Proper Care of Tuna......Again

Mark Mc · 07-24-2003, 08:33 AM

Quite a few comments have come up lately in different threads about caring for tuna, including some "assumptions" about not chilling tuna being perfectly OK.

Here are some key references from the SeaGrant program. These are the folks who do the reasearch on tuna, histamine, scombroid poisining, etc.

onboard handling of tuna

Consumer info for purchasing tuna

seafood information center home page

Pilar · 07-24-2003, 08:56 AM

Mark, friends don't let friends make cat food.

Thanks my friend, this excellent resource opened my eyes to the mysteries of this most excellent fish when I first saw your post on it.

Read this and understand that you are fishing for a warm blooded fish like no other.

Honor your prey by taking excellent care of it.

As apex predators and out of respect for the creatures we hunt we owe them this much.

Threemuch · 07-24-2003, 09:11 AM

Amen, if you run out of ice or space for your fish, STOP FISHING.

I have never heard of a case of scombroid poisoning from recreationally caught tuna, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Can anyone tell me why they would use the pectoral cut to bleed fish instead of the gill or throat cut? I have found it fastest and easiest to cut the fish right throught all the gill arches and the throat with a bait knife. When I have done the pectoral cut, I get worse results, and when I go to peel the fish, the skin tends to tear at that cut location, making them harder to clean.

BUGLEMAN · 07-24-2003, 10:35 AM

Thanks for the post. For me it is expecially timely now I have excellent documentation showing that you should not slap down albies in a burlap bag.

WP · 07-24-2003, 12:11 PM

I have been using a brine bath for 15-30 minutes after bleeding my fish, then packing them in ice. Based on this reading, I should be brining them a lot longer, like for the whole trip. In have not had a problem with the quality and the packed fish have not had a lot of air space around the fish, but I am thinking that maybe using brine for storage, all day might be in order. The problem would be the weight of the sea water. Thoughts?
WP

Popeye · 07-24-2003, 12:27 PM

WP...I don't know if you've seen my setup or not, but I keep them in the brine the whole trip. In fact, I always have, even in the box that you bought from me.

WP · 07-24-2003, 12:30 PM

Ah! To have that load capacity! I think I will try it in the box anyway! It can't be that much heavier than just ice and fish! I think it would make the storage more efficient too. Maybe use a pre-cooler in the small totes and then a slush brine in the big tote and coolers? In my next life I am going to have a bigger boat!
WP

Deepslayer · 07-24-2003, 12:37 PM

Hey WP, Dave, maybe you could tow an inflatable raft behind you filled with ice!!

,Ed

Gus Orviston · 07-24-2003, 03:50 PM

WoW! thanks for the documentation, answers a lot for me.

Now where is PNW 238?
gus

WP · 07-24-2003, 04:03 PM

Now there is a thought! More room and no hassel with the ice....could jettison the raft if things got too dicey too! Hope to get out this next week Ed...hope to have you join me!
WP

edsr · 07-25-2003, 01:47 PM

We tried a 30-gal garbage can with seawater and ice. It worked very well. 4 to 5 fish fit,head down, in the can while they bleed out. After 10-15 min. the chilled fish were moved into an ice packed cooler. It was easy to regulate the ice/water/fish ratio and the blood bailed out makes a great chum-line. It is amazing how much ice got put into that chill-can.
edsr

Fish_N_Russ · 07-25-2003, 02:56 PM

Gus
Here is a link to PNW 238 Smoking Fish At Home Safely PNW238

While we are at it, here are links to the other pubs listed in the Albacore pub...

Home Freezing of Seafood

Canning Seafood

Home Canning Smoked Fish

Since I work for OSU Extension, might as well plug the site also (you can search for other pub topics there)....

OSU Extension Service

[ 07-25-2003, 04:04 PM: Message edited by: Fish_N_Russ ]

Popeye · 07-28-2003, 05:34 AM

WP...I forgot to mention that if you want to cut down on weight, use rock salt in your ice instead of seawater :grin:

Miss B Haven · 07-28-2003, 07:58 PM

Arggggghhh....I need a bigger boat! 300 qts of shaved ice and 12 Albies. Just a little ice left over. Gotta get a bigger boat! In the meantime, I think I can fit one more 150 quart on board.
Hey - the shower stall should hold 500 lbs or so if I rope the door shut right? :grin:
Gotta try the rock salt and cut down on the water weight to get more ice onboard and cut the ice per fish need.
Another 50 trips or so and I might have this figured out!

Man- that fish is good though! Mannaged to not overcook it tonight. Is it supposed to be cold in the middle? OK- so I had to throw it back on for just a minute or so. Yummm!

Gus Orviston · 07-28-2003, 08:08 PM

Experienced the same thing mel, but one trick to grilling I found is whatever you are cooking let it sit in the marinade out of the fridge for about 30 minutes. Let it get to room temperature before grilling; goes for steaks, chicken, things that taste like chicken, and things that are awesome as albie on the BBQ!

For my pregnant wife, she had to eat the tuna 99.5% cooked, after the little one gets here she can join in on the seared Shiro Maguro!

I mixed up some wasabi in soy sauce and man it was good! Felt like I was in the Ginza district.

gus