysunny7872]

Is it recommended that you prepare all 6/7 frozen blocks on the same day? I bought and prepared a block the day I bought the fish from Costco and it was fine. But then a week later I tried it and my salmon block would not firm up and would remain moist even after patting it paper towel dry. Any thoughts?

[@sunrizes71]

Salt is the key maybe sugar rub 15 min then wash off

[@davidtinney9463]

Can this be done the same way with the frozen wild Costco salmon?

[@evanqhuang]

No, wild is not safe to eat raw

[@Jacksonville5]

Why do you buy the frozen and not the fresh farm raised fresh one? Do you suggest one over the other?

[@photogami]

It depends on how hungry I am! The fresh is also fantastic (I did a video there kzbin.infoK98XNjqVQ_U although you can also eat it straight from the packet). Camerawoman is pregnant and doesn't eat sushi/sashimi these days, so these individual ones are so much more efficient

[@irlloydchristmas]

How can I be sure I’m getting safe sushi grade Salmon or Tuna to do at home? Is farm raised always safe to go with?

[@photogami]

Yes, but with a caveat (www.fda.gov/media/80777/download) Farmed salmon and tuna in the US meet guideline for safety in terms of parasites. However, it is still susceptible to temperature abuse and bacterial spoilage which will make you sick. This is the risk with all raw foods I'm afraid

[@MyCatStories]

I did this tonight but it came out tasting more like lox then sashimi like kind of more fishy then buttery, I used the same salmon (46340) from Costcos brined the same only difference was fridge time, I left for about two hours. Was that the difference? What did I do wrong 😢

[@photogami]

I don't think you did anything wrong, 2 hours is just fine (you may have some frozen bits in thick fillets). It could just be that batch as I've had some fishy ones in the past as well! What I would try is, if it came out more like lox, to decrease salinity, use filtered water and be sure to pat dry between each phases

[@ashleymuller7953]

Can you make actual sushi using Costco ingredients?

[@photogami]

Absolutely, especially the farmed salmon and tuna

[@BryanKDang]

How does the salt firm up the salmon? Thank you for posting this!

[@ElRevelator]

the salt removes the water.

[@AirborneSoup]

What was that dipping sauce called and where can I buy it?

[@photogami]

It's called chogochujang or chojang in short bibigos's "gochujang sauce" that comes on the white bottle is a pretty good premade one It's also super easy to make, Maangchi is great and I can share my family recipe (I'm away from my PC)

[@apax0212]

Where do you find chogochujang sauce?

[@tudori1]

Can I do this for skin on salmon fillets?

[@richhuynh6314]

When you put it in the ice bath, is it thawed or still frozen at that time?

[@richhuynh6314]

Oh just saw another reply. Is it thawed and ready after the 30 minutes it's in the brine?

[@photogami]

@@richhuynh6314 yes, straight frozen into the bath I usually do this in the fridge (without the ice). After 30 min, the thickest part of the fillet may still be frozen. You'll feel it when you touch the fillet. You can slice the thin parts and eat it at this point The last phase with the 5 hours in the fridge in a bag takes care of the thickest parts

[@carrieng4272]

​@@photogami what happens if you thaw it and then do the saline solution? Should I use hot or warm water for the saline solution?

[@FirsToStrike]

@@photogami even after an hour it is still frozen in my experience, I give it about an hour and a half to 2, which also sharpens the flavor. I also add the same amount of sugar as salt and use much less water than you, turns out excellent. I appreciate you greatly for bringing this method to my attention, no more expensive sashimi dinners for me!!!

[@photogami]

@@FirsToStrike nice! Glad to hear it 😊

[@alexandrina5127]

Does this work on Tuna too?

[@photogami]

Yes, tuna meets the FDA guideline for parasites and it's actually even more straightforward. I'll be making a video on that too For tuna all you have to do is thaw in the fridge overnight. The optional salt curing is also only 3-5 min.

[@TheSgtShade]

Ok, I put my frozen piece of salmon into the brine for 30min, but at the end of the 30min it was still for the most part very frozen still……so what gives? In your vid the piece was thawed after removing from the brine, was there a detail left out? Thanks

[@photogami]

You are correct: 1. Frozen piece into the 3% brine for 30 min 2. Patted dry and then put into bag 3. Into the fridge for 5 hrs to thaw out 4. Final pat dry, slice and eat

[@TheSgtShade]

@@photogami ok thanks. Also the color was very much like the frozen pink color....after the 5hrs does the color change?

[@TheSgtShade]

Also not able to cut and eat out of brine due to it still being frozen, so is there a faster prep other than the 5hr deal.

[@photogami]

@@TheSgtShade I find that it does not change color that much, did you get the same Atlantic farmed salmon from Costco? Pink is more associated with wild caught

[@photogami]

@@TheSgtShade after 30 min the outer edges and thin portions should be edible. There is a quick thaw with putting the bagged ones under cold water for 15min, but I don't recommend it for these previously frozen ones

[@Aussiegirl2208]

What does it mean by salinity?

[@QuoTzyPH]

I saw in a couple of your other vids that you were wearing a riot games shirt; Are you a game dev for league of legends? 😮

[@photogami]

My brother works for riot and we used to play tons (Ryze main before his many reworks), he gets me riot loot all the time ❤

[@Dwightpower88]

Had anyone used the salmon from the blue apron kits? We ended up with about 8 filets due to a screw up

[@Shanglesz]

After preparing all the sashimi do you place in fridge or freezer for storage?

[@photogami]

Fridge if I'm eating within the day or freezer for up to 1 month

[@Shanglesz]

@@photogami Thanks!

[@iancraddock4165]

​@@photogamiis it ok to refreeze the salmon after defrosting it? Assume that once the sashmi has been made you don't need to repeat the salt/fridge process?

[@drakoyaboi3344]

Does it work with wild-caught sockeye :D (Frozen from Costco)

[@adamlam3080]

I THINK pacific salmon isn't recommended for sashimi, best google that. i know that they carry far more parasites but idono if the risk still persists if we freeze/eliminate them. i suspect the taste probably is a factor too.

[@corw1588]

What is the smell test?

[@photogami]

If it smells bad, toss

[@Aussiegirl2208]

Can someone explain to me everything that’s going into the water before putting the frozen filet in? I don’t understand some of what he was saying

[@TheGreyJayLP]

Multiply the weight of the water you use by 0.05 and use that amount of salt to get a 5% brine

[@nimueh4298]

A lot cheaper doing it this way. Thanks. 😊

[@rexdickey4894]

How long can the post cured salmon stay fresh in the fridge?

[@photogami]

I would freeze what you don't plan on eating right after curing. As for thawed ones, I eat them the same day

[@rexdickey4894]

@@photogamiIf i cured the salmon after it previously being frozen would you recommend refreezing the unused portion? Thanks!

[@user-ji2bt9cu8e]

Can I use this method on Target store brand frozen farmed salmon?

[@photogami]

I haven't personally use targets but should be ok to use from a parasite perspective. I will try it I'm a future video as well

[@user-ji2bt9cu8e]

Ic, thanks! Looking forward to that video

[@jasoncampbell1464]

Man, I didn't realize that it would take 5 and a half hours to prepare raw fish

[@cameltube-vk7el]

well to be honest in our prep using the above mentioned frozen sourced fish, only we are with yellow fin tuna. Shaved it thin slice half the size he cut. Kind-a shaved some, Cut it still frozen because figured e-z-er firm right. Point is started eating it as preparing all rest the stuff.....dam good for open and eat. The brine thing was interesting, seems every food video I see they brine every type of meat he he. THere is that, maybe try next time. Peace out SemperProrsum~Godspeed

[@Jintrepreneur]

Actually normally it takes around 2-3 days to prepare seafood for sushi. Depending on the type, you don't just eat it directly from the fish after cutting. (Not including shellfish)

[@GeekBot404]

i buy and cut the fresh salmon much cheaper but 7 frozen salmon blocks is convenient with extra few dollars

[@photogami]

you nailed it, the fresh salmon is the best value

[@empressofcheer]

@@photogami Is it still safe to buy fresh Costco salmon to make sushi as long as it’s farmed salmon?

[@photogami]

@@empressofcheer absolutely from a parasite perspective. As with all raw foods there is risk of bacterial spoilage

[@empressofcheer]

@@photogami Oh super cool!! This will save a lot of time in the future lol. How long ahead of time do you think you can meal prep sushi?

[@photogami]

@@empressofcheer the morning of or the night before works the best for me

[@derick4220]

How about Costco tuna?

[@photogami]

Video coming soon!

[@user-tz9jh6pv2j]

@@photogami frozen tuna?

[@jackiechan3599]

Idk why sashimi tastes like groupfruit without the sour or some kind of less sweet melon.

[@elicash315]

I tried all different kinds today at all taste fishy

[@TheFrankyguitar]

Are all frozen salmon from Costco okay for sushi?

[@photogami]

It depends on what your store stocks, but in general this farmed Atlantic one and frozen tuna are the best options

[@TheFrankyguitar]

@@photogami thanks😍

[@TheAKFlame]

Can you describe the smell test? I followed all instructions, but am left with slightly still frozen and it smells pretty salty.

[@Metoobie]

Fresh fish shouldn't really smell like fish. Salty smell is good.

[@user-gq9vu2hy6s]

It's not bad, but if you have the time, just buy a fresh whole salmon and make portions from there (there's a youtube vid on how to do it), much much better than the costco salmon

[@Xorthis]

You do understand there's no sushi in this video?

[@photogami]

You're correct, but I do say let's.prepare sashimi before slicing in every video

[@Adam-2112]

This can so very dangerous if it's not fresh or sushi grade regardless of what this guy says ...

[@cameltube-vk7el]

untrue, you can even get the cert. it quali's for sashimi. And yes there are dangers of eating ANYTHING especially raw [or under cook] right.?!¿ Having raised up on the GOM we consumed alot of raw oysters /;^) and many [my father] enjoyed raw beef also. THe freeze process was a game changer for all types of food, most notably vegetables. We are having it tonight is why I am poking around for content...data Enjoy it, run on the risk v reward road DISCLAIMER→ w eason & logic #HFY I am out he he /;*) SemperProrsum~Godspeed

[@user-hj1hy1yg8y]

Raw 🤢