# Smoked Albacore Tuna Belly recipe?



## cmayna (Sep 13, 2019)

I brought home a bunch of Albacore Tuna last week which included the belly pieces.  Everyone I fished with said smoked Albacore bellys are unreal and I must try it.   Does anyone have a proven receipe which they would be willing to share?


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## Fueling Around (Sep 13, 2019)

Jealous, fresh tuna.

Looking.
I have 3 favorite marinades/sauces for yellowfin (ahi) tuna that may work with Albacore.


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 14, 2019)

Fresh Tuna is one meat that I have no recipe for. Any Fresh Tuna that enters this house, is Frozen at -20°F for 30, looong, days then eaten RAW. Usually Tuna is made into Maki or Nigiri Sushi, though we do enjoy a Spicy POKE. My Wife is not into Raw and prefers her's seasoned, lightly, with Montreal Steak Seasoning and Sesame Seeds, then Seared Med/Rare. 

I would think some S & P, with 1 to 2 hours of Cold Smoke is a start. Follow that with a 30 minute rest in the Freezer to thoroughly chill the meat. When ready, Searing over Screaming Hot Charcoal, with frequent basting of homemade Teriyaki Sauce, until Caramelized, would be GREAT! I would make sure I kept it very Rare inside...JJ


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## forktender (Sep 14, 2019)

I use the same brine that I use for smoked salmon.
One can only eat so much raw tuna, and the smoke bellies make awesome duck and goose blind snacks. It also makes a great smoked tuna dip around the holidays and for a lazy Sunday football games or a Superbowl party.


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## mike243 (Sep 14, 2019)

Why -20,also very few home freezers or fridges would struggle to get to -10 . normal temps are 0


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## forktender (Sep 14, 2019)

My buddy uses Yoshie's Teriyaki marinade for his smoke tuna, and he adds a little soy sauce to get it to the saltiness that he likes.
All I can say is cold smoke it with a smoke tube for the first hour then around 160* until it's done. If you're using a Big Chief smoker leave the bottom of the door pulled out a good 2" throughout the whole smoke. I only use  one pan of alder cherry mixed. Tuna takes smoke very easy and it can get overly smokey if you use much more than a one smoke tube or pan of chips.


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## forktender (Sep 14, 2019)

mike243 said:


> Why -20,also very few home freezers or fridges would struggle to get to -10 . normal temps are 0


Restaurant talk...LOL
I go buy the old dego method and throw it in the freezer for a few days. Heck, my family has been commercial tuna  and salmon fishing for over 150 yrs. I've eaten my weight X5 of fresh caught tuna raw on the boat since I was old enough to walk and I'm still kick'in. As long as it's bled and flushed then slushed properly I have no problem at all eating it out on the boats.


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## tropics (Sep 14, 2019)

Craig I did Black Fish and Tuna already
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/smoked-black-fish.173389/#post_1310491 recipe in here
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/smoked-tuna-belly.167180/
Richie


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## cmayna (Sep 14, 2019)

forktender said:


> My buddy uses Yoshie's Teriyaki marinade for his smoke tuna, and he adds a little soy sauce to get it to the saltiness that he likes.
> All I can say is cold smoke it with a smoke tube for the first hour then around 160* until it's done. If you're using a Big Chief smoker leave the bottom of the door pulled out a good 2" throughout the whole smoke. I only use  one pan of alder cherry mixed. Tuna takes smoke very easy and it can get overly smokey if you use much more than a one smoke tube or pan of chips.



Did a little study this morning and someone online said to try brining over night with Yoshie, then coat with pepper and smoke.   Another person said try 1# of salt with 1# of brown sugar then add enough water to dissolve.  Brine for 2+ hours and smoke.

My intent to smoke will be just like my salmon starting at 125 and step up to 145 until done.

Ritchie,  Now I remember your thread.  Thanks for reposting it.

So many recipes, so little fish to work with..... LOL


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 14, 2019)

mike243 said:


> Why -20,also very few home freezers or fridges would struggle to get to -10 . normal temps are 0



Because my Deep Freezer is -20°F.
When I was in school they taught to freeze 30 days so got in that habit. Like Pork IT, regulations change. The current guidelines from the FDA FOOD CODE, are...
Freezing and storing at an ambient temperature
of -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time),
or freezing at an ambient temperature of -31°F
(-35°C) or below until solid and storing at an
ambient temperature of -31°F (-35°C) or below for
15 hours, or freezing at an ambient temperature of
-31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at an
ambient temperature of -4°F (-20°C) or below for
24 hours are sufficient to kill parasites. Note that
these conditions may not be suitable for freezing
particularly large fish (e.g., thicker than 6 inches).
So there you go. All that was a few years ago. Where i live now, I will never  see fresh Ocean fish again. Fresh Water fish, no problem...JJ


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