help with tuna

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rmat17

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 4, 2013
19
11
wilmington delaware
My father in law caught a tuna the other day and gave me some of the steaks. I have never smoked fish and need some help. What temp what kind of wood what internal temp and what kind of rub or marinade should I use. Any help will be appreciated
 
Tuna is one of those things that is nearly perfect in it's natural state, so anything we do to it in my opinion is risking doing too much. That being said, a little salt and pepper and a hot sear over coals and mild smoking wood isn't a bad way to start. A slather of mayonnaise before going on the grill will help give a nice crust, and no, it doesn't taste like mayonnaise.

If you want something different, a few hours marinating in Italian dressing followed by the same hot sear is good too.

Lots of folks like Asian flavors on tuna, so a marinade in Soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, followed by a roll in sesame seeds and the same hot sear is pretty tasty as well.

I worked at a place in Delaware years ago where a lot of tuna fishermen hung out. Every now and then one of them would give me a hunk of tuna, usually about the size of a football. Most summers tuna was my main food source.

Main thing is DON'T OVERCOOK IT!!!

Rare to medium rare at the absolute most or it'll be dry and taste like canned tuna.
 
Tuna is one of those things that is nearly perfect in it's natural state, so anything we do to it in my opinion is risking doing too much. That being said, a little salt and pepper and a hot sear over coals and mild smoking wood isn't a bad way to start. A slather of mayonnaise before going on the grill will help give a nice crust, and no, it doesn't taste like mayonnaise.
If you want something different, a few hours marinating in Italian dressing followed by the same hot sear is good too.
Lots of folks like Asian flavors on tuna, so a marinade in Soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, followed by a roll in sesame seeds and the same hot sear is pretty tasty as well.
I worked at a place in Delaware years ago where a lot of tuna fishermen hung out. Every now and then one of them would give me a hunk of tuna, usually about the size of a football. Most summers tuna was my main food source.

Main thing is DON'T OVERCOOK IT!!!
Rare to medium rare at the absolute most or it'll be dry and taste like canned tuna.

Totally agree. I tried tuna six ways from Sunday, yet my favorite tuna meals are sushi and carpaccio.

Cold smoked? Might work.
 
Like MD said tunas tasty just grilled. What kind of tuna is it? If you use wood to add smoke use a mild wood like apple, peach, or alder. If you plan to hot smoke and eat it warm then I would sear each side leaving it rare in the middle. If it's albacore I'd take it to a bit more done in the middle.

If you want to smoke it like salmon. Then brine it with a dry brine of salt and sugar. 1 part salt to 4 parts sugar. Coat all sides with brine place fridge for 8-12 hours. Rinse pat dry allow to air dry in fridge to for the pellicle. Place in low temp smoker 100-120 for an hour. Add smoke, bump smoker temp to 140 for and hour. Jump 10 degrees every hour until the IT of the fish is 140.
 
Smoked Toro ( Tuna Belly )

Waiting for it to finish supposedly more expensive then any sushi.

will post later with pics

Richie
 
I work part time at a fish market and we usually give the ahi belly away for fish bait or sometimes the employees take it home. If I'm smoking a prime rib I'll try some on for the waitstaff to eat; if I'm smoking a marlin there isn't room for anything else.
 
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