Nigiri sushi is a popular Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegared rice shaped into a small oval topped with raw or cooked fish. The fish topping is called neta. Salmon is one of the most common and delicious types of fish used for nigiri thanks to its rich flavor, smooth texture, and beautiful orange-pink color. But slicing perfect pieces of salmon for nigiri does take some skill and practice. This comprehensive guide will teach you pro tips and techniques for slicing salmon for nigiri step-by-step.
Why Proper Cutting Technique Matters
The first step to perfectly cut salmon nigiri is buying high-quality fresh sashimi grade salmon But that’s only half the battle How you slice the salmon makes a big impact on the final product, There are a few key goals we want to achieve with our slicing method
- Consistent sizing – Each piece should be around 1.5 inches wide, 3-4 inches long and 1⁄4 inch thick
- Cut against the grain – This makes the salmon slice smoothly instead of stringy or chewy
- Attractive presentation – Thin slices with clean lines look appetizing on the rice
Using the proper cutting motion and angles takes practice to master. But if you follow these steps, you’ll be slicing salmon like a pro in no time
Necessary Tools
Having the right tools for the job makes achieving perfect slices much easier
- Sharp sashimi knife – A long, razor-sharp blade makes clean cuts in one motion
- Cutting board – Use a sanitary plastic board reserved for raw fish
- Kitchen scale (optional) – Helpful for accurately portioning fish pieces
Investing in a high-quality sashimi knife is worth it if you plan to make sushi often. An ultra-sharp 8-10 inch blade with a 15 degree angled edge makes slicing fish effortless.
Step 1: Prepare the Salmon Fillet
Start with a fresh sashimi-grade salmon fillet. Rinse under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove any bones or bloodline. Set the fillet smooth-side up on your cutting board.
Salmon fillets are thicker on one side and thinner towards the belly. You’ll get nicer presentation slicing pieces from the thicker side. The belly can be used for minced rolls like spicy salmon.
Step 2: Determine Your Cut Angle
The angle of your knife determines the shape of the slice. Cutting straight down makes short wide pieces. Angling the knife creates longer narrower cuts.
For nigiri, we want rectangles about 1.5 inches wide by 3-4 inches long. To get this shape with most fillets, you’ll need to cut at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Practice your knife angle on paper to get the hang of it before slicing the salmon.
Step 3: Use Proper Cutting Technique
Use a smooth slicing motion without sawing for the best results:
- Place your non-dominant hand flat to gently hold the salmon in place
- Position the knife at the base of the fillet with just the blade tip touching
- In one fluid motion, pull the knife towards you to make the full cut
- Lift the knife and reposition for each new slice
Resist the urge to push-cut like you would on a cutting board. A pulling slice makes the cleanest edge. Let the sharp knife do the work.
Step 4: Make the First Test Cut
The first slice of salmon is a test cut to check your knife angle. Cut a thin slice from the corner of the fillet.
- If it’s too short, adjust your angle more diagonally.
- If it’s too skinny, angle more vertically.
- If it’s too wide, angle more horizontally.
Tweak your knife angle until the test cut is the perfect size rectangle.
Step 5: Slice the Rest of the Fillet
Once your angle is dialed in, continue slicing the rest of the fillet using the same smooth motion. Make the pieces precisely the same thickness.
Overlap the slices slightly to get the full yield from the fillet. Trim off any uneven tail pieces to use for rolls instead of nigiri.
Weigh the slices as you go to portion for nigiri. 2-3 oz per piece is typical.
Step 6: Arrange on Rice for Nigiri
Prepare sushi rice using your preferred method. Form rice into oval balls about 1 inch tall and 1.5 inches long.
Top the rice with your sliced salmon pieces. The fish should drape over the sides of the rice slightly.
Adding a brush of soy sauce and wasabi completes the nigiri. Enjoy your hand-crafted salmon nigiri!
Common Slicing Mistakes to Avoid
It takes practice to master the art of slicing fish for sushi. Watch out for these common errors:
- Uneven thickness – Carefully control the knife to make every piece exactly 1⁄4 inch thick.
- Serrated edges – Sawing the knife back and forth leaves a ragged cut. Use a smooth pulling slice instead.
- Torn slices – Letting the fish slide under the knife results in messy tears. Secure firmly as you slice.
- Stringy texture – Failing to cut properly against the grain makes salmon chewy.
- Sloppy arrangement – Overlapping slices unevenly looks unappealing. Neatly line up cuts.
Ready to Make Restaurant-Quality Nigiri?
Cutting beautifully thin slices of salmon for nigiri sushi takes patience and technique. Follow this comprehensive guide to learn the slicing method step-by-step. With the right fresh fish, sharp knife, and practice, you’ll be crafting professional-level nigiri in no time. Impress your family and friends with your top-notch sushi skills.
Slicing Fish for Roll Filling
As stated above, the ideal for this will be a strip of fish with a cross-section of around ¾” X ¾” and a length of 8″ (the length of a sushi roll). In reality, its fine to arrange mismatched pieces to fill the roll, and likely won’t even be noticeable when the roll is finished and cut. This means you can use end pieces and other misshapen cuts as solid roll filling if desired.
If youre just slicing for roll filling and not planning to make any nigiri or sliced fish roll topping, you can simply slice the fillet into approximately ¾” X ¾” cross-section strips. If possible, make these cuts perpendicular to the grain of the fish (this will make the fish less chewy). Ill try to post a video of this at some point, but Im almost always cutting nigiri and roll toppings, following the method below.
Mincing fish for mixes like spicy tuna or spicy salmon is pretty striaght forward. Cut the pieces into smaller chuncks, then mince as shown in the video below. The size of the final pieces of fish is up to your personal preference, so keep going until youre happy with the texture.
I recommend weighing your pieces before you start mincing so youre able to follow the recipes (like the spicy tuna recipe). The minced fish recipes on this site call for 0.2 lbs, but you can also make a half batch using only 0.1 lbs.
How to make Salmon Nigiri Sushi and roll from a fillet.
FAQ
FAQ
What part of the salmon is best for nigiri?
This is the belly part and is the best tasting and most visually appealing part of the salmon to use for nigiri.
Do you cut salmon with the grain or against the grain?
Slice against the grain of the fish. This is sushi 101. Slicing with the grain can make the fish tougher, and in certain fish like salmon there can be small bones that you can miss when slicing with the grain. When slicing against the grain you’ll feel those bones and be able to remove them.
How to cut salmon nigiri?
Also, since you’re now cutting on the belly side of the salmon fillet, you’ll need to cut at roughly a 45 degree angle to slice against the grain of the fish. The first piece will be like cutting the corner off the fillet. Don’t let this piece go to waste, but it won’t fit in with your other nigiri either.
How do you cut nigiri?
Nigiri is cut similarly to sashimi with a few minor differences. First, we like to slice it slightly thinner since we’re adding rice to it. Also, since you’re now cutting on the belly side of the salmon fillet, you’ll need to cut at roughly a 45 degree angle to slice against the grain of the fish.
Which salmon is best for nigiri?
Coho Salmon (Silver Salmon): For those who prefer a milder flavor, Coho Salmon offers a medium fat content and a slightly firmer texture than its Atlantic and King counterparts. Mastering the technique of slicing salmon is essential for perfect nigiri. Aim for slices about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and ¼ inch thick.
How to make sashimi & nigiri?
Both sashimi and nigiri start with a salmon fillet. If you’re making either in bulk, it’s best to just use an entire fillet of fresh salmon when possible. If you’re unsure how to fillet a salmon, here are some instructions. If you’re not making that much, you can buy smaller chunks of salmon fillets that will cost less.
How to cut salmon for sushi?
Understanding the anatomy of a salmon fillet is important for selecting the right part for sushi. Having the right tools, like a sharp sushi knife and a sturdy cutting board, is crucial for cutting salmon for sushi. Cutting techniques, such as slicing instead of sawing and cutting against the grain, can help achieve perfect sushi salmon slices.
How to make sushi nigiri?
If you need to, turn the fish 90 degrees and cut the nigiri the opposite direction in nice thin slices, still against the grain like shown below. And for the presentation of the nigiri, it’s simple. Dampen your hand and grab some sushi rice. Ball it up into the shape of a football and place the salmon over the top like so.