How Thick Should You Be Cutting Your Fish For Poke?

If you're like us, you've probably wondered if grocery store sushi is actually worth buying before. While some stores knock it out of the park, it's definitely not restaurant quality. And while a little splurging on a restaurant meal is fine now and then, do you really have the money to be eating sashimi, sushi, or poke as often as the craving might strike? If not, don't worry: You can still enjoy poke bowls from the comfort of your own home, too. You just need to grab some fish that's sashimi or sushi grade (i.e. safe to be eaten raw) and cut it into the perfect size for poke. 

This may differ from person to person, but you'll generally want to cut it into cubes about ½ inch in size — start with ½ inch slices, then cut them into cubes the same thickness. Or go for 1-inch cubes if you prefer a larger bite. The goal here is for you to create relatively homogeneous ingredient sizes, so you aren't dealing with fish that's way thicker or smaller than anything else in your bowl.

As for the type of fish you can use, salmon and tuna both serve as popular choices. We've talked before about the tuna you should be using for better poke bowls (yellowfin or bigeye), but really, as long as you're using very fresh, firm-fleshed fish, you can use basically anything you want. Traditionally, cheaper cuts of meat from the head typically serve the meal better since they're firmer and the texture goes well with rice and other poke ingredients, too. Don't be afraid to ask your local fishmonger what the daily availability looks like, either.

Of course, cutting raw fish into the proper cubes takes a good knife, too. Here's the foolproof test to tell if your knife has gone dull; if it is, you need to sharpen it. If you don't have a sharp enough knife with a long enough blade, you'll tear the delicate meat of the fish and end up with unappealing, uneven pieces instead of nice, uniform cubes. This means some pieces will get more seasoning (or less) than others, creating a mismatched and unpredictable tasting experience that you're probably not going to love. You can even get knives specifically made with cutting sashimi in mind, like the Japanese Yanagiba knife, which lets you get those buttery smooth cuts.

There are plenty of techniques for cutting sashimi in the most elegant and effective way, too. The hira-zukuri technique involves cutting vertically from the right side of the filet, giving you a clean stroke and the ability to cut neat, even slices of meat. Be sure to cut against the grain, too. Not only does this give you a more tender mouthfeel, but the pieces will visually look more uniform in your poke bowl. 

And of course, if you don't do a perfect job the first time, don't get discouraged. It takes plenty of practice to truly dice fish like a pro. In short, the only way to master a perfect ½ inch cube of raw fish for your poke bowl is simply by eating more of them. Talk about a win-win situation.