Cold smoked tuna rich in vitamins and minerals such as: choline - 13%, vitamin B6 - 46.5%, vitamin D - 17%, vitamin PP - 114.2%, potassium - 17.6%, phosphorus - 34.8%, selenium - 164.7%

What are the benefits of cold smoked tuna?

Kholin is part of lecithin, plays a role in the synthesis and metabolism of phospholipids in the liver, is a source of free methyl groups, and acts as a lipotropic factor.
Vitamin B6 participates in maintaining the immune response, processes of inhibition and excitation in the central nervous system, in the transformation of amino acids, the metabolism of tryptophan, lipids and nucleic acids, promotes the normal formation of red blood cells, maintaining normal levels of homocysteine in the blood. Insufficient intake of vitamin B6 is accompanied by decreased appetite, impaired skin condition, and the development of homocysteinemia and anemia.
Vitamin D maintains homeostasis of calcium and phosphorus, carries out the processes of mineralization of bone tissue. A lack of vitamin D leads to impaired metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in the bones, increased demineralization of bone tissue, which leads to an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
Vitamin PP participates in redox reactions of energy metabolism. Insufficient vitamin intake is accompanied by disruption of the normal condition of the skin, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.
Potassium is the main intracellular ion that takes part in the regulation of water, acid and electrolyte balance, participates in the processes of conducting nerve impulses and regulating pressure.
Phosphorus takes part in many physiological processes, including energy metabolism, regulates acid-base balance, is part of phospholipids, nucleotides and nucleic acids, and is necessary for the mineralization of bones and teeth. Deficiency leads to anorexia, anemia, and rickets.
Selenium- an essential element of the antioxidant defense system of the human body, has an immunomodulatory effect, participates in the regulation of the action of thyroid hormones. Deficiency leads to Kashin-Beck disease (osteoarthritis with multiple deformities of the joints, spine and limbs), Keshan disease (endemic myocardiopathy), and hereditary thrombasthenia.

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You can see a complete guide to the most useful products in the appendix.

Sea tuna is rightfully considered an exquisite delicacy - its taste is more reminiscent of tender veal. Fish meat is extremely healthy, containing a number of very important nutrients, vitamins, and microelements. In terms of omega-3 fat content, tuna is the leader; it contains a “complete set” of amino acids necessary for humans.

The largest consumers of this sea fish have always been residents of Japan, but in recent years, consumption of this healthy delicacy throughout the world has increased several times. Its properties and excellent taste are preserved in any form - raw (sushi), boiled, fried, stewed, pickled and smoked.

When smoked, tender meat not only retains its juiciness, does not lose its taste and beneficial qualities, but acquires a unique appetizing aroma. Fillet of the smoky delicacy is consumed as a snack, a filler for sandwiches, and as an ingredient for delicious salads and sushi.

Another advantage of smoked tuna is its low calorie content: only 139 kcal per 100g of product, high content of easily digestible proteins - 24.5g/100g.

Cold smoked tuna

Cold smoking requires cold smoke, so it is best to use a smoke generator or firebox at a remote distance from the chamber. The smoking process should last at least 3 hours so that the tender fish meat is imbued with smoky aromas.

Rub the fillet with a 1:1 mixture of salt and sugar (you can use cane sugar), let it soak for 12 hours. Then rinse, dry well, cool in the refrigerator for half an hour, smoke in a smokehouse.

Fatty, tender tuna meat has an excellent taste no matter how it is smoked, but when marinated in the sauce according to this recipe, it acquires a unique aroma and hue. To prepare you will need:

tuna fillet – 1.5 kg;
marinating sauce;
alder sawdust.

Ingredients for the sauce:

ready-made soy sauce – 0.4 l;
cold water – 0.5 l;
honey – 200g;
ginger root – 20g;
garlic – 1 head;
salt – 2 teaspoons;
black pepper – 0.5 tsp;
cayenne pepper - a quarter teaspoon.

Step by step cooking method

Hot smoked tuna

To prepare hot smoked tuna you will need:

4 fillets or 2 small carcasses;
salt - approximately 1 tbsp. l. for 1 fish;
lemon – 1 pc.;
alder sawdust for smoking.

Cooking sequence:

The finished product is very juicy and incredibly aromatic. Smoked tuna is an exquisite gourmet delicacy that is easy to prepare yourself in the country or at home.

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Tuna fillet is an exquisite delicacy, regardless of the type of preparation. Its juicy, tender red meat has an original taste. Eating a smoked product has a beneficial effect on individual systems and organs of the body. This is possible if there are no harmful chemical impurities in the dish. You can prepare a healthy, harmless product at home by smoking it.

Fish selection

Tuna fillet is an exquisite delicacy, regardless of the type of preparation.

It is better to smoke fresh fish. They retain all useful vitamins and minerals. It is possible to use fresh frozen raw materials. In this case, you should wait for the carcasses to thaw naturally. To ensure that smoked tuna cooks evenly, you should choose individuals of the same size or cut them into portions of the same size.

Preparing the fish

Preparing tuna involves cleaning and salting. The final result of smoking and the safety of the finished smoked product depend on the correct implementation of these manipulations, since proper cutting and marinating allows you to remove pathogens and add flavor to the meat.

Tuna is cut in the following sequence:

the entrails are removed through an incision in the abdomen;
the head is removed;
fins and tail are cut off;
the skin is cleaned.

If the smokehouse is small, then it is better to fillet the fish. To do this, an incision is made along the back to separate the meat. The finished carcass is cut into 3 parts. The fillet is great for smoking, but the belly is also considered an exquisite delicacy. It can be marinated with fillet or special sauces can be used to add a piquant taste.

Ambassador or marinade

Hot smoked tuna is best marinated using the standard dry method. This will make its taste as natural as possible. The salting technology is as follows:

Carcasses or fillets are coated on all sides with salt at the rate of 1 tbsp. for every fish.
You can infuse the product at room temperature for half an hour.
After salting the tuna, it is better to sprinkle it with lemon juice and then place it in the smoker.

Cold smoked tuna will have an original taste and aroma if you use the marinating method.

Sauce recipes differ from each other. You will get a real culinary masterpiece if you take the following ingredients:

1.5 cups soy sauce;
2 glasses of water;
an incomplete glass of honey;
2 tsp salt;
8 cloves of garlic;
2 gr. ginger;
1 tsp a mixture of cayenne and black pepper.

A mixture is made from the listed ingredients, in addition to water and sauce. The ground components are poured with water and soy sauce. Tuna is dipped into the resulting marinade and placed in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Before hot smoking begins, pieces of garlic and ginger are removed from the fish. You need to let it sit so that the remaining sauce drips off. Excess liquid can cause the meat to fall apart during cooking.

Smoking methods

Smoking tuna using different methods produces different results. A smoked product prepared in a cold way has more elastic meat and a bright fishy taste and aroma. This type of smoked product lasts longer. Cold processing preserves more nutrients. Hot smoked tuna is softer and more tender. Spicy salting allows you to impart unique aromatic and taste qualities. This delicacy is best eaten within a few days.

Hot

The advantage of high-temperature processing is the speed of preparation and the guaranteed absence of harmful microorganisms. To prepare smoked fish, it is better to use alder chips. The resin content in it is minimal, which has a positive effect on the result. Before placing the fish in the smokehouse, it is first dried in the fresh air. Drying allows you to remove excess moisture. Cooking hot smoked tuna looks like this:

1.5 mm of wood chips is poured into the bottom of the smokehouse.
A container is installed to collect fat.
Salted carcasses or fillets are loaded.
The smokehouse is placed on the heater. As soon as the wood chips begin to smolder, we note the cooking time - 30-40 minutes.

At the end of smoking, the tuna is cooled along with the installation, and then ventilated for several hours in the fresh air.

Advice! To prevent the sawdust from burning during cooking, you should sprinkle it with a little water and dry it.

Cold

For cold smoking it is better to use a smoke generator - it is more productive. But the delicacy can also be prepared using a homemade device. The main condition is the correct temperature. It is recommended to smoke tuna using maple sawdust. They add a spicy taste to the smoked product. There are several cold smoking technologies:

Cooking without interruptions at a stable temperature of 30°C for 5-6 hours.
Step-by-step smoking, including smoke treatment at 40°C for two hours and three-hour cooking at 60°C. During the second stage, a tray with water is installed in the smokehouse. In this case, the smoked meat turns out more juicy and tender.

Ventilation after cold smoking is also considered mandatory. It helps remove excess smoke and make the fillet more appetizing.

Calorie content and product composition

The protein components make tuna especially useful because it increases hemoglobin. In terms of composition and protein content, fish leads among all others. The smoked product contains 24.4% protein. 6% is fat. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for the body. The composition of smoked meats is rich in vitamins, micro- and macroelements necessary for:

increasing immunity;
normalization of metabolism;
stabilization of the cardiovascular system;
strengthening the musculoskeletal system;
increasing the resistance of the nervous system to stress;
improved digestion;
rejuvenation of the body.

The fresh product has a low calorie content - per 100 g. 134 Kcal. Smoked tuna has a higher energy value - 184 Kcal per 100 g.

Storage conditions

Cold smoked meats will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Hot smoked tuna is recommended to be consumed within 2-3 days. Fish should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature no higher than +4°C. The smoked product must be isolated from the rest so that foreign odors are not absorbed into the meat.

Tuna will become a favorite delicacy of everyone who tries it. Smoking allows you to emphasize the taste and aromatic qualities. This homemade delicacy will become a favorite dish for the whole family. You can enjoy unmatched taste and benefits from eating smoked tuna.

Tuna has gained popularity in European, Japanese, and South American cuisine due to its specific meat. It has a taste uncharacteristic of fish and is suitable for preparing a variety of dishes - from eating raw to exquisite smoking.

Calorie content and nutritional value of 100 grams of product are presented in the table.

Tuna meat is rich in protein, so it is considered a marine substitute for beef. Unlike animal proteins, it is easily digestible and contains healthy fats. With constant consumption of tuna, the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer decreases. The high content of vitamins A, B, E, PP, essential amino acids, micro- and macroelements makes tuna an ideal food for cleansing the body, restoring and maintaining strength.

Briefly, the beneficial properties of fish cooked in any form can be described as follows:

vitamin C – improves immunity;
omega-3 acids – remove cholesterol, prevent thrombosis, normalize blood pressure;
potassium and sodium – improve blood circulation in the extremities, stabilize heart rate;
B vitamins – cleanse the liver, tone up the pancreas, fight depression;
a complex of magnesium and B vitamins – normalizes the activity of the brain and nerve endings;
calcium and phosphorus strengthen muscles, tendons, joints, bones;
vitamins A and E – improve overall metabolism.

Constantly eating fish rejuvenates and prolongs life, as evidenced by the longevity of tuna lovers - the Japanese.

What method do you use to smoke tuna?

HotCold

Restrictions on use

There is practically no harm or special contraindications. Moderation should be observed only for pregnant women, children, and those with liver and kidney problems. In the latter case, large amounts of protein foods are contraindicated, and the liver is overloaded with smoked foods. In addition, it is worth remembering the possibility of allergic reactions to any seafood. Absolutely everyone should refrain from overeating. Smoked products contain a lot of salt, which in small doses is beneficial, but in large doses leads to unpleasant consequences.

Hot smoking

Hot smoked tuna is an exquisite seafood delicacy. The meat is cooked in smoke, softened, soaked in fat and smoke. Delicious, aromatic tuna can be easily prepared with your own hands in a traditional smokehouse or any suitable metal box.

First you need to select and cut the fish. Chilled fillets are an excellent choice. Fresh has a uniform dark red color, the smell of the sea, and with light pressure there should be no dents left. If there is no fresh one, take a well-frozen one, uniform in color, with a thin layer of ice glaze. Whole fish should be selected weighing no more than 2 kg, with intact silver skin without spots, light eyes, and intact fins.

Separate the heads from the fish, spread the carcasses - cut into two parts along the back to the belly, leaving it whole. Gut the intestines, remove the gills, and rinse thoroughly. Rinse the fillet with water, cut into oblong pieces of 200-300 grams.

Traditional smoking in a smokehouse

You will need a smokehouse specially made for this. It consists of a heat source, a tray for wood chips and a grill for fish. The smoking temperature is maintained within 90-110°C.

Ingredients you will need:

fish fillet;
salt;
allspice ground black pepper;
fruit tree chips.

How to properly prepare delicious tuna is as follows:

Thaw the fillet in the refrigerator, rinse and dry slightly.
Add salt and pepper and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
Light the fire and wait for smoke to appear from the wood chips.
Wipe the fish thoroughly to remove salt and place on the grill.
Close and smoke for half an hour.

They eat hot or cold fish, depending on your preference.

Smoking on the grill

At home, any unpainted metal container, box or box can become a smoking chamber. The main thing is that you can pour wood chips on the bottom, place a grill with fish on top of it, and close it.

To prepare hot smoked tuna you will need:

a couple of small carcasses or oblong pieces of fillet, 200-300 grams each;
salt at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 carcass;
one lemon;
alder chips.

Step-by-step preparation :

Roll the flattened fish or fillet in salt and leave for half an hour.
Light firewood in the grill, wait for coals to appear, or heat ready-made coal.
Lay out a layer of approximately 1.5 cm of wood chips or sawdust and place on a hot grill.
Shake the fish off the salt and squeeze lemon juice on it. Place in the smokehouse on the grill and close.
Smoke for 30 minutes from the moment smoke appears from under the lid.

You can serve it immediately hot, without waiting for cooling.

Cold smoking

The process takes longer, the recipes are more complex, and special equipment is also required. A smoke generator, a smoke pipe and a smoking chamber are required. Despite the confusing names, everything is not that complicated. The point is that the smoke must cool before reaching the product. It is important to create conditions for drying fish in this haze. Smoking temperature – 25-30°C. A portable stove can serve as a smoke generator, and a tin pipe can serve as a chimney. Any lockable box or barrel will fit under the smoking chamber. Having assembled the structure, you can start cooking.

The criteria for selecting raw materials are the same as for the hot smoking method. When cutting, you need to take into account the nuances of recipes. The fillet is cut into pieces 2.5-3 cm thick. It is necessary to separate the boneless bellies from the carcasses and remove the skin from them.

Recipe for fillet with honey and ginger

Cold smoking dries out the meat a little, and the meat becomes slightly tough. A sauce with ginger and honey will help soften cold-smoked tuna. For this method you need:

1.5 kg fillet;
sauce;
wood chips

The main components of the sauce are water, salt, honey, ginger. The remaining ingredients are added to taste. The original composition is as follows:

water at room temperature – 0.5 l;
coarse salt – 2 tsp;
honey – 200 g;
chopped ginger root - 2 tbsp. l.;
ground black pepper - half a teaspoon;
soy sauce – 0.4 l;
finely chopped garlic - 1 medium-sized head;
cayenne pepper - on the tip of a knife.

Prepare as follows:

Grind salt, ginger, garlic, pepper in a mortar, add honey, stir thoroughly.
Combine with water and soy sauce.
Pour the resulting mixture over the fish and leave in the refrigerator for a day.
Remove the fillet from the marinade, let the liquid drain, and dry.
Light the fire, place the raw materials in the smokehouse. Cook for 3 hours with the door barely open.
Place in a small container with water, close tightly, and continue smoking for the same amount.

It is better to keep the resulting product for a couple of hours for complete fermentation.

Recipe with tummies

The belly is the tender but also the fattiest part of the tuna. Therefore, when preparing it, it is better to use a natural activator of fat breakdown - pineapple. The following products are required:

tuna trimmings (tummies) – 2 kg;
soy sauce – 500 ml;
pineapple juice – 500 ml;
finely chopped fresh ginger – 50 g;
ground black and red pepper - 1 tablespoon each.

How to prepare and smoke:

Mix pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger root, pepper.
Pour the marinade over the bellies and place in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Drain the liquid, place the fish pieces on a mesh and dry.
Place in a heated smoking chamber and keep for 12 hours at 30°C.
Place on a net and dry for the same amount of time.

How to enhance beneficial properties

You can neutralize the harm of smoked food with the help of herbs and vegetables. An excellent accompaniment would be parsley, celery, basil, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Any fish goes very well with dill. You can make salads from greens and vegetables or cut them and serve separately.

Dishes are seasoned with olive or regular vegetable oil. It is better to replace traditional bread with white or black with bran.

How to Serve Smoked Tuna

The advantage of this fish is the absence of small bones in large pieces of flesh. Therefore, tuna is a universal product; it is served separately with beer and combined with other snacks.

Despite its apparent simplicity, the beer option is actually multifaceted. The fillet can be cut into slices or slices. Cut the carcasses across the ridge or clean and serve whole. The main thing is that the pieces are convenient to eat, washed down with beer.

Smoked fish goes well with rice, boiled, fried potatoes, and mashed potatoes. A simple dish of juicy pieces of tuna fillet, potatoes seasoned with herbs, and tomato slices will seem like the height of culinary art.

Tuna is served as an independent appetizer, the cut is used for sandwiches, sushi, sashimi, and rolls are made. There are many recipes for salads and soups with smoked tuna, where it is used as a main ingredient or as a savory addition.