How to Slice Raw Fish Sashimi-Style

It wasn’t until I learned to properly cut fish sashimi-style that I appreciated how the simplest-looking tasks often require the most skill and focus.

Japanese sushi chefs use their kitchen knife almost like a blade or sword to make one clean, long slice that glides across the fish or meat. (Western-style butchering uses more of a chopping or sawing motion.)

If you are a fish-slicing novice, firm fish like yellowtail are a good place to start. Once you get the hang of the slicing motion, you’ll be more confident to try it with more delicate fish. Remember, your most important tool is your knife. A Japanese sushi knife isn’t long because it looks pretty, but because you need to use the whole blade when you slice through the fish. You can use any large knife; just be sure the blade is very sharp.

One 3- to 4-ounce fillet of fish (depending on the type and portion of the fish), cut into a rectangle about 3 inches long by 2 inches wide, will yield about 8 slices (2 appetizers or 4 smaller cocktail servings). You can serve tiraditos as starters, as I do at my restaurants, or as part of a light lunch or supper. Save any fish trimmings for Causas (page 101), or, if you are using tuna, Pan con Tuna (page 73).

1 Run a very sharp knife against the grain of the flesh from end to end to remove the skin, if needed.

2 Press two fingers firmly against one end of the fish fillet. Place the handle end of your knife blade at an angle with the other hand. Move the knife blade in one clean motion, from the handle end to the tip of the blade, to make a slice a generous ¼ inch thick.

3 If necessary, lightly pound thicker or uneven end cuts of fish between sheets of plastic wrap with the back of a spoon to make all the slices about the same size and thickness.