# Lets Talk Eating Tuna



## Bill Me

So, when I catch that Yellowfin of a lifetime or that mess of blackfin, how do I properly prep them for eating? I have heard a lot about bleeding them and icing them down immediately. What is the best way to bleed them? 

Does the yellowfin hold o.k. frozen?

How about the blackfin? I hear a lot of people knock it. Its been a long time since I caught one, but my recollection was it tasted gteat grilled.


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## Kevdog540

I just got done eatingsome nice grilled Blackfin from our trip earlier this week. We bleedem as soon as they hit the deck. we just cut behind the gill plate until they start bleeding good. Leave them on deck for a few minutes till they shake it all out. then to the ice box. Cut the remaining blood line out when cleaning. 

I'm not sure if this is the "correct" way but its how we do it.

Tonights tuna was marinated over sliced onion and Italian dressing for about 20 minutes then grilled, YUM YUM!


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## hjorgan

Blackfin are all I've cleaned lately but the ones that were bled and gutted on the boat were far more tasty than those we didn't bleed and gut.



They were great on the grill and INCREDIBLE smoked.


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## Bill Me

How about as sashimi? Is the Blackfin any good raw?


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## badazzchef

They are super raw...matter of fact on the last 2 trips I have been on we slaughtered the blackfin...did not bleed them, chunked em on ice and in about an hour after catch, I marinated chunkcs of blackfin in srirachi hot sauce, sesame oil, mayo, green onions, sesame seeds a little soy and then made a cone out of nori (seaweed) put a little ricein the bottom and filled with the tuna...it is superb it is also good this way and paired with sliced cucumbers and use the cucumber as a "chip" here is a pic:


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## pogypumper

Man, that's what I'm talking about!!:clap


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## Sam Roberts

that looks good!


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## Thunderstruck

I have had both raw and liked both of them . I was picking on the guys on the boat about eating the yellowfin straight off the bone and we cleaned fish that afternoon they called my bluff. It was as good as it gets. I do like it seared on a cast iron griddle with butter and blackening seasoning. I made freash sushi roles with blackfin and like it just as much.


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## andyyar

That stuff badazzchef made was legit. It lasted about 30 seconds on the boat. The "one bite" I was able to fight for was out of this world.


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## netboy

:hungry



sign me up!



Thats a fine looking dish.



Good to hear something good about blackfin for a change.



Capt. Jeff



www.themadgaffer.com


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## fishn4fun

you guys are making me hungry


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## ul412al

I like to slice some sushi off as soon as he hits the boat. mmmmmm:hungry


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## Bill Me

OK, that seals the deal. I am keeping the wasabi and soy on the boat at all times!!!!

How about frozen? Do they both hold up? I know it is not the best thing to do with Tuna, but you can't eat it all at once.


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## Downtime2

I put up yellerfin. Pat it dry, never, ever rinse it with water. Vacuum pack it. Usually don't last long round here.....


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## Bill Me

Never rinse with water? Not even while yu are cleaning it at the fish table? Is it that you don't want water in the freezer bag or it somehow spoils the fish to wach off?


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## Downtime2

Screws up the true taste. Got scolded at the Lumps several years ago by a ******** at the cleaning table over that one...


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## Bill Me

So A) do you not rinse with water because some ******** (not exactly sure what that is) told you not to or because it really does make a difference? and B) so you can't even rinse the blood etc off at the cleaning table?


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## Downtime2

Well, I have cleaned a fish or two. I always clean and rinse the table between tuna. I guess each to they own. It does seem to be better too. But, soak it in a bucket for all I care. I got a good tip and used it. Gonna keep on using it too. Next time you are at Joe Pattis, if they unpack a fresh loin. Look close, no water on it or when handling it.


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## Bill Me

I'm not knocking it, just asking. A little weirded out about eating it raw potentially without at least rinsing.


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## Travis Gill

Judt like Wade said don't rinse it. If you want you can pat it wiht a paper towel to get any moisture/blood off


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## Downtime2

I am careful cleaning tuna. If I have to rinse a spot, I wet my hand and wipe it off. And, yes, I'll eat it at the table while cleaning. Au Jus. Was cleaning one after weighing in a couple years ago at OBM. 3 or 4 young ladies, (slightly intoxicated), walked up and started asking what kind of fish it was. Told them YF. One of them popped off and asked if you could eat it raw. I sliced a chunk and ate it. So, one of them said they wanted to try it. Ewwwww, ewwww from her friends. Cut her a nice piece. Gulp* Seemed the more she chewed, the bigger it got. She eventually got it down. Funny as hell though. Zane (masher) was there that evening too. Don't know if he remembers it. Memorial Day 2005 I think...

It was thissun'....


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## SuperSpook

I eat them both.


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## John B.

hahaaaaa.... that's funny Wade.


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## hebegb

one of my recent dinners at the house


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## Bill Me

Holy Cow Batman, that looks awsome. 

Wade, with the girls, its all about presentation


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## Downtime2

Girls catch em' too.....


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## Bill Me

Did she eat the heart?


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## Downtime2

Nope. She did get blooded though.


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## Bill Me

I love fisherwomen! Married one too.


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## Downtime2

Couple of these gals have got thier stuff together. I know a few who are damn good. Better than some of the males I have fished with. Don't bitch and whine. Just wanna kill something...


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## Captain Woody Woods

tuna freeze up QUITE well. ill blindfold anyone that comes to my tailgate or farm and see if they can tell the difference between yellowfin 3 hours old and yellowfin 3 months old...


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## fred

Federal law actually requires that tuna *<U>sold</U>* to be eaten raw has to be frozen (at some real low temp, I think around -20) for some length of time (week or two, I really don't know) so that all the parasites will be killed.

Just curious, does anyone know of anybody who has ever gotten parasites from eating fresh raw tuna?

Also, one thing I haveread is that the longer you fight them the more lactic acid builds up and they don't taste as good as the ones you get in fast. I don't know that, I just read that.


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## Xanadu

> *The Blue Hoo (1/5/2009)*tuna freeze up QUITE well. ill blindfold anyone that comes to my tailgate or farm and see if they can tell the difference between yellowfin 3 hours old and yellowfin 3 months old...


++



If you're talking about raw 3months vs 2 hours, I'll bet anything you've got. If you're talking about cooked, stewed or otherwise ruined, then I don't care. 



Even in a perfectly maintained vacu-bag, YFT fat degrades quickly after a couple of weeks and becomes easy to tell if its not fresh. In fact, blindfolded, I could tell by touching it raw.


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## Captain Woody Woods

> *fred (1/7/2009)*
> 
> Also, one thing I haveread is that the longer you fight them the more lactic acid builds up and they don't taste as good as the ones you get in fast.


that sounds about right. i know if you have one of those japanese guys meet you at the dock when you have caught a bluefin, they will use this tool which resembles a corkscrew to pull out a sample of the meat. i know they look for clarity, firmness, etc. and other indicators of how long the fish was caught to determine value


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## Speckulator

A corkscrew????

It's a glass straw!!!!!!

George


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## BlueH20Fisher

I never understood "rinsing" fish off. You're not gonna rinse fish off of fish. I wash the bile and guts off the table now and again, but never the filets or steaks. As for the length of time you fight tuna affecting quality, it does... big time. After a long battle on light tackle you can actually see the burnt meat. I fish with an older guy from New England, and he told me they always "hot darted" their commercial tuna and sometimes swords. Not sure of the exact technique, but somthing about metal chord attatched to metal dart, then hooked to battery. He said it was an instant kill.


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## legalhookin

hell yea!! she got blood on her face and everything..............If i could find a woman that would cut up like a guy and be there like your lady.......i would truely consider my self very lucky.......cool pic friend!


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## legalhookin

so will someone chime in on what you need to do to keep a tuna sushi quality so you could take it home for shashimi? a black fin is all that would be of potential in my applications so that gives you a size idea. stuff like seperate cooler or what? thanks guys!


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## badazzchef

We never did anything different to keep the sushi quality except ICE...and lots of it...Nobody is going to catch a #1 sushi grade yellowfin (rather it is unlikely) so preserving the grade is not important here...The bleeding seems to be important to most folks but as I said above we did not bleed any blackfin and they were great. What we did do was to go ahead and take the top loin and bottom loin off of the fish and wrap in plastic wrap to chill faster but that was for boat eating...My buddy Shawn and the owner of Shady Lady was chunking blackfin and was eating about every 5th chunk! He loves it hot and fresh!


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## fred

I've read that the best way to bleed them is to cut the gills out then put them in a slurry of saltwater and ice until they bleed out, then to the ice cooler. Of course you have to have room for the second cooler with the slurry, which I don't. 

The Japanese use a long needle called a Yamagachi (I think) that they run along the spine from tail to head and it paralyses the tuna so it can't bruise itself banging around, but I think it takes lots of skill and experience to use one. 

One way or another they say you don't want them thrashing about.


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## Drew Mixon

this has been posted before, but again...

http://www.spc.int/Coastfish/Fishing/Sashimi_E/Sashimi.pdf

its not a 'glass straw' it's called a saku. it works like a circular cutting tool, with _corkscrew _extractor. it's stainless steel. once a 'plug' is cut, other commercial buyers use their extractor to examine the marbling of the fish before bidding. 

cheers.

drew


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## 401 Cay

It is my understanding that washing tuna with water removes oil from the meat.. it WILL turn brown and mushy in the freezer that way. If you are concerned about parasites, freezing shouldtake careof that. NEVER wash tuna steaks headed for the freezer.. I dont wash wahoo for that matter either.


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## Speckulator

My next door neighbor is a fish buyer....He has bought a couple of those 5 and 6 digit bluefins.....He ,in fact,doesusea glassstraw to inspect the catch of the day... I've seen it many times.....If you haven't been there and seen it for yourself.....then don't chime in...Enuff said!!!!!!! 

George


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## Drew Mixon

> *Speckulator (1/9/2009)*My next door neighbor is a fish buyer....haven't been there and seen it .....Enuff said!!!!!!!
> 
> George




'nuff said, indeed.

wonder if they smoke a glass pipe before grading swamp rats? lol.



cheers.

drew


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## GregBR549

Sounds like good eating. Does anyone cut up snapper on the boat and eat it raw?


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## tideline_two

most of the store bought tuna especialy the foreign fish have been "cold smoked". even if its labled as fresh. nice little trick to lenghten the shelf life if fish with out freezing it.


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## Captain Woody Woods

> *GregBR549 (1/12/2009)*Sounds like good eating. Does anyone cut up snapper on the boat and eat it raw?


I make an excellent salsa with tiny chunks of snapper in it...


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## flyingfishr

> *GregBR549 (1/12/2009)*Sounds like good eating. Does anyone cut up snapper on the boat and eat it raw?


I ate some raw snapper after my last spearfishing trip, it was delicious. Cleaned up the fillets, sliced it thin, dragged it through some soy and down it went. Good stuff.


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## Fiver

> *flyingfishr (1/12/2009)*
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> *GregBR549 (1/12/2009)*Sounds like good eating. Does anyone cut up snapper on the boat and eat it raw?
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> I ate some raw snapper after my last spearfishing trip, it was delicious. Cleaned up the fillets, sliced it thin, dragged it through some soy and down it went. Good stuff.
Click to expand...



It's pretty good when made into a ceviche also.


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## fred

I've eaten fresh raw snapper and it is great!


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## ReelDuel

> *Downtime2 (1/5/2009)*I put up yellerfin. Pat it dry, never, ever rinse it with water. Vacuum pack it. Usually don't last long round here.....


As soon as you put the fish in water it begins to break down (decay). If you must rinse your fish pat them dry before bagging them up. It is a great idea to put the filets on ice till they get sorted out, just dont let them sit in water. The guys at the dock will tell you to put them in a water slurry, BS, don't do it. A food saver vacume machine is the best way to freeze any meat or fish.


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## BILL_MONEY

I SMOKE AND VACUME SEAL MY BLACKFIN AND I VACUME SEAL MY YF.... WE OWNED A FISHHOUSE IN PCOLA FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS AND WE NEVER RINSED OTHER THAN A FAST DUNK ON YF LOINS DUE TO H2O DAMAGING THE MEAT..... I EAT BOBO'S RAW AS WELL WHEN WERE IN CLOSE CATCHING KINGS AND IF YOU SMOKE THE KING FILETS THEY MAKE INCREADIBLE FISH SALAD LIKE TUNA.... WASABI AND SOY ALWAYS ON THE BOAT WIHT THE SIRIMICHI ( CHILIE SAUCE )....... IF YOU WANT TO GO PREPARED FOR OFFSHORE QUICK MEALS CUT UP THE STUFF FO SIVICHIE AND CARRY A COUPLE FRESH LIMES AND EAT YOUR SHORT FISH FOR LUNCH ( NO EVIDENCE ):angel


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## fred

> IF YOU WANT TO GO PREPARED FOR OFFSHORE QUICK MEALS CUT UP THE STUFF FO SIVICHIE AND CARRY A COUPLE FRESH LIMES AND EAT YOUR SHORT FISH FOR LUNCH ( NO EVIDENCE ):angel


I think they call that "filet and release".


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## Stressless

> *Drew Mixon (1/9/2009)*this has been posted before, but again...
> 
> 
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> http://www.spc.int/Coastfish/Fishing/Sashimi_E/Sashimi.pdf
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> 
> 
> its not a 'glass straw' it's called a saku. it works like a circular cutting tool, with _corkscrew _extractor. it's stainless steel. once a 'plug' is cut, other commercial buyers use their extractor to examine the marbling of the fish before bidding.
> 
> 
> 
> cheers.
> 
> 
> 
> drew




Thanks Drew - I posted that a couple years ago = good refresher.



Here's Canned BFT = http://pensacolafishingforum.com/fishingforum/Topic200630-51-1.aspx



I agree with the folks to not put tap water on the meat. Don't matter how nasty the outside is...














The inside should never get 'wet'











Of course the best way fresh is











For those little chunks and other trimmings Wade's tuna dip : 





> Wade?s Tuna Dip
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> About 3 pounds Yellowfin Fillets.
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> 3 Bricks Philadelphia Cream Cheese
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> 1-Cup Hellmans Mayonnaise
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> 2 Large jars of diced Pimentos (6 oz. I think)
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> ½ cup sweet relish
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> 1 cup diced jalapenos
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> ½ cup dill relish
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> Garlic Salt
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> Cayenne Pepper
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> Lemon Pepper
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> Mesquite Liquid Smoke
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> Olive Oil
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> Directions:
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> You want to start with a non-stick skillet. Using a small plate, roll the fillets in olive oil coating both sides good. Pre-heat the skillet. You want it almost hot enough to start smoking. Throw in the tuna. Season it pretty heavy with garlic salt and lemon pepper at this time. Cook it all the way through. (Medium well??) Take the tuna up and put it in a big mixing bowl. While you waiting for it to cool, in a separate bowl, pour the relishes and pimentos together. I usually season this with all the seasoning and mix it. Don?t drain anything, just pour it in. Season this mixture to taste with the garlic salt, a little regular salt, cayenne pepper, and a little regular lemon pepper. Dice the green part of the onions up and add them to this. Mix it together and let stand. Add a few drops of the liquid smoke to the mixture if you want to give it a little smokey flavor. Go back to the tuna. I always just tear it up as fine as I can with my hands. Seems to take out any lumps. Do this as soon as it cools enough to handle. In the same bowl, add the cream cheese to it. Use a big spoon and mix it till the cheese is blended evenly. Now, pour in all the other stuff and mix well. Add the mayonnaise at this time. I usually use about a cup. Mix it all together. Put it in a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. You may have to add a little more mayonnaise if it?s feels kinda dry. That will be the cheese firming up again.
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:mmmbeer

Stressless


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## Nat

you can open this link and scroll through the photo album

4- or 5 pictures of Frozen Tuna at the Tsukiji fish market

I'm prettty sure they are frozen down to liquid nitrogen temps

not sure how cold that is, but I thinks over 100 below zero

http://www.intrafish.no/global/pictures/article239186.ece


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## Greenjeans

4 and 5 digits for Bluefin.. Dont know much about tuna but you guys are making me hungry. What do these tuna typically sell for on the market?

Would love to catch one someday.


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## Captain Woody Woods

why is this thread still alive


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