is the fatty meat of
tuna
A tuna (: tunas or tuna) is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bul ...
served as
sushi
is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...
or
sashimi
is a Japanese cuisine, Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or Raw meat, meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce.
Origin
The word ''sashimi'' means 'pierced body', i.e., "wikt:刺身, 刺身" = ''sashimi'', whe ...
. It is usually cut from the belly or outer layers of the
Pacific bluefin tuna
The Pacific bluefin tuna (''Thunnus orientalis'') is a predatory species of tuna found widely in the northern Pacific Ocean, but it is migratory and also recorded as a visitor to the south Pacific.
In the past it was often included in '' T. thyn ...
(the other fish known for similar meat is
bigeye tuna
The bigeye tuna (''Thunnus obesus'') is a species of true tuna of the genus ''Thunnus'', belonging to the wider mackerel family (biology), family Scombridae. In Hawaiian language, Hawaiian, it is one of two species known as ahi, the other being t ...
). Good-quality ''toro'' is said to create a "melting" sensation once placed in the mouth.
The cut is very desirable and has the highest price in the areas of the world where consumers like fatty fish (Japan, USA). This preference is a relatively new phenomenon: prior to the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
toro was considered to be of low value and frequently simply discarded.
''Toro'' is subdivided into two grades:
* very fatty cut from the belly area just behind the head, tender and rich; expensive and usually served on special occasions;
[
* less fatty cut made from the areas closer to the tail; the fat content in the case of bigeye reaches 25%.
Rokusanen Wakayama Japan08bs.jpg, ''Ōtoro'' (very fatty toro)
Rokusanen Wakayama Japan07s5.jpg, ''Chūtoro'' (medium fatty toro)
Maguro Akami (lean tuna) Nigiri.jpg, ''Akami'' (lean tuna)
The meat from the inner layers of the fish, called , is more reddish and has less fat (with 14% fat in bigeye).
''Toro'' from wild tuna is a seasonal product: winter tuna is considered to be better, summer one is less fatty.
]
Citations
General and cited references
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Sushi
Tuna
{{Japan-cuisine-stub