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Cold Smoking Tuna
Bit of a lengthy and picky process, but the end result is well worth the effort IMHO!
Partially thaw said Tuna: - it is easier to loin when it is still fairly stiff deep inside: https://i.imgur.com/K5GfegE.jpg Rip the hide, and yes, Rum Required for this entire process! https://i.imgur.com/5E2pubp.jpg Loin & remove brown meat: https://i.imgur.com/RoyFfnL.jpg Mix well 4 parts demerara sugar with 3 parts coarse salt (I like Sea Salt for this) and layer around 1/2 inch deep in bottom of tote. Toss in loins: https://i.imgur.com/fCL9Zul.jpg Smother loins with mix: https://i.imgur.com/9P4c7qn.jpg Cold enough outside this next step likely wasn't necessary, but I tossed bags of ice on each tote after they were stuffed into the big stainless smoker (no room for such in our fridge): https://i.imgur.com/nEZh4MX.jpg Shut the doors and let sit overnight. This thread will be continued as the process develops... Cheers PS: I have not forgotten about those who asked for more of the specific build specs on this smoker. Still hunting for the original pictures, and will post in a stand-alone when I find them... |
Took overnight and then some to get to this desirable stage.
The dry brine is "dry" no more, and it is easy to see just how much moisture it has sucked out of the loins. The loins themselves have changed both in color and consistency. https://i.imgur.com/pLQDd7l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/gaXJvQm.jpg Next up: the Wet Brine process... |
Worst thread ever
To read when hungry.
I wish you were my neighbor. It already looks delicious. |
Yum
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Wet Brine:
3 gallons (Canadian thank you very much) of water 4 cups Sea Salt 5 cups demerara sugar 2.5 cups real maple syrup 1 bag peppercorns A decent handful of chopped dill. Should mix this a fair bit before you need. it so it can settle. Test run by dropping a fresh raw egg into the mix: https://i.imgur.com/cPDxg5n.jpg She floats, all good- Carry on... If not, a smidgen more salt, whip into a frenzy, and re-try until it does. Toss the loins in - no need to rinse. https://i.imgur.com/NgEhISr.jpg Now about as fascinating as watching paint dry. Stir occasionally through the eve. Let percolate. Tomorrow desalination, onto prepped grills, and begin the glaze process (if all goes well...) Cheers, Nog |
I CALL bs unless I get 2lb samples.. Willing to pay postage!!
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Wow, this is VERY interesting.
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I wish I had thought of this, I used a bunch of tuna for halibut and crab bait. We didnt like it.
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Oh boy that looks good!! Haven't had smoked tuna in a few years, my uncle on the Oregon coast brought some out when we visited, along with some smoked sturgeon. Both were phenomenal!
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They came out of the wet brine earlier today.
Big changes in both color and consistency! They swelled back up quite a bit! https://i.imgur.com/cyxGtb9.jpg So, onto one of the most fussy and critical steps - Desalination. I prefer to have a LOT of water surrounding the loins at this point, and to keep a slow but steady flow of fresh water into their domain: https://i.imgur.com/7XUvPj0.jpg https://i.imgur.com/otzt7R0.jpg If you take your drain cap off your cooler, you can replace it with a large soft drink cap. Drill a small hole in the center of that so you have flow both top and bottom: https://i.imgur.com/0ZuDQEI.jpg Having too much Tuna is never an issue if you know how to deal with it. And I don't see a lot of point in repeating the process when one good run will do... https://i.imgur.com/weexhHo.jpg https://i.imgur.com/u27AnIZ.jpg The ones on the uphill side will freshen just a tad sooner than those on the downhill. Move the latter into the bigger tank while you pat dry the first lot and get ready for the grills. By the time you've accomplished that, the other should be ready. Move the loins around in the fresh water every 10 minutes or so, and keep a damn careful eye on them! Too little, the salt will be overbearing. Too much, and they become non-recoverable mush!! I do the double taste test - nip a little off a couple differing loins (should slice very thinly with a sharp knife). Taste. You will know it when you realize what you are looking for... This lot is now off to the grills, glaze and fans. Back atcha when able... Cheers, Nog |
OP, you have the process down to a science! I'm looking forward to seeing the end result before attempting this myself.
Pardon my ignorance, but are you using albacore tuna? |
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Cheers |
After about and hour and a half, the loins began to look a little washed out (don't worry - this is normal and will soon be rectified).
https://i.imgur.com/YSBOVl9.jpg Thin Slice & Taste Test said: Good To Go! https://i.imgur.com/3DXiQdK.jpg] Funny thing about that picture - left it up on the phone while I transferred the rest of the fish to totes, then turned, saw this, and actually tried to pick it up and eat it. LOL Yummy already! Then, onto the racks to dry: https://i.imgur.com/M8PfwVZ.jpg These dried very quickly - as in an hour after hitting the racks with NO fans, they were already crying for the Glaze! https://i.imgur.com/CzsHLfg.jpg Took advantage of that hour to prep the glaze itself. nearly 1/2 Maple Syrup, a shot of Rum Extract and top off with Black Bacardi: https://i.imgur.com/3oT8eac.jpg And apply: https://i.imgur.com/uhZ3to5.jpg It sucked the first application up within 45 minutes, so got hit again. Already you can see a color transformation as they darken from the glaze. Normally I would have hit the fans at this point. But with dark rapidly buzzarding in, temps into the minuses overnight, and the way these were already sucking up the brine I decided to leave them overnight without the fans. My Buddy hit them with the glaze again at midnight and said "Looking Good". Today they get rolled around, glazed again, and finished drying with the fans on... |
As expected, the loins sucked up the glaze some, leaving just enough on the surface to give them that classic Glassy finish.
Dry to the touch, they are ready for the smoker... https://i.imgur.com/XrxPU9i.jpg Yet another fine color / consistency change - beginning to look downright appealing! https://i.imgur.com/Rv7Zb10.jpg Load 'em up: https://i.imgur.com/pWRCgwJ.jpg And pour the cold smoke to them: https://i.imgur.com/BH54xNk.jpg Ambient air temperature is three degrees. No heat transfer into the smoker. Excellent conditions... See ya in a few hours... Nog |
Initial Taste Test...
https://i.imgur.com/h0IAQjo.jpg Horrible... NOT!!! :sHa_shakeshout: Cheers, Nog |
You have amazing threads. I tip my hat to you, Sir.
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Just amazing it must be raining out to find this time to prep for such fine table fare:)
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Man those look good! Great tutorial as well.
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that looks so good !!!:sHa_shakeshout:
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Looks delectable! What wood did you use for the smoke?
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Awesome. I’ll be through in the summer - save some for me! Lol
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Thanks for the kind words Folks - they are indeed Appreciated!
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For Tuna I alternate one puck of apple, then one of alder and stack accordingly into the feed pipe. Give the product a very mice smooth & Velvety finish... Cheers, Nog |
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