Smoked Fish?

Mayberry · July 2012

I'm smoking some tuna for a smoked tuna dip I'm trying to make. What temp would you cook the tuna to? I want it to be done and flake apart easily to make the dip, but I can't find a temp suggestion online anywhere.

lakewade · July 2012

I don't know about tuna, but I have done smoked salmon. I have tried this several times now, with each one getting better. If you like smoked salmon, this is way better than any you can buy anywhere, and a lot of fun to do on the BGE. I like stuff that takes a while so I can drink more beer during the process, and this is one of those for sure.

This is the foundation of the recipe I started with: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedsalmon.htm

This guy says the process should take 4 days. The first time I did this, I basically followed his recipe and process word for word, but did not wait until day 4 to eat it. I do like smoked salmon cold, but it only takes a couple of hours to chill in the beer fridge so I skipped that last part. It turned out awesome.

The second time I tried it, I brined it for a whole day, 24 hours, but only dried it for about 2 hours, then smoked it for about 7 hours at 190. It was better than the first time.

Third time, I brined it, but added no sugar, for 12 hours. I dried it for about 2 hours, then I smoked it for 12 hours as low as I could (less than 180), which was not too hard since it was like 120 outside on the patio just due to the Texas sun. I almost didn't need a fire. This was the best batch yet.

Buy the cheapest salmon you can find, as long as it has skin on. This should work for tuna too - but have not done it so no guarantees.

Oh yeah, I never messed with Alder wood either. I used mesquite, but only a handful of chips at the beginning because I did not want to get it too smokey. Also, I did not wash off the brine any of the times. If you like it less salty, you may want to do that.

Enjoy.

BYS1981 · July 2012

If you have fresh tuna filets you are about to cook until it flakes apart you should have saved your money, and use canned tuna.

allitnils · July 2012

If you have fresh tuna filets you are about to cook until it flakes apart you should have saved your money, and use canned tuna.

Agreed - tuna should be seared and eaten almost raw.

If you're going to smoke something and cook it for that long, use another kind of fish. I doubt the flavor of tuna will still be there after 12 hours of smoking.

troutgeek · July 2012

If you have fresh tuna filets you are about to cook until it flakes apart you should have saved your money, and use canned tuna.
Agreed - tuna should be seared and eaten almost raw.
If you're going to smoke something and cook it for that long, use another kind of fish. I doubt the flavor of tuna will still be there after 12 hours of smoking.

+3

Salmon/trout/char are great for smoking. Tuna should be black and blue (seared and almost raw).

Tater · July 2012

Love alder for smoking salmon....I also like to use sugar in my dry rub....1/3 brown,1/3 turbinado,1/3 kosher
Salt....refrig for 12-14 hours, rinse and pat dry, dry with fan till turns shiny(about 3 hours). Smoke at 175-190 for about 4-5 hours depending on thickness of fish.....yum!

Mayberry · July 2012

Just as a follow up from last week....I truly respect and appreciate the expertise I get from the experts on here. But, the notion that smoked tuna dip should be done using canned tuna was way off. I've had canned tuna dip before, and nothing compared to what I made for the 4th. I didn't buy the fresh, never frozen tuna, because I do think sushi grade tuna is way too much overkill for something that will be smoked. Plus, it's expensive as hell. So, I went with 12 fillets of the frozen Publix yellowtail. I added some mayo, Worcestershire, lemon, Tabasco, Crystal hot sauce, and Cavenders Greek Seasoning. I've never received so many compliments from a cook..the stuff was amazing. If you're a fan of tuna, or like food on a cracker with hot sauce, you've got to give it a try. It might become a weekly staple for snacking going forward.

Richard Fl · July 2012

This is one way:
http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1023852&catid=1

******************************

Appetizer, Pate, Dip, Fish, Smoked

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb.		Fish, Smoked
1 8- Ozs.		Cream Cheese
1 Tbs.		Lemon Juice
¼ Tsp.		Salt
1 Tsp.		Horseradish

2 Tsp.		Grated Onions
1/2 Cup		Mayonnaise
***************
½ Cup		Pecans, Chopped
¼ Cup		Parsley, Chopped

Directions:
1	Remove skin and bone from fish. Soften cream cheese. Combine cheese, lemon juice, onion, horseradish, salt and fish. Mix thoroughly, chill..Combine pecans and parsley.
2	Shape chilled cheese into log or ball. Sprinkle with pecans and parsley. Serve with crackers.

Recipe Type

Appetizer, Seafood

Recipe Source

Source: Richard Howe, 1986/05/25

BYS1981 · July 2012

Glad you enjoyed it, and I apologize if I came off snobby. I am a seared, if cooked tuna guy, but I think you found a good use for the frozen tuna vs sushi.

nolaegghead · July 2012

Glad you enjoyed it, and I apologize if I came off snobby. I am a seared, if cooked tuna guy, but I think you found a good use for the frozen tuna vs sushi.

FYI: Just about all the sushi you get in restaurants is frozen - to kill parasites. Typically flash frozen for 24 hours below -20 C. State health inspectors usually mandate the freezing process for food safety.

From fda.gov:

Eating Raw Seafood -What You Need To Know

It's always best to
cook seafood thoroughly to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.
However, if you choose to eat raw fish anyway, one rule of thumb is to
eat fish that has been previously frozen.

Some species of fish can contain parasites, and freezing will kill any parasites that may be present.
However, be aware that freezing doesn't kill all harmful microorganisms. That's why the safest route is to cook your seafood.

I eat a lot of raw fish, and if I'm preparing it myself, I'll freeze first to get rid of the tapeworms, fluke and round worms. My wife worked at a hospital that serviced maritime marines, and she said half of them had parasites. Maybe a not-so-good way to lose weight, though....

Mayberry · July 2012

Glad you enjoyed it, and I apologize if I came off snobby. I am a seared, if cooked tuna guy, but I think you found a good use for the frozen tuna vs sushi.
No worries. I didn't think you were being snobby at all. It's an opinion that was very similar to mine before trying this recipe. I eat my fair share of sushi and seared tuna, too. For normal eating, there's nothing worse than an overcooked piece of fish. But, there was an amazing difference between canned tuna and whole smoked tuna in the dip. The texture, smokiness and flavor were like I was eating something completely different. It's some good stuff. Definitely worth $10 for a two pack of frozen tuna to experiment with over the weekend.

fishlessman · July 2012

once you start to see the grain start to separate its getting flakey, just stick it with a fork. i wouldnt use canned tuna, but theres alot of inexpensive fish out there that would be really close in taste, mackerel, herring, bluefish around me, mullets down south, i think even laketrout would be fine. i think a baked smoked mackerel would be real close in flavor to the tuna for a dip

Smoked Fish?

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Eating Raw Seafood -What You Need To Know

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