TikTok Is Not On Board With Costco's Frozen California Sushi Rolls
Frozen sushi: genius or disgusting? While on one hand, it maintains the fish at peak freshness, on the other, some have trouble getting past the ick factor of just how bad "frozen sushi" sounds. While it may sound like something you'd buy at a gas station or 7-Eleven sometime around midnight, this questionable fish dish is actually available from retail giant Costco.
And Costco isn't apparently the only one in the frozen sushi game. Walmart also sells thaw-and-serve California rolls, as does fellow discount retailer, Aldi. In fact, according to a comment left by user A Glutton on Costco-centric TikToker CostcoBFF's video, Costco's frozen rolls are the same brand as Aldi's California rolls. However, the rolls shown on Aldi's website at least have a different look to them. Aldi even sets itself apart by offering a second frozen sushi option, a shrimp and avocado roll.
As with so many other offerings at the bulk retailer, one way Costco sets its frozen sushi apart is the sheer size of it. As CostcoBFF points out in her video, you get 32 pieces for $15.99. That's more than twice the size of their competitors' frozen sushi entrees. It's also a lot of sushi to defrost at once... While CostcoBFF herself felt that this was a Costco "bye" and not a Costco "buy," many of the commenters had experience with the product that they were eager to share.
How is it really?
So how is it really? In her TikTok video, CostcoBFF said her primary worry with Costco's frozen California rolls was that the rice would be mushy after being defrosted. It seems to vary in texture, as those who had tried the product reported alternately mushy or crunchy rice. Some did say they liked the product, noting that the rolls make a great workday lunch since you can just pop them in your bag in the morning. It can defrost during the day, so by lunchtime it's ready to eat.
Most seemed to feel that the fish, which is pre-cooked in a California roll, was largely unharmed by the process of freezing and defrosting, with no complaints in the TikTok comments section about the texture of the defrosted fish. Many cited that sushi restaurants often use frozen fish anyway. In fact, The New York Times notes that it's legally required by the FDA to kill parasites that may be otherwise lurking in sushi.
Others stipulated that the veg component may not survive defrosting terribly well. Anyone who's eaten any dish containing previously frozen avocado knows that the defrosted fruit takes on a slimy quality. According to Healthline, this is because freezing disrupts the fruit's structure. As it freezes, the water expands and disrupts the avocado's flesh. When it thaws, you end up with a watery mess that's less than appetizing in texture, but probably okay in flavor. Whether you're willing to try that in sushi is up to you.