【Reading】なかおち

【English Name】Naka-ochi

Nakaochi is a term used in sushi and Japanese cuisine, meaning the flesh that remains around the central bone of a fish. In the process of three-piece filleting (sanmai-oroshi), which separates the fish body into left and right fillets and the bone, a small amount of edible flesh remains attached to the bone side. This bone-attached portion is precisely the nakaochi.

Tuna nakaochi is especially prized, with the lean meat packed between the bones possessing an exceptional umami. The standard way to use it is to scrape out the flesh near the bone with a spoon and finish it into sushi toppings such as negitoro or tekka-maki.

Note that differences in the filleting method affect the amount of meat in the nakaochi. For small fish or fish with soft flesh, "daimyo-oroshi" is often adopted. This is a method of removing the flesh in a single pass of the knife, and a greater proportion of flesh remains on the bone than with ordinary three-piece filleting. The name "daimyo" (feudal lord) arose from the extravagance of leaving so much flesh on the bone side.

Once treated as little more than scraps, nakaochi has been re-evaluated for the concentrated flavor unique to the area near the bone and its distinctive texture, and is now counted among the popular menu items at sushi restaurants.