Rare TUNA

[Slobes]

Ok so last nigh I thawed so TUNA for dinner and simply seared it in a pan. as I was eating it I realized that it was not fully cooked on the inside. Now my first reaction was to throw it right back on the stove to finish cooking. But then I had a thought. Bunches the dogs say that the rare TUNA is fine to eat... So I had a bite or two before I decided that I prefered it cooked through.

Well I paid dearly for those two bites. All through my night class my stomach gurgled. When I finally got home I sprinted, more like hobbled, for the bathroom, where I spent the next 20 minutes.

So my question is: what am I missing about the rare TUNA. I would not mind trying it again, but not if the results are the same... Any pointers?

[Mypursuit]

Did you catch, kill, ice, pack and process this fish yourself? If Tuna is mishandled in the early phase, not cooled down, kept cold etc. a naturally occuring enzyme will get into the meat. Freezing and vacuum packing does not eliminate the enzyme and it is known to cause mild to severe gastrointestinal distress. This site is very good for handling issues, it's the British Columbia Fisherman's Association not a merchant so I think I'm ok to post it. http://www.bctfa.com/handling.htm

[tailchaser]

Fresh or very well handled fish is the only stuff to eat raw, like mentioned above, time is not a good thing for tuna on the rare side. I absolutely love seared fish when I know where it came from.

tc

[Reel Obsession]

Agreed. I try and handle all tuna as to qualify as "sushi grade". As for eating it rare, there are only three ways that I fix tuna when it is not rare.

1) Canned
2) Forget to get it off the grill within 90 seconds a side (&$*&^%)
3) Sushi - ok, so that's REALLY rare.

I'm eating mine as sushi and fixed rare with no advere reactions, and that includes anyone I cook for, first timers or old salts.

If I ever have any that I think isn't as cold as I like when cutting, it goes to the canner. Not because I think it is old enough to be problematic (hope never to get there) but because if the quality is not quite there, it doesn't hold together as well on the grill.

[Tide Change]

I'm no expert but I would imagine it wasn't just the "raw" tuna giving you the trots, but an enzyme or bacteria with mishandled fish as Mypursuit suggests.

I am a firm beliver in preparing tuna seared on a smoking hot grill for a 90 second count, and have never had problems with doing it to fish I know have been properly handled. I do it with loins I have vac packed and frozen, and never experienced a problem.

To me, it seems a tragic waste to cook tuna all the way through, although my wife and daughter prefer it that way. My portion comes off the grill after the count, and theirs stays on until it's ruined.

Try it some time with fresh fish, and see how you do.

[Weather or Knot]

Gotta get them bled and cooled down quick! I love my tuna just seared on the out side and pink in the middle, but its got to be handled right from the hook up. I dont think Id go down to a boat and buy a tuna to eat rare. You just dont know how long it sat on the deck! WE TAKE #400 OF ICE FOR 20-25 FISH FOR A REASON. GOOD QUALITY EATS!

Brandon

[Pete]

If it's not raw on the inside, it's not worth eating ... you can get fully cooked tuna in little cat-food cans at the store. What's special is high quality tuna, pink and delightful!

[MattPark]

Like everyone has said, my guess is it wasn't taken care of as well as it should be.

All our tuna gets bled, hits the slush, and then the ice. It's carked that afternoon, canned or vacuum packed. I eat it raw out of the frozen and thawed vacuum packages every time I cook it, and I eat a lot of it like that. Never had any adverse effects. I also only sear the meat when cooking.

[Reel Obsession]

Yeah, I agree with being careful about tuna off the *******. Someone here who used to fish commercial (I can't remember who) said that too often fish might end up sitting on the deck for quite a while, and that they would buy it to can, but not to eat sashimi style. Maybe some of you ex-commercial guys can comment?

[little doc]

Just outa curiosity, did your mouth itch just a little? Sound like the tuna wasn't cooled enough at some point in the past. I have had the same reaction to tuna not iced enough (presumably). Do a web search on histamine in tuna and you may find that the symptoms matched. Mine came from a fish market at the coast.

Scott.

[boutdoorhunter]

Originally Posted by Weather or Knot

Gotta get them bled and cooled down quick! I love my tuna just seared on the out side and pink in the middle, but its got to be handled right from the hook up. I dont think Id go down to a boat and buy a tuna to eat rare. You just dont know how long it sat on the deck! WE TAKE #400 OF ICE FOR 20-25 FISH FOR A REASON. GOOD QUALITY EATS!

Brandon

Of course it helps when you have an ice maker!

[Mark Mc]

As long as the vacuum pac stayed intact, I never had a problem with fresh frozen / months later thawed tuna.

Here's how I do the seared method (but with a new copper pan now).

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthrea...01#post1838301

[Thunnus]

I think you maybe tuna intolerant!

[Pilar]

Fish should not smell bad. That's my indicator. A fresh chunk of halibut has no smell. That same chunk if properly handled, frozen and vac bagged will still have no smell when you thaw it out to eat it.

But that is halibut one of the best fish for frozen storage. Tuna is so much harder to preserve that way. For me only a few loins get the frozen whole treatment. A sushi tuna is so cold it hurts your hands when you pull it out of the fishbox to clean it. The loin is hard and does not sag or fall apart when you carve it off the fish and stack it in your bussers dish tub. The meat is bled out and a clear red - pink color.

Anything else gets canned. I love handline fish, they don't get baked by a 20 minute fight. Bonk and in the box. If it smells when you thaw it out cook it.

I see the bloody massacre fish at the cleaning station sometimes and it amazes me. I wonder if I was ever that ignorant or uncaring about the game I choose to eat.

To get Hystamines or scombroidosis is really pretty hard. You have to allow an uncooled TUNA! fish to stay warm. Really warm takes less time but we're talking hours. Read the UC Davis stuff on scombroidosis. It is very interesting.

I eat alot of raw fish and have never had the reaction you describe. But a little cream cheese ..... uh never mind.

Use your nose. Your taste will thank you.

[5 Salt]

Originally Posted by Pete

If it's not raw on the inside, it's not worth eating ... you can get fully cooked tuna in little cat-food cans at the store. What's special is high quality tuna, pink and delightful!

Exactly.

Stomach problems with your loins are the result of poor post catch handling. Treat it all to Sushi/Sashimi standards and you never again have a problem - that includes thawing only in the fridge.

I make Sushi from Salmon, Halibut, Tuna, and any other high grade fish without issue...so long I take care to get the flesh cooled quickly and careful cleaning to ensure no contact with guts and cleaning juices when filleting.

[Slobes]

Ok, so by now I am a little embarrassed. I appreciated all of your suggestions.

To answer some questions: I did kill the fish, bled it, cooled it, filleted it, and vaccuum packed it. I'm not sure what went wrong, but next time I'll be more careful. I just get to thinking about my old man's favorite definition: "Stupid is not making a mistake, it is repeating the process and expecting a different result." ...Maybe it'll work out better next time...

[Weather or Knot]

Dont be embarrassed! Everyone who replied just wants to help. Its a learning process and this is a great place to get answers. Dogs.

Brandon

[bighoof]

First time I decided to try seared or rare tuna was at very nice hotel resturant in Seattle and spent the night with an upset stomach before I started ackin in the morning till about noon. It' ll be cooked through for me now on. Found a marinade that is just awesome.

[boutdoorhunter]

Originally Posted by bighoof

First time I decided to try seared or rare tuna was at very nice hotel resturant in Seattle and spent the night with an upset stomach before I started ackin in the morning till about noon. It' ll be cooked through for me now on. Found a marinade that is just awesome.

I'm glad I'm not tuna intolerant.Try smokin it.

[Reel Obsession]

All this talk of rare tuna makes me crazy.... Took out a loin today, cut into 1 1/2" steaks, soaked for 30 minutes in teriyaki, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and 90 seconds a side on a hot grill. Hmmmmm