8 Sushi Making Tools You Need for Home Preparation

Posted by Tara Hohenberger on

8 Things You Need to Make Sushi at Home

Sushi making is an art and the long path to mastery has been well documented in films and on the page.  Although we can only aspire to true sushi master status, there are some tools to help you improve your homemade sushi experience and create the best sushi making kit.  

    8 Tools to Make Sushi 

    Chef’s Knife

    A sharp knife will improve nearly every task in the kitchen.  If you were only able to use one knife, we recommend an 8” Gyuto, a Japanese style chef’s knife that can be used for portioning fish or other ingredients and also to cut completed rolls.  A popular option among sushi chefs is our Kazan Ginsan Nashiji 210mm Gyuto.

      Deba - Fish Butchery Knife.  

      If you are starting from whole fish, a deba is the perfect choice to remove the head and break down the fish to more manageable cuts.  The size of fish you are working with will determine the appropriate deba that you choose.  Our bestselling deba is the Sakai Takayuki Kasumitogi 165mm Deba

      Slicing Knives - Yanagi + Sujihiki

      If you’ve ever sat at a sushi counter and watched the sushi chef at work, the star of the show is likely to be the yanagi.  A long single edged knife, taking its name from the willow leaf, is the go to for cutting the precise slices of raw fish that are used in nigiri sushi.  Single-edged knives take some effort and experience to master.  For a more general purpose option, a sujihiki, or Japanese slicer is a great option.  A sujihiki is a go to knife for carving roasted poultry, slicing cooked steaks or slicing raw fish for crudo or sashimi.   

      Cutting Board 

      A good quality cutting board is essential for not only keeping knife edges in top condition, but also laying the stage for handing the fish.  We recommend choosing something on the softer side, made from a material that can easily be sterilized.  Our High Contrast Black Cutting Board is a favorite with sushi chefs because it helps the user work with precision and looks pristine in front of guests. 

      Sharpening Stone

      Razor sharp edges are essential when cutting fish for sushi.  The sharper the knife, the less cellular damage will be experienced but the fish.  A double-sided sharpening stone is a top choice for professional chefs, both for their kitchens and kits on the go.

      Sushi Rolling Mat 

      A makisu, or rolling mat is a must have for making sushi rolls.  Look for one made out of natural materials with durable stitching for long life use. 

      Fish Scalers + Bone Tweezer

      It’s a good idea to have these two small tools on hand to remove fish scales and small bones.  Treating the fish with extra attention to detail will have many benefits to your finished piece sushi

      Moribashi 

      Another staple that is found in most sushi counters are moribashi.  Used in Japan for hundreds of years, these stainless steel plating chopsticks allow the chef to create beautifully detailed and precise plating presentations. 

       Sushi Preparation FAQs

      • What are the sushi rollers called? A makisu is name for the flexible bamboo rolling mat used for making sushi rolls.

      • What knives are used for sushi? Generally the knives used in making sushi are a deba, for butchering fish, a yanagi or sujihiki for filleting fish and a gyuto

      •  or chefs knife for any of the above and to cut sushi rolls.

      • What knife is best for cutting sushi rolls? Any sharp knife can be used to cut sushi rolls.  We recommend an all purpose Japanese Gyuto Knife for most kitchen tasks.

      • Do you need a sharp knife to cut sushi? Cutting fish precisely with a very sharp knife is one of the most important tasks in making sushi. Any sharp knife can be a sushi knife.

      • What other sushi tools are useful in making perfect sushi? Aside from fish, rice is an important part of sushi making. A good rice cooker, a shamoji or rice paddle / rice spreader and high quality rice vinegar are important to have.

      • What’s an easy sushi to make at home? Temaki or handrolls can be made without any kitchen gadgets. In fact, you can lay out all the toppings and guests, even beginners can make their own hand rolls step-by-step together. A temaki party is great for all types of sushi fillings without a bamboo sushi maki roller.

      • What is nori? Nori is the dried seaweed that can be used in rolled sushi, temaki and some types of nigiri.

      • What food ingredients would you put in a sushi making kit? Sushi rice, high quality soy sauce, nori and rice vinegar and wasabi are great ingredients for DIY sushi makers. Some pairs of chopsticks and sauce dishes help complete sushi sets!

      Next Steps 

        • Even if we can’t be sushi masters, having the right tools will go a long way in improving the sushi that you can make at home.  Starting with the right knives, keeping them sharp with the right sharpening stones and using a good cutting board will go a long way to improve the quality of the sushi you can make at home.  Having a good fish scaler and bone tweezer as well as moribashi for plating can really improve your home sushi.
        • Shop all the sushi making tools a home cook could want at chuboknives.com

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