A 160g tray of shime saba — rice-vinegar-cured wild Atlantic mackerel from Iceland, sliced sashimi-grade with approximately 20 pieces per pack. Shime means “to tighten” in Japanese, referring to the way vinegar firms the flesh and lifts the natural richness of mackerel into something cleaner and brighter. A classic sushi-platter component, and a serious gourmet ingredient at a midweek-affordable price.
Pack details
- Net weight: 160g
- Pieces: approximately 20 slices
- Cure: rice vinegar
- Catch: wild-caught, Iceland
- Status: ready to eat — sashimi-grade
- Allergens: fish, soy, wheat
- Storage: keep at −18°C; defrost in the fridge overnight; consume within 24 hours of thawing for best texture
How to serve shime saba
Shime saba is fully cured and ready to eat — no cooking. Serve cold, sliced if needed.
- Sashimi-style: arrange on a plate with grated daikon, soy, wasabi and pickled ginger.
- Nigiri: drape a slice over a small ball of seasoned sushi rice; brush with soy.
- Bo sushi: the traditional pressed-sushi format with shime saba over rice in a bamboo press.
- Aburi (torched): blowtorch the skin briefly to blister and caramelise — one of the most chef-style preparations.
Tip: because shime saba is shiny-skin, it can repel soy when dipped — a shallow incision in the skin helps the soy sit on the slice. Pair with a chilled Junmai sake or a clean dry Riesling.
Sourcing and delivery
Wild-caught Atlantic mackerel from Icelandic waters, cured in rice vinegar to a traditional Japanese specification, sliced and trayed for sashimi service. Dispatched frozen from our UK warehouse in insulated packaging.
