# Best way to defrost sashimi?



## changy915 (Oct 20, 2018)

I have been researching the topic and from what I've seen online:

1) put fish in room temperature brine for 10 min, Pat dry, defrost in fridge

2) defrost in vacuum bag in ice water

Any professional recommendation on the matter? I was gonna go with the first method but thought I would ask here first.


----------



## panda (Oct 20, 2018)

2, but under running cool water


----------



## S-Line (Oct 22, 2018)

Depends on the fish. If it's tuna, then definitely #1. You'll want to let the fish breath.


----------



## changy915 (Oct 22, 2018)

Whats the reasoning behind the brine? I have both tuna and salmon, does the salmon need to be brined?


----------



## changy915 (Oct 24, 2018)

So I defrosted a smaller block over 8 hours today. It was defrosted all the way through but I found it to be quit wet in the middle and left a little puddle on the plate by the time I was done. Any way to prevent this?


----------



## fuzion (Oct 26, 2018)

What would you say is the best way to defrost salmon?


----------



## Brandon Wicks (Oct 28, 2018)

changy915 said:


> So I defrosted a smaller block over 8 hours today. It was defrosted all the way through but I found it to be quit wet in the middle and left a little puddle on the plate by the time I was done. Any way to prevent this? View attachment 44228
> View attachment 44230



Wrap it in a couple high quality papers towel for 30 minutes. It will absorb the excess moisture.


----------



## Brandon Wicks (Oct 28, 2018)

fuzion said:


> What would you say is the best way to defrost salmon?



Whole salmon in the fridge over night. Fillets, the same way. 

If you need to rush it, then in a vacuum sealed bag submerged under running water.


----------



## refcast (Oct 28, 2018)

When meat is frozen, the ice crystals make little pokes into the meat. The smaller the crystals, the smaller the pokes. So faster freezing is better because it makes smaller crystals. I haven't found a way to prevent most defrosted meat from leaking out moisture. It seems that the meat just can't hold moisture in anymore, and the liquid just goes out through the pokes.


----------



## fuzion (Oct 28, 2018)

Brandon Wicks said:


> Whole salmon in the fridge over night. Fillets, the same way.
> 
> If you need to rush it, then in a vacuum sealed bag submerged under running water.


Do you leave it the vacuum sealed back if defrosting overnight?


----------



## Brandon Wicks (Oct 29, 2018)

fuzion said:


> Do you leave it the vacuum sealed back if defrosting overnight?


Yes


----------



## pleue (Oct 29, 2018)

https://www.mtckitchen.com/pichitto-pichit-water-absorbing-sheet-15sheets/


----------



## changy915 (Oct 29, 2018)

pleue said:


> https://www.mtckitchen.com/pichitto-pichit-water-absorbing-sheet-15sheets/


Will have to check that out


----------



## DDPslice (Nov 6, 2018)

refcast said:


> When meat is frozen, the ice crystals make little pokes into the meat. The smaller the crystals, the smaller the pokes. So faster freezing is better because it makes smaller crystals. I haven't found a way to prevent most defrosted meat from leaking out moisture. It seems that the meat just can't hold moisture in anymore, and the liquid just goes out through the pokes.



Close, you want to freeze slowly and more importantly, evenly, as in time increment. It's not icecream, this matters because the issue is bounded water/crystallization/water expansion and not nucleation.

To answer OP, you don't have to salt the water if anything I would not salt it. But if you put it in the fridge, I don't see the purpose of putting it also in a water bath. Water bath is used as an insulator so the outer part of the meat doesn't get into "food born illness" range on the outside and frozen in the center. It depends when you need the food. The water release is a factor of how quickly/slowly it was frozen and doesn't have to do with warming it up. You don't want it sitting around if it is a thick cut, the meat isn't sterile just pesticide free. So if you need the food "immediately" then water bath of cold tap (50-60*F) and change out the water when it gets too cold. You are use the water as a heat exchange/buffer so the outside and inside come up to temp relatively even. Depending on the size, but usually takes about an hour to dethaw. Also make sure the meat is sealed from water like a vac seal or ziplock with no air.


----------

