# Smoked Tuna Dip and Ranch Crackers with Recipe



## petehalsted (Jan 1, 2018)

I started making this as a way to use of the chunks of tuna after cleaning up a tuna tenderloin and cutting into steaks. BIG MISTAKE.... Now days if I want to grill a tuna steak, I have to sneak it pass "momma" she want's all of it made into dip.

Smoked Tuna
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1 pint white wine
1 pint water
1/4 cup Kosher Salt
2  1/2 lbs. Fresh Yellow fin Tuna, cut into 3/4 inch steaks

Dip
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1 1/4 cup Dukes Mayonnaise (use more or less depending on your preferred consistency)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon White Pepper
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/2  onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco Hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

Prep for Smoke
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Combine salt, wine and water. Soak tuna steaks salt water brine for one hour before smoking. 

Pat dry, rub with soy sauce and transfer to smoker (about 225 degrees). For normal tuna steaks you want an IT of 125-140. But for dip I take mine a bit further closer to 150. It's a touch drier and flakes better for the dip that way.

Prep for Dip
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Chop smoked tuna steaks to your desired consistency, I like rough chopped.

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine chopped smoked tuna, mayonnaise, cream, 
pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, parsley, onion, Tabasco and mix well (folding mixture).

I serve these with Ranch Crackers and I think that is probably half the reason my dip is so popular.

Ranch Crackers
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1 package ranch dressing mix
1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 box saltine crackers
Tony's to taste 

Prep
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Mix oil and spices.
Place 1/2 the crackers in a gallon-size zip-lock bag. 
Pour half the oil over crackers; seal bag and toss to coat.
Wait 5 minutes and toss again.. 
Dump crackers on baking sheet. and repeat with other half of crackers and oil.
Smoke 225°F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes: This is my first time making it in my MES / AMNPS combo. I didn't get quite as much smoke color or flavor as I would like. Next time I will either light both ends,cold smoke the tuna for a bit first, or smoke at 190. Not sure which to try first.

My recipe says chop, but as you see in the photos, since I take the tuna to 150, I actually just mash with a fork (pulled tuna?). 

I mix the tuna dip with those quantities, then slowly add extra Mayonnaise to get the consistency I want. And yes it has to be Duke's, just ask anyone from the south.

The more Tony's the less I have to share the crackers. What I generally do is not mix the Tony's in the oil. After tossing the oil and crackers in the bag, I open the bag and sprinkle in some Tony's, toss sprinkle some more. This let's me control each "batch" and I do one batch for her and one for me. If you have the room to have them all on a single layer on sheets you could do Tony's then and have more control. But I kind of like the inconstancy my method gives, and let's folks grab a cracker with the amount that looks good to them.

This was actually my first time to do the crackers in the smoker. I always did them in the oven before, because I usually run a full smoker and do the Tuna first and fill with the "meats". Got to have the tuna to go with the beer while smoking. But after doing this batch in the smoker, I won't ever do them in the oven again!! That little kiss of smoke really sets them off. The crackers by themselves ain't bad!!

On to the pics:







Chunks in the bowl ready to flake.





After flaking.





Final product. That's a quart container, it it makes it through New Year's day it will be a miracle. An ice cream scope and 12 cracker's will cost you $10-$15 on the Mississippi Coast where I learned to make this, at my place, you might loose a hand trying to get into Momma tuna dip!






Don't forget the crackers.






Get in my Belly!!!


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## ab canuck (Jan 1, 2018)

That sounds great, I do a similar one I learned to make while working in Mexico years ago but have not done it with smoked tuna or crackers. I think I will try it and your recipe as well... Point.....


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## motocrash (Jan 1, 2018)

Very nice! And the one and only mayo to boot.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 1, 2018)

Now that looks like I could eat the whole bowl!
Excellent!!
Congrats on making the carousel!
Al


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## tropics (Jan 1, 2018)

Makes me wish I had some smoked fish in the freezer,nice job thanks for sharing LIKES
Richie


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## Rings Я Us (Jan 1, 2018)

That's an impressive thread and pics.
Looks really good. 
Yum!

Nice job!


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## petehalsted (Jan 1, 2018)

Wow on the carousel twice in as many weeks. Maybe the standards are to low around here LOL.

I have done this with Speckled Trout (Saltwater) it was good, but we like the tuna better.


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