Why the Japanese prefer the ike jime method for killing fish
According to the Japanese, the ike jime method produces the most delicious fish. This method of killing fish is less stress inducing and less painful for the fish that suffocating them on ice cubes or drowning them in a net. The fish’s shelf life is twice as long and it brings out the best flavour.
Fresh on the plate
In Japan, quality is everything. That is reflected in the minimalist dishes served there. Just think of a sashimi served with only soy sauce and wasabi. The fish has to be extremely fresh: dead, but with ‘living’ flesh. The best way to achieve that is by using the ike jime method. Discover how a master performs ike jime in three steps.
Less stress, more umami
The umami flavour in a fish comes from the natural substance inosinate. This substance is released from the nucleotide adenosine triphosphate (ATF) as soon as a fish dies. Not everyone will be familiar with that term, so allow us to explain. The more ATF a fish contains when it is killed, the more inosinate it contains and the better it will taste. The ATF is the energy that instigates a fish's muscular reactions. When a fish is killed under negative conditions, e.g. by struggling, experiencing stress, drowning or suffocating, it quickly turns rigid. So quickly, in fact, that its muscle fibres tear and the cell membranes are ruptured. During this process, precious inosinate - and therefore flavour - are lost. In other words, the conditions in which a fish is killed have a major impact on how it tastes.
Slower decay produces a better taste
The more 'humane’ a fish is killed, the longer it will take for it to turn rigid. The muscles tighten slowly and without rupturing. After the period of rigor mortis, the fish meat will regain its original structure. The ike jime method, which involves driving a tegaki - a long metal rod - through a fish's brain and then its spinal cord, completely destroys the fish’s nervous system. That means no more nerve impulses are sent through the meat and it isn't told that it is dead. This considerably slows down the inevitable process of decay.
The exsanguination that forms part of the ike jime method also serves a clear purpose. Blood is what produces the ‘fishy’ flavour and it speeds up the decay. By draining a fish's blood as quickly as possible, it has a longer shelf life, tastes better and has a lighter colour.
Ike jime in Europe
In Europe, ike jime is used more and more as well. Some professional fishermen perform the technique on their boat. Some chefs with an aquarium in their business, like David Martin in Brussels, use ike jime in their kitchen. We even know a Parisian fishmonger who uses ike jime to order in his shop.
Read how to kill a fish using the Japanese ike jime method or discover the most delicious umami-rich sauces to complement your fish dishes.
