Anyone ever smoke whole tuna loins?

[Bobber Down]

Went out and got some tuna and I've never smoked tuna before. I've had good luck with salmon/steelhead/sturgeon. My question is do you use the same brine as salmon, same amount of time in the brine? I heard that tuna is wonderful smoked, and I didn't want to goof up and not have it turn out. The fish is one day old and has not been frozen. Any household helpful hints would be great. Thanks...............Bobber Down

[cannonball]

Nope never tried smoking Tuna, but ill bet its hard to light. :grin:

[STGRule]

I haven't smoked tuna myself but have had other peoples. It's delicious! I would go with a sweeter brine and a mild smoke. At least that is what I've had tasted like. Maybe an apple smoke and a apple juice brine. Good luck. :smile:

[tag-a-long]

:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: Cannon ball beat me to it. I did smoke a salmon, but it smelled the house up, and I couldn't find a butt can big enough to put it out.

[Smily]

Hi Bobber Down,

I have smoked the tuna with the same recipe for salmon in the Little Chief recipe book. It is awesome. I have also done Halibut too. It's all good. :grin:

Guys for your information it is hard to get lit but once you do....... Apply more wood chips, hurry. :shocked:

:smile: Smily :smile:

[Bobber Down]

Hey Cannonball and Tag-a-long thanks for the laughs, maybe you should try rolling what your trying to light in something different :grin: (jk). STG Rule - I might try going to the sweeter brine and mild smoke, adding the apple juice is a great idea. Smily I don't have a little chief recipe book, but I'm sure it's a basic brine.

What I wasn't sure of, is some fish absorb the salt different than others. Thanks for the replys..............Bobber Down

[Smily]

Bobber Down,
I would probably cut your pieces to no more than 1" thick so it can cure all the way thru and porbably smoke it a little less than salmon. I always coat the top with brown sugar just before it goes into the smoker.
That's about all I can say. Do a batch and taste and go from there. Don't for get to take notes, I write in my recipe book to alway update changes. I had started to add crushed red pepper flakes to half of my batch for spicy pieces if you like spiciness.

For wood chips I like the apple, cherry alder chips. That's your standard wood chips. I haven't really used hickory yet except on acciden. It wasn't all bad either.

Here is the recipe I got on line:

“Little Chief”/”Big Chief” SMOKED SALMON DELUXE
(Chinook, Coho, etc.) 1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup NON-IODIZED salt
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup water
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 cup dry white wine

Brine salmon chunks 8 or more hours, keeping refrigerated.
Fill flavor pan with Hickory, Alder, or mix 2/3 Apple with 1/3 Cherry. Use 2 to 3 pans full. Leave in the smoker until drying is completed. This may take 12 hours, depending on the thickness of the meat. Place largest and thickest chunks on the bottom rack.
(Also use for Steelhead and other large trout.)

Good luck and Bon Apetite! :grin:

:smile: Smily :smile:

[Sliderite]

Bobber Down,
Smoked tuna is awesome so you must give it a try. The best smoked tuna will come from the top 1/4 loins since the belly loins are too oily and will result in a product less than you intended. I have only smoked the tuna after it was frozen and it turned out great.

Pilar provided a recipe for his smoked tuna last Fall. Pilar's smoked tuna

You can also use a dry brine that is good for salmon and it should turn out pretty good.
Hope this helps.
Sliderite

[ 09-11-2002, 12:05 PM: Message edited by: Sliderite ]

[Fishplay]

I personally prefer the bellys over the loin for smoking. But then I like the belly meat of chinook also. The greasier the better in my opinion. When eating smoked fish I like the oil dripping off my elbow. :grin: :grin:
It does make it tricky to hold on to your beer but worth it.
Also I use less smoke on tuna because it has a lighter flavor than salmon. A pan and half of chips is enough then its all drying time after that. I use the same recipe for sturgeon, tuna, and bottom fish because of their mild flavor. Sorry but I don't share brine recipies.
Good luck