The four steps to preparing fish for sushi at home safely

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1. What fish can you prepare at home for sushi?
2. How do you set up a safe preparation station?
3. What temperature should the fish be?
4. How do you slice fish for nigiri?
   1. Finding the grain
   2. The cutting motion
5. How do you slice fish for maki rolls?
6. How do you cut sashimi?
7. How do you store prepared fish?

Preparing raw fish for sushi at home, which is one of the key skills in Japanese cuisine, is the step that intimidates most beginners more than any other. The fish knife technique, the safety concerns, the sourcing requirements, it can feel like a lot before you have done it once.

The reality is that fish preparation for home sushi involves four steps: source it correctly, set up a clean station, chill the fish to the right temperature, and cut with a sharp wet knife. I prepared raw salmon for the first time in my second year after my first year using only smoked salmon. The skill took one session to learn and one more to feel confident about.

This page covers the complete technique. If you are not yet comfortable with raw fish, smoked salmon and cooked shrimp are excellent starting points that require no special preparation.

What fish can you prepare at home for sushi?

Salmon and tuna are the safest starting points, both previously frozen to FDA parasite-killing standards. Shrimp and eel are always cooked.

For the full safety guide covering freezing standards and supplier verification, read the fish and seafood hub.

How do you set up a safe preparation station?

Keep the fish in the fridge until the moment you need it. Work quickly. Return unused portions to the fridge immediately. The preparation station needs: a cutting board that has been washed in hot soapy water, a sharp wet knife, a bowl of cold water, paper towels, and plastic wrap for storage. Have a sheet of nori seaweed nearby if you plan to make nigiri wraps.

Wash your hands before and after handling raw fish. Never touch other ingredients between handling raw fish without washing. The preparation technique for food safety is the same at home as in a restaurant kitchen.

What temperature should the fish be?

The ideal slicing temperature is 4 to 8 degrees Celsius, just above fridge temperature. At this temperature the fish has the right texture: firm enough to hold its shape under the knife, soft enough to slice without tearing. The flavor of fish at this temperature is also at its peak. Cold fish tastes flatter. If buying whole fish, check that the supplier has already removed the scale layer, as scaling a whole fish requires a different tool and technique.

Never slice fish that has been thawing at room temperature for more than 1 hour. If fish has warmed significantly, return to the fridge for 15 minutes before continuing.

How do you slice fish for nigiri?

Cut across the grain at a 45-degree angle. Each slice 7 to 10 grams, roughly 6 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, and 5 to 7 mm thick.

The 45-degree angle produces a wider slice than a straight cut. This wider slice drapes over the rice mound more elegantly and provides better coverage.

Finding the grain

The grain in fish runs parallel to the backbone. Cutting across it means your knife travels at roughly 90 degrees to these lines. Cutting with the grain produces strips that separate into flakes when eaten. Cutting against it produces smooth, cohesive slices that hold together.

The cutting motion

Hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to the cutting board. The blade should contact the fish near the heel. Pull the knife toward you from heel to tip in a single smooth motion. Do not saw. Do not press down. Let the weight of the knife and the sharpness of the blade do the work.

Wet the blade with water before every cut. Wipe clean every 3 to 4 cuts to prevent buildup.

How do you slice fish for maki rolls?

Cut strips 1 cm wide and 10 cm long, running with the grain. These strips lie flat in the roll without bunching or breaking.

Place the fillet skin-side down. Cut along the length of the fillet with the grain, producing long strips. Then cross-cut to the right length if necessary.

For maki rolls, the strip should run the full length of the nori sheet. Strips shorter than the nori leave empty sections at the ends of the roll. Strips longer than the nori stick out after rolling. Cut enough strips for all your rolls before you start assembling. Pre-cutting all the fish at once means you handle the raw fish in one controlled session and keep the board clean for the rest of the preparation.

How do you cut sashimi?

Cut 5 to 7 mm slices across the grain in a single pulling motion. Uniform thickness matters more than exact size for presentation quality.

Fan the slices on a clean plate. Three to seven slices per person as a starter portion. Serve with soy sauce for dipping, wasabi, and pickled ginger. The plating for sashimi follows the Japanese principle of negative space. Leave clear areas between each slice. The contrast between the fish color and the white plate is part of the presentation. Use a cold plate directly from the fridge to keep the fish at temperature during serving.

The presentation for sashimi is simpler than for nigiri because there is no rice shaping involved. The quality of the slices, uniform thickness, clean cuts, no torn edges, is the only variable.

How do you store prepared fish?

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate immediately. Use within 24 hours. Do not store sliced sashimi for next-day raw consumption.

Uncut loins keep longer than sliced portions because less surface area is exposed to oxidation. A salmon fillet purchased fresh stores safely for 24 to 48 hours in the fridge before slicing. Once sliced, use the same session. If you have excess sliced fish at the end of a session, sear it in a very hot dry pan for 30 seconds per side. Seared sashimi with a light brush of soy sauce is excellent. Do not attempt to store sliced raw fish for next-day raw consumption. The texture and safety both deteriorate. If you buy a fillet that is larger than you need, keep it uncut in the fridge and slice only what you use that session.

For the complete guides on individual fish types including sourcing, freezing, and flavor, read the salmon guide, tuna guide, shrimp guide, and fish and seafood hub.

Clare Farnell has been making sushi at home since 2021 and writes about Japanese home cooking, sushi tools, and kitchen equipment at sushi-planet.com.

Last updated: 14 May 2026.