Savory, rich, and moist smoked tuna steaks enjoy flavor enhancement from a smoker or pellet grill. Brining your steaks makes them even better. Plus, you’ll have great additions to dips and salads later.
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Oh, the flaky, meaty, steak-like texture fresh tuna delivers is a delight. The tuna you find at the market for smoking is usually yellowfin with a lower fat content, so a brine works wonders. And since tuna is such a delicate meat, brining won’t take long at all. Maybe 30 minutes, but not more than 2 hours for a thick steak.
And there are so many things we can use it for: dips, salads, appetizers, and charcuterie boards. Any recipe that calls for smoked salmon will work great with smoked tuna.
Which Tuna Is Best for Smoking
If you grew up only knowing canned tuna, you’re in for a treat because there’s nothing like fresh tuna steaks straight from the smoker or grill. Of course, the tuna you buy fresh is a different species from what comes in a can.
The bigeye tuna, sometimes called ahi, is more often consumed raw in sushi. The most prized of all is the bluefin for its incredibly high fat content and buttery texture. Due to overfishing, it also comes at a premium price. Not only that, smoking can overwhelm the mild flavor.
That leaves yellowfin, a lean tuna with a steak-like texture perfect for smoking. It’s also called ahi, so make sure you’re not paying extra for the bigeye.
How to Smoke Tuna
Mix the brine, brine the tuna steaks, drain and pat dry, season, and then smoke them.
Recipe Tips and Twists
- The best wood chips for tuna are applewood, alder, and cherrywood because their mildness won’t overwhelm the tuna. I would definitely avoid overly strong flavors such as hickory, mesquite, and oak.
- If you prefer a marinade to a brine, mix olive oil, lemon zest, oregano, garlic, and paprika, and marinate the tuna steaks for about 30 minutes. Drain, smoke as usual, and enjoy.
- Coat the brined tuna steaks with raw sesame seeds for a delightful crunch. Then smoke as directed; the sesame seeds will toast for an Asian twist.
Make-Ahead and Leftover Makeovers
A whole brined and smoked tuna steak can last for 5-10 days in the fridge if stored tightly wrapped in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for 3-4 months.
Break up leftovers and make a smoked tuna dip, appetizer platter, and have it on bagels with cream cheese. You can also replace the canned tuna in any recipe with the smoked version: tuna macaroni salad, tuna noodle casserole, and a tuna melt are just a beginning.
My go-to sides for tuna steaks are a light Caribbean coleslaw or pineapple cucumber salad, basmati rice or roasted potatoes, and maybe a teriyaki sauce to dip in with spicy green beans.
More Smoking Good Recipes to Enjoy
By Imma