Sashimi is a popular Japanese dish and is often an important part of any sushi platter. While you need to be careful when storing and preparing raw fish, if you get it right, sashimi is a delicious treat. But, is it possible to store it for the long term?
Can You Freeze Sashimi?
Yes, you can freeze sashimi for up to 3 months before preparing it, but you shouldn’t freeze the dish once it has been prepared. However, if you have ordered sashimi from your favourite Japanese restaurant and have some leftovers, it’s best not to freeze it.
Does Sashimi Freeze Well? Sometimes
Can You Refreeze Sashimi? No
How to Freeze Sashimi
We want to start with a word of caution – sashimi can be any type of raw meat or fish. Most commonly, it’s served as fish – often salmon – and it’s often wrapped up in vinegar, rice, seaweed, and vegetables.Â
So, whatever meat or fish you decide to use in your sashimi recipe, you can freeze it without issue. You can either do this before or after slicing it and practically all meat and fish freezes really well.
If you’re preparing sushi for your guests, it’s probably best to freeze it pre-sliced, so you can save a bit of time in the kitchen.Â
However, once you have prepared your sashimi – with the veggies, rice, and seaweed – it’s not safe to freeze. If you try and freeze prepared sashimi, it will go soggy, and it will be far from appetising when you come to serve it.
So, the answer to – can you freeze sashimi – is yes and no. Yes, you can freeze the raw meat or fish component of the dish, but no, you can’t freeze it once you have prepared it.
3 Tips for Freezing Sashimi
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing sashimi to have the best results:
Pick the Right Meat or Fish
If you’re making sashimi at home, you need to make sure you order the right type of meat or fish.
In fact, it’s often labelled as sashimi-grade, meaning it is of a high enough quality to be served raw. It has gone through all of the necessary measures to be served raw, so don’t just buy any type of meat or fish!Â
Stick to Fresh
Undoubtedly the best way to enjoy any type of Japanese dish that contains raw meat or fish is to serve it up while it’s still fresh. While it’s tempting to try and save your leftovers, doing so is often more hassle than it’s worth, so it’s best to tuck in and enjoy your sashimi when it’s still super fresh.Â
Only Freeze Once
If you’ve managed to pick up some sashimi-grade meat or fish from a supermarket and you plan on storing it in the freezer, you should only freeze it once.
This is because sashimi-grade products have probably already been frozen before you buy them, so it’s not safe to freeze them for a second time. Again, it’s best to enjoy sashimi while it’s fresh instead of preparing and freezing it for a later date.Â
How Long Can You Freeze Sashimi?
You can freeze sashimi meat or fish for around three months. You will need to wrap it tightly in foil and bag it up, where it should be good in the freezer for several months.
If you don’t wrap your sashimi properly, the meat or fish is likely to suffer from freezer burn, which will affect the taste and consistency of the dish.
So, if you’re planning to freeze sashimi, make sure you do so the right way to avoid disappointment.
You Can Freeze Sashimi for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Sashimi?
The only way to defrost raw meat or fish to be used in your sashimi recipe is in the fridge. The day before you plan to prepare your sashimi, remove the meat or fish from the freezer and place it in the fridge.
You should never thaw sashimi meat or fish at room temperature, as doing so can cause the meat to spoil. While it takes a little longer to prepare your sashimi this way, it will ensure you don’t risk your health!
Can You Refreeze Sashimi?
No, you should only freeze the meat or fish for your sashimi once. As mentioned, this is because sashimi-grade meat or fish has probably already been frozen before you buy it.
Given that you shouldn’t freeze prepared sashimi at all, you definitely shouldn’t try and freeze it for a second time!
As mentioned, the best way to enjoy this Japanese delicacy is to eat it while it’s fresh, so don’t be tempted to keep the leftovers!
Does Sashimi Freeze Well?
Sashimi-grade meat or fish freezes well, but sashimi as a dish doesn’t. So, if you’re at a trendy Japanese restaurant and have some leftovers, it’s best to tuck in and enjoy them as soon as you get home.
If you’re freezing sashimi-grade fish or meat as soon as you’ve bought it, it will be good in the freezer for around three months.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing sashimi or sashimi in general, then these may help:
Unfortunately, sashimi can only be kept in the fridge for around 24 hours. Beyond this time, it will begin to degrade losing its firm, soft texture.
Yes, you can freeze sashimi-grade fish but it should only be done with undressed, plain fish. Ultimately, however, fresh fish is better than frozen fish.
