Liver Sashimi

[jrufusj]

In another thread, Kristin wrote:

This was a good thing as I craved raw foods during all my pregnancies and lived on sushi, yuke (raw beef), and liver sashimi....

Kristin:

Do you mean ankimo and such or do you mean "red" meat liver sashimi, such as raw beef or pork liver? I'm intrigued, because I've only seen red meat liver served in cooked form in Japan. In fact, I've only ever seen it served raw once anywhere, at a nae jang (내장) (內 腸) restaurant in Korea. I really liked it and would like to have it again, but am a little nervous about preparing it for myself at home. Is there a restaurant in Japan where one can get liver sashimi? And how would it be written and read?

Thanks,

Jim

[torakris]

レバー刺身　rebaa sashimi　or レバーさし rebaa sashi can be found at almost any yakiniku restaurant and many izakayas. It is made with beef liver and served with a special dipping sauce, it is incredible!!

[torakris]

forgot to add it is also available at many supermarkets, look for liver already sliced and marked as sashimi-you 刺身用.

[torakris]

here is a picture of liver sashimi (left)

http://www.media-cafe.com/owner/royal/royal.html

This is th type of liver sashimi I was referring to, but if you go to a yakitori shop you can get shiro rebaa sashimi 白レバー刺身　which are raw chicken livers. I have yet to taste these, the taste is described as similar to foie gras.

[torakris]

a picture of shiro (white) liver sashimi (left):

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g621500/menu1.htm

[hillvalley]

What does it taste like?

[torakris]

What does it taste like?

liver....

[jrufusj]

レバー刺身　rebaa sashimi　or レバーさし rebaa sashi can be found at almost any yakiniku restaurant and many izakayas. It is made with beef liver and served with a special dipping sauce, it is incredible!!

Kristin:

Thanks for the enthusiastic and voluminous response. I can see I've asked about one of your favorite things.

I guess I haven't run into it yet because I've not been to eat yakiniku here. After living in Korea, I have a hard time bringing myself to pay the typical Japanese yakiniku prices, especially for food that is only sort of Korean. However, as my cravings grow...

Actually, I'm going to have to try the neighborhood over by Shinjuku. Any specific recommendations? I'd definitely like to have some more liver sashimi.

Is there a Japanese word for liver other than the katakana reeba?

Thanks,

Jim

[torakris]

from what I know the katakana liver (rebaa) refers to shokuyou (食用） or the kind of liver that is eaten. When you are just referring to the organ itself, more in medical terms it is kanzou (肝臓). If you asked for that in a supermarket or restaurant though they might give you a very strange look.....

[torakris]

The front page story of the Yomiuri newspaper this morning is about the death of a man and the infection of many others from Hepatitis E from eating pork livers.

I can only find one English language version of the story, excerpts from the Daily Yomiuri:

Six people who ate pork liver in August at a barbecue restaurant in Kitami, Hokkaido, became infected with the hepatitis E virus and one of them died of fulminant hepatitis, it was learned Saturday.

One of the six also donated blood without realizing they were infected and transmitted the virus to blood recipients, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.

This is the first reported case in Japan of the hepatitis E virus being transmitted to people via ordinary food, officials of the ministry said.

At the restaurant, patrons are supposed to barbecue meat themselves, said the ministry and the Hokkaido prefectural government. Many patrons are said to prefer eating the dish rare.

Though no other patrons have been reported infected yet, their health, along with that of employees at the restaurant, is being monitored and sanitation measures at the restaurant are being examined.

In past cases, groups of people were reportedly infected with the hepatitis E virus by eating wild boar or deer. However, since the hepatitis virus also was detected in ordinary pork liver at meat shops, the ministry has started urging the public not to eat pork liver without cooking it thoroughly.

"It is important to realize the dangers of eating raw meat of not only wild, but also domestic animals," said a hepatitis E specialist.

"One set of research showed that infection of the hepatitis E is unlikely to take place if a food does not contain a huge amount of the virus. Infection could be prevented if the meat is heated enough."

more can be found here:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/index-e.htm

[montrachet]

Wow torakris,

Thanks for the Yomiuri link.

Although I've never had pork liver sashimi, I usually order beef sashimi at yakiniku places whenever I travel through Japan. Just last year in November, I had the opportunity of having chicken liver sashimi in Fukushima-ku, Osaka. They were serving all parts from an organically grown free-range bird but I must say that I prefer cooked fowl for both texture and taste. Rare is fine as served in many Yakitori houses but raw may be an acquired taste.

[torakris]

I have never eaten raw pork liver and don't think I have ever seen it on a menu, normally the more common raw chicken and beef livers.

At yakiniku restaurants it is normally meant to be cooked at your table and this is were the problems happen as it needs to be fully cooked and many people (myself included) ｐrefer it han-nama (half raw)....