Is Costco Ahi Tuna Sushi Grade? There’s nothing quite like making sushi at home. And ahi tuna is one of the best fish to use for sushi. Ahi tuna steak know Costco has great deals on ahi tuna, but I wondered, is Costco ahi tuna sushi grade?

Costco offers sashimi-grade super frozen yellowfin tuna which is one of the 2 types of fish typically called ahi tuna. The other type, not typically available at Costco is bigeye tuna. And they also offer wagyu sashimi-grade Hamachi, which is also known as yellowtail. This too is perfect for sushi. But yellowtail should not be confused with yellowfin tuna. So that’s just a quick answer and doesn’t tell the whole story. Home sushi chefs DO have options.

So let’s explore all of them! Is Costco ahi tuna safe to eat raw? Costco’s sashimi-grade super frozen yellowfin tuna is safe to be eaten raw due to its freezing process, which happens on the fishing boats. But any fish NOT labeled sushi or sashimi-grade is technically not safe to eat raw.

Before tuna or any other fish can be prepared and eaten raw, they need to have been bled, gutted, and frozen immediately after being caught. Unless you’re positive a fish has undergone this process, you shouldn’t eat it raw. But if you can find a fishmonger or knowledgeable employee at Costco, ask. Being strict is to ensure that the parasites in them are killed off. But most retailers will tout a fish being sushi or sashimi-grade to justify the higher price point. But unless you can confirm that this procedure was followed, it’s not safe to eat raw. And it’s worth pointing out that eating ANY fish raw still has risks.

And just because a fish is labeled sushi-grade or sashimi-grade doesn’t mean those risks aren’t there. They will be much safer to eat raw, but there is still a risk. Can you eat them raw after you’ve got them from the grocery store? This is exactly what I explored in a recent article. In it, I explained that there’s no legal definition of sushi-grade and no official grading system. But I did explain a cool workaround for that, though.